We don’t often think of a connection between our period pain and what we’re lathering onto our scalp. However, our skin is a very absorbent organ, and what we massage into our scalp can be absorbed into our bloodstream. More than that, the fragrances and ingredients in our haircare routine that we inhale (like that giant gulp of hairspray you accidentally ate!) can enter our body and can have a negative impact on our hormone health. Considering that our hormones control our menstrual cycle, this can exaggerate period symptoms.

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What Is a Hormone Disruptor?

The World Health Organization says that endocrine disruptors, or endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), are substances that “have been suspected to be associated with altered reproductive function in males and females, increased incidence of breast cancer, abnormal growth patterns and neurodevelopmental delays in children, as well as changes in immune function.”

I don’t know about you, but a hormone-disrupting shampoo that smells as if a coconut gave birth to a cherry blossom is not worth the risk!

There are chemicals that disrupt hormones that are also called external estrogens, or “xeno-estrogens”. This is because they are similar to our body’s own estrogen, but not exactly the same. They can enter our body and bind to estrogen receptor sites, causing a negative effect.

Advertisement It does not affect the body in a cyclical pattern of ups and downs, similar to our body’s own hormones. Instead, we are exposed to external estrogens consistently every day. Our estrogen levels naturally increase and decrease at different times during our menstrual cycle, so, consistent levels of estrogen exposure can really have an effect on the way we experience our period.

These external “fake” estrogen hormones also remain and accumulate in the body for decades.