How Hormones Signal Oil Glands
Your skin has tiny oil glands called sebaceous glands. These glands make sebum, an oily substance that keeps your skin and hair moisturized. Hormones act like messengers that tell these glands how much sebum to produce.
Androgens are a main group of hormones that control sebum. These include testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. They bind to receptors on the sebaceous glands. This binding tells the gland cells to grow and make more oil. Even small changes in androgen levels can boost oil output. That is why skin and hair get oilier during puberty, monthly cycles, pregnancy, or high stress times when these hormones shift.
Stress hormones play a role too. When you feel stressed, your adrenal glands release corticotropin-releasing hormone, or CRH, and cortisol. CRH works right inside the sebaceous glands as an autocrine hormone. It binds to receptors on the same cells that make it. This triggers the glands to produce more lipids, the building blocks of sebum. CRH also boosts an enzyme called Delta 5-3beta-HSD. This enzyme turns dehydroepiandrosterone into testosterone inside the glands, adding to the oil signal.
Cortisol from stress directly signals sebaceous glands to ramp up sebum. The oil gets thicker, which can clog pores and lead to pimples. Stress also slows skin cell turnover and changes the skin’s bacteria balance, making oil problems worse.
Dehydration can trick the skin too. When skin cells sense dryness, they send signals to sebaceous glands to make more oil as protection. This is a built-in response to keep the skin barrier strong.
Genetics affect how sensitive your glands are to these hormone signals. If your family has oily skin, your glands might be larger or more active. Diet and blood flow to the scalp can influence it as well. High sugar foods may increase sebum through inflammation.
In short, hormones like androgens, CRH, and cortisol dock onto receptors in sebaceous glands. This starts a chain of events inside the cells that cranks up oil production to match your body’s needs.
Sources
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.102180999
https://www.alibaba.com/product-insights/why-does-my-hair-get-greasy-so-fast-science-behind-rapid-oil-production.html
https://www.trummed.com/info-detail/not-just-pms-when-cortisol-quietly-triggers-your-breakouts
https://www.meadowandbark.com/blogs/skincare/is-hyaluronic-acid-good-for-oily-skin-the-expert-answer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PcvHrkOqRc
