Dr. Mamina Turegano on Hormonal Acne, Hair Loss & Skincare That Works

We share more with a reproductive endocrinologist than you'd think — hormones drive skin and hair just as much as fertility. In this episode, Dr. Sasha sits down with triple board-certified dermatologist Dr. Mamina Turegano to break down what's really behind hormonal acne and hair loss, the environmental factors quietly wrecking our skin, and the exact prescriptions, supplements, and skincare routines that actually work.

In this episode, we cover:

Why acne is so common (80-90%+ of women experience it) and why it's rising in adulthood

The environmental theories behind the "acne epidemic" — diet, sugar, dairy, fiber intake, caffeine, microplastics, and endocrine disruptors

Why chronic stress, poor sleep, and constant phone/screen stimulation are affecting our hormones and skin

How to tell if your acne is truly "hormonal" — jawline breakouts, cystic bumps, and the testosterone-to-estrogen ratio (not the absolute number) that drives flares

PMOS (formerly PCOS) and how androgen imbalances show up as cystic acne, hirsutism, and hair loss

Dr. Turegano's diagnostic workup: history, hormone testing, functional medicine referrals, Dutch tests, and gut microbiome testing

The acne treatment ladder — topical retinoids, spironolactone, isotretinoin (Accutane), and where supplements like omega-3s, zinc, pumpkin seed oil, vitex, and DIM fit in

Why the type of progestin in your birth control can make acne better or worse — and the role of drospirenone (Yasmin)

Coming off birth control or spironolactone without your skin spiraling

Normal vs. abnormal hair shedding, telogen effluvium vs. androgenic alopecia, and why postpartum hair loss hits so hard