What happens to your Skin?
Menopause causes many changes to your skin.
You actually start to lose collagen when you are in your late 20's, but with hormone changes, it speeds up during menopause. It becomes more noticeable because you lose a little fat under the skin and the elasticity drops - all this conspires to form wrinkles and may make your neck and jawline a little saggy.
So what can you look forward to?
Melasma - Some women experience more pigmentation on their cheeks, upper lip and forehead. A combination of hormonal changes and sun exposure is responsible. Try a Primer to even out your skin tone. These can be used either with or without make-up and give skin a healthy, balanced look.
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Menopausal Acne - Because of the drop in oestrogen levels or even because of an increase in testosterone, you may experience oily patches, this can lead to skin breakouts or menopausal acne. Ironically, the advice for treating menopausal acne is much the same as treating acne as a teenager.
Wash your skin twice daily, don’t use overly stringent products, and some suggest using a cleanser that contains salicylic acid.
Try not to scratch, pick, touch or generally antagonise spots.
Avoid tanning or too much sun exposure and wear sunscreen, but make sure you wash it off properly in the evening.
Wash cosmetics brushes after use and try to use products like concealer by applying them with your finger or a brush rather than directly.
A healthy diet and exercise should also help.
Hormonal treatments for menopause can also help.
Dry Skin - During this stage of life, your skin can also become dry. To tackle this it may be an idea to update your skincare routine to suit your skin now. Start using a gentle cleanser, have a look at moisturisers for mature skin, include a facial oil or serum before your moisturiser, or add in products like hyaluronic acid. Some advise products containing vitamin A, peptides, and vitamin C.
Sensitive Skin - Hormonal changes (yes, them again) can make your skin much more sensitive. You may find you start reacting to products you have always used and if you have existing skin conditions like eczema or rosacea, these can get worse. It's time to change your skincare products which can address these issues; try using a fragrance-free moisturizer, which can reduce irritation. or seek advice from a dermatologist.
There are things you can do in terms of diet, medication, nutrition, exercise and exploring aesthetic treatments if that's the right path for you.
Whilst the changes to the skin are perfectly natural, there are things you can do to address hormone imbalance. This may be HRT (discuss with your GP), supplements (again, ask your GP) or eating certain foods high in phytohormones - plant-based compounds that mimic oestrogen in the body.....talking of which.....
Next Menopause Post: Phytohormones - what are they and what do they do?