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Most of us have, at some point in our lives, suffered from some form of acne. We had to endure the painful years of our teens with sudden or persistent breakouts on our chins, foreheads, around our nose, or even on our bodies.
While the exact origins of acne can be complex and different for many people, acne breakouts are commonly due to fluctuations in hormones. Think about it: when you hit your teens, adult sex hormones start flooding and overwhelming your body. People’s bodies and minds change rapidly over time, causing growth in many areas as well as emotional fluctuations. There is no better way to describe acne in your teens than as an emotional rollercoaster. With such complex causes, pimple treatment can seem complicated and frustrating.
For many, acne breakouts and flares tend to settle down when you reach your early twenties, but this is not the case for all. In fact, women are more likely to experience acne throughout their lifetime until they reach menopause. The reason? Women’s sex hormones fluctuate more than men’s do because of their menstrual cycle. Typically, men’s hormones will stabilize into their early twenties, but because the amount of each woman’s sex hormones ebbs and flows throughout the month, even those with irregular periods can experience acne. Below are how certain hormones affect acne.
Estrogen is classified as a female sex hormone. It exists as one of the primary hormones that help women develop secondary sex characteristics and regulate the female reproductive system. It is the cause of pubic and underarm hair growth, the development of the breasts, and the start of the menstrual cycle. It is also critical for women because it keeps cholesterol under control, protects bone health, and influences your mood.
If you experience acne during the same time every month in your menstrual cycle, this could be due to ovulation. Ovulation is the midpoint of the menstrual cycle, when the egg is released. Shortly after, the estrogen levels begin to decline, and this decline coincides with the prevalence of another sex hormone, testosterone.
Testosterone is considered a male sex hormone. Testosterone fuels sex drive, and contributes to the prevalent growth of men’s hair, testes, and sex drive. Women also produce testosterone, particularly in the ovaries, but it is in a much smaller amount. Testosterone is responsible for activation of oil glands in the skin called sebocytes. Small amounts of sebocytes are healthy for the skin, as it helps clear the pore of dead skin cells and excess bacteria.
However, when estrogen falls after ovulation it leaves more room for the testosterone to have more influence on the body. When testosterone stimulates the cell receptors in the oil glands, they can produce excess oil for a female’s skin, which can lead to the characteristic acne a woman receives every month. When estrogen levels rise again, the acne typically clears up.
Top image via Pixabay
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
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14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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