Menopausal Skincare Tips: Your Ultimate Guide

Menopause is often a time of significant hormonal and bodily change, including experiencing new skin irregularities. During this shift, people experiencing menopause can notice various skin changes, anywhere from new breakouts of acne to increased dryness. If you’re experiencing new challenges with your skin, it could be time to modify your skincare regimen to fit the changes that come with menopausal hormonal fluctuations.

Understanding Menopause

Menopause is commonly defined as the period when menstruation stops, officially one year after a person’s last period and typically between the ages of 45 and 55. During this time, estrogen and progesterone decrease, causing symptoms that vary from person to person. These symptoms can include hot flashes, trouble sleeping, mood changes and slowed metabolism, to name a few. Amongst these symptoms is skin dryness, which may require a more hydrating and nourishing skin regime.

What changes to the skin are typical during menopause?

Variations in hormone levels during perimenopause and menopause can regularly lead to alterations in our skin.

Because the body is producing less collagen, and due to the decline in estrogen levels, individuals may notice new breakouts of acne, dryness, or a decrease in the elasticity and thickness of their skin.

Among its many effects, estrogen is a hormone that promotes blood flow through skin capillaries. Estrogen levels decrease during perimenopause, the time leading up to menopause. As a result, less blood flows through the skin’s dermal capillaries, resulting in fewer nutrients getting to the skin’s surface. This causes the epidermis, or outer layer of the skin, to thin and slows down the pace of cell turnover.

Skin elastin also declines, and the epidermis and dermis layers can thin, leading to a less plump appearance and potential skin sensitivities.

Some of the most typical changes in skin during menopause include:

1. Dryness and wrinkling

2. Hyperpigmentation

3. Acne and breakouts

Let’s go into more detail on these three common skin conditions.

Dryness and wrinkling

When estrogen levels decline, the skin is more likely to become drier, less resilient, and more susceptible to eczema. Skin can appear flaky, scaly or tight, which requires a nourishing moisturiser to restore suppleness.

Another skin change caused by menopause is wrinkles. There are two types of wrinkle formation: dynamic wrinkles and static wrinkles.

Dynamic wrinkles result from repeated muscular actions, such as squinting or smiling. These wrinkles are caused by these movements over a prolonged period of time.

Conversely, static wrinkles appear even while the skin is at rest due to the loss of collagen, elastin, and fat.

Hyperpigmentation

Menopause-related hormonal fluctuations can lead to the development of hyperpigmentation, which appears as dark spots or uneven skin tone. Increased melanin synthesis, caused by hormone abnormalities, can create patches of pigmentation called Melasma.

Acne and breakouts

Contrary to common opinion, acne isn’t just for teenagers; many women endure a return of pimples and various types of acne throughout menopause. Hormonal variations, particularly elevated testosterone levels, can increase sebum production and clog pores, resulting in breakouts.

To know Skincare Tips To Protect and Maintain Your Skin During Menopause read the full blog here.