The onset of perimenopause and becoming menopause is a very challenging time for most women. Many women experience typical menopause symptoms, which is bad enough, but this time in a woman’s life can be accompanied by the onset of bad skin. Skincare For Menopausal Skin is different compared to when you were younger because of the changes menopause has on your skin.
Menopause skin changes are the result of declining levels of estrogen, which can lead to dryness, thinning, and a decrease in collagen production. These changes can occur gradually or suddenly, and they can last for the rest of a woman’s life.
Women who previously had great skin can find that in menopause their skin is now red, flaky, ruddy, and uneven…as well as having wrinkles and sagging.
While there is no way to completely stop the changes menopause has on our skin, there are skincare products you can use and lifestyle adjustments you can make to minimize the effect menopause has on your skin. In this article, we will discuss menopause and give you 15 menopause skin care tips that can help you to take care of your skin during this trying time.
What is Menopause?
Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when her ovaries stop producing eggs and her menstrual periods become less frequent and then eventually stop altogether. Menopause usually occurs in women between the ages of 45 and 55, but it can happen earlier or later.
What is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause actually means ‘around menopause’ and is the time when your body starts to make the transition into menopause.
Perimenopause usually starts between the ages 40 – 44. And for some women, it can even start in their 30s. The length of time, on average that a woman goes through perimenopause can be between 2 to 10 years.
During perimenopause, the ovaries gradually stop working. Your periods and ovulation will probably be unpredictable, and your monthly flow can become lighter or much heavier. It is basically a period of unpredictability. All of this happens due to the changing levels of hormones.
Menopause Symptoms
The most common menopause symptoms are:
- Irregular periods – Not regular, lighter, or very heavy
- Hot flashes or cold chills
- Joint pain including hips and joint stiffness
- Night sweating
- Trouble sleeping or staying asleep
- Mood changes, depression, or anxiety
- Weight gain especially on the stomach
- Thinning hair or wiry hair
- Thinning skin, dry skin, flaky skin, itchy skin
- Sore and tender all over the body
- Headaches and brain fog
Note, that all the above can start to appear in perimenopause.
Menopause Skin Changes
Our skin changes during menopause due to the lowering levels of oestrogen.
Oestrogen is the hormone that helps us to look young. It helps keep our skin elastic and firm.
As our oestrogen level depletes our skin becomes lined and wrinkled, jowls form and it gets drier.
Nearly all women experience some sort of skincare issue during perimenopause and menopause, but the most common symptoms are:
Perimenopause and Menopause Acne
Acne during perimenopause is due to the changing levels of hormones. Once you are in menopause most women find that their acne disappears. Menopausal acne can usually be treated well with the right skincare and most often does not need medications.
Perimenopause, Menopause, and Dry Skin
During these stages, and as estrogen declines our body’s moisture decreases. This will give us drier skin that is easily irritated, can become red, and have small bumps across our cheeks and chin.
Menopause Skin Itching
As skin becomes drier it loses moisture and skin can itch virtually anywhere on the face or body. On the body, itchy breasts are common, and, on the face, itchy cheeks are common.
Collagen For Menopause
Collagen is necessary for a healthy gut, bones, skin, hair, and nails. During menopause adding collagen to our diet can help combat aching joints and aging skin.
It will not be a miracle cure, but it may give some relief.
Taking a Collagen Peptide supplement is an easy way to add collagen to your diet. Collagen peptides are also known as hydrolyzed collagen.
They are fragments of collagen sourced from animals, that are broken down during a process called hydrolysis. Hydrolysis makes the collagen able to be absorbed by our body.
Note: Most sources of collagen are animal sources and are not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.
Rapid Aging After Menopause
Not only does Oestrogen decrease in menopause, but so does Progesterone. Oestrogen aids collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid production. Collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid help to plump and firm our skin.
Progesterone stimulates oil gland production in the skin. Less natural oil means drier skin.
Unfortunately, the decrease in both hormones leads to rapid aging.
How Can I Slow Down The Aging Process After Menopause?
We cannot stop aging, but we can slow it down and there are basic things we must take seriously that can help our bodies cope with getting older.
- Eat less sugar
- Exercise
- Drink water
- Reduce stress
- Eat more vegetables and fruit
The above seems like a very basic list, but as the years go by, attending to the basics could mean the difference between the onset of a condition or illness or whether you must take medications for the rest of your life. Good health is important in your older years.
Old bodies just don’t cope with being reckless or ignoring good health advice.
As for our skin, using skincare that helps keep aging skin hydrated and nourished will make a big difference.
Our body will produce less hyaluronic acid and collagen after menopause. Skincare applied topically can combat this decrease.
Best Skincare for Menopausal Skin – Do’s and Don’ts
There are several ways that Korean skincare can be used to improve the appearance of menopausal skin.
Here are a few suggestions:
1. Do: Use Products That Contain Antioxidants
Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Resveratrol, vitamins A & E, Coenzyme Q10, and Green Tea extract can help aging skin. These can help to protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals, which can accelerate the aging process.
2. Do: Use Collagen Boosting Skincare
Look for products that contain ingredients that can help to boost collagen production, such as Retinol, Bakuchiol (less irritating than Retinol), vitamin, C, Niacinamide, AHA’s & BHA’s, Ginseng and peptides.
3. Do: Use Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy stimulates collagen production in skin cells which can reduce fine lines and wrinkles. This 2021 study found that Red Light Therapy stimulated collagen and elastin production within cells.
4. Do: Use A Gentle Cleanser
Use a gentle, low-foaming cleanser to remove dirt and excess oil from the skin without stripping it of its natural oils. Stripping skin of its natural oils will make the skin dry and irritated, which is common during menopause.
5. Do: Use a Hyaluronic Acid Rich Moisturiser
Use a moisturizer that is rich in hyaluronic acid, which helps to keep the skin hydrated and plump.
6. Do: Use A Facial Oil or Serum
Consider using a facial oil or serum to provide extra nourishment and hydration for the skin.
7. Do: Facial Massage
Think about adding facial massage to your skincare routine. Facial massage can help to improve circulation, stimulate collagen production and relax facial muscles.
8. Do: Protect Your Skin from The Sun
One of the best things you can do for your skin during menopause is to protect it from the sun. Ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage skin, causing skin to age faster, and increases the risk of skin cancer. Wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 30+ every day, even on cloudy days, is a must, and it can help protect your skin from the sun’s burning UV rays. Be sure to apply sunscreen to all exposed skin, including your face, neck, chest, and hands.
9. Do: Use Gentle Skincare Products
Harsh cleansers, toners, and exfoliants can strip the skin of its natural oils, which can lead to dryness and irritation. If your skin is feeling dry or irritated, it’s a good idea to switch to more gentle products that contain fewer irritating ingredients.
10. Don’t: Pick At, Pull, Stretch or Tug on The Skin On Your Face
Be gentle when cleansing, removing eye makeup, applying products, or doing facial massage. Treat your skin with care!
The skin around our eyes is thinner than on the cheeks and you really need to be gentle. Likewise picking at your skin can make your skin red, inflamed, and spread bacteria. It can also lead to scars.
Lifestyle Choices to Help Menopausal Skin
11. Do: Eat Healthy Foods Rich in Antioxidants
Another important menopause skin care tip is to eat a healthy diet. Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help to keep your skin healthy. Foods that are high in antioxidants, such as berries, tomatoes, and green leafy vegetables, can help to protect your skin from damage.
12. Do: Exercise
Exercise is not only good for your overall health, but it can also help to keep your skin healthy. Exercise increases blood flow to the skin, which delivers nutrients and oxygen that are essential for skin health. Exercise also helps to reduce stress, which can damage the skin.
13. Do: Get Enough Sleep
Sleep can become a big issue during menopause. Try to get some sleep whenever you can. Perimenopause and menopause are very trying times in a woman’s life and you may need extra sleep to feel like your old self.
When you sleep, your body repairs damage that has been done to your skin during the day. In addition, sleep helps to reduce stress, which can damage the skin.
14. Do: See A Dermatologist
If you are concerned about the negative changes in your skin, or you have tried multiple products and nothing seems to improve your skin, it’s a good idea to see a dermatologist. A dermatologist can evaluate your skin and give you individualized menopause skin care advice.
15. Don’t: Smoke
Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your skin. Smoking decreases blood flow to the skin, which can lead to premature aging and wrinkles. In addition, smoking increases the risk of skin cancer.
The changes that occur during menopause can be gradual or hit you like a ton of bricks.
Choosing skincare for menopausal skin can help improve your skin, which will make you feel more confident as you journey through this tricky stage of life.
In this article, we have given you 15 menopause skin care tips that will help you take care of your skin during this time, and we hope you have gained some valuable information that you can apply.
If you enjoyed Skincare for Menopausal skin, you may also like this post on The Ultimate Guide to Getting Flawless Skin with Hyaluronic Acid Serum.