5 surprising things that happen to your skin before your period (and how to stop them)

We all know the annoyance of the period breakout. As if the bloating, cramps and tendency to cry whilst listening to Drivers License (just us?) wasn’t punishment enough. As soon as Aunt Flo takes up residence, so do her unwelcome pimple pals but what about other symptoms PMS (Pre-Menstrual Skin)? The 7-10 days before your period can throw up a whole host of pesky skin problems thanks to wildly fluctuating hormones. From bacne to sunburn it can wreak havoc with your complexion but luckily there’s plenty you can do to fight back…

By Jo Hoare

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  1 Bacne

  As hormones trigger sebum production that means that not only does your skin get greasier but so can your hair. If you’ve got long hair that sits on your shoulders or back this might lead to the dreaded bacne. It’s a tricky area to reach yourself, so book in for a specific back facial; it will give you all the TLC and bacteria fighting you’d get with a complexion treatment but works on your back and shoulders.
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  2 Super sensitivity

  That serum that made your skin positively glow last week now leaves you feeling sore and irritated and your exfoliator that usually works a dream has left you itchy and red. If you’re at week three in your period calendar then this sounds like a classic case of hormone related sensitivity. To combat this be super gentle with your skin, avoid harsh scrubs or exfoliants and keep fragrance free.
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  3 Sunburn

  You might notice you’re affected more by the sun just before your period (hey, that’s why you got sunburnt on that holiday even though you applied the same sun cream as you usually do) as a rise in oestrogen can make skin more sensitive to sunlight. This means you should up your daily SPF and wear no less than 30.
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  4 Flare ups

  If you suffer from an inflammatory skin condition like psoriasis or eczema PMS can contribute to these flaring up. It’s also harder for your body to heal itself at this point in your cycle so it can be doubly problematic. Stress and anxiety (yep also PMS pals) can make things worse so try a yoga class to try and de-stress.
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  5 Flush blush

  Say hello to another skin-altering hormone, prostaglandin, this constricts blood vessels so if you’re prone to blushing or suffer from rosacea then you might notice this getting worse. Calm skin down by avoiding extreme heat like saunas or steam rooms, swapping intense cardio for something gentler and booking in for a redness relieving facial.

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