Menopause: its impact on our skin and what to do about it

In our last article we discussed perimenopause and its impact on the skin. When women reach active menopause, those symptoms are not necessarily different, but they are likely to become prevalent and they may become more intense. In this article, we wanted to look at the things you can do to support your skin during this, the second stage of menopause.

Menopausal symptoms and their impact on the skin

According to the British Menopause Society, menopausal symptoms affect more than 75% of women with over 25% describing symptoms as severe. That said, in the USA, a study from the NIH in the USA estimates that as many as 85 % of postmenopausal women have experienced a menopause-related symptom in their lifetime.

When it comes to skin, how it feels and how it looks, the symptoms of menopause range from uncomfortable to being a natural part of ageing in appearance.    
  
Skin side effects can include:

• A loss of elasticity in the skin
• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Sagging
• Dark spots/melasma
• Facial hair
• Dryness
• Acne
• Rosacea
• Skin sensitivity

Time Magazine reported in succinctly scientific terms: 

“Steve Horvath, professor of human genetics and biostatistics at University of California Los Angeles, and his team measured the changes in a group of women’s DNA and concluded that the cells of women who had experienced menopause speed up ageing processes by about 6%.”

Skincare solutions during menopause

There are three ways to address skin side effects of menopause and hormonal changes, at least purely in terms of topical skincare. There are also things you can do in terms of diet, medication, nutrition, exercise and exploring aesthetics treatments if that's the right path for you.

At MPlus we always favour treating the cause first. Even so, it's enjoyable to also do the things that actively make us feel better about our appearance and help us to look our best while embracing the changes that life brings. So, here is our three step approach to skincare solutions during menopause. 

Treat the cause

The cause of these changes to the skin is led by the change in hormone levels. While that in itself is natural, there are things that can be done to address hormone balance. 

That can range from HRT solutions if that's right for you (something to discuss with your doctor), or it might mean exploring phytohormones (naturally occurring plant hormones). You can find these in certain foods, supplements and are included in our skincare products at MPlus. 

In addition, some of these changes in the skin are caused by a drop in collagen levels, a loss of elastin fibres and hyaluronic acid (the molecule that helps the skin retain moisture).

Vitamins and supplements that may help to tighten skin include: 

• Collagen peptides
• Vitamins A, B, C, D and E
• Carotenoids
• Lycopene 

Before opting to take any vitamins or supplements it’s best to speak to your doctor in case they conflict with any medical conditions or medications.

Find out more about phytohormones

Treat the symptom 

The second stage of menopausal skincare is treating the symptom. This might be helping to find ways to address hot flashes by cooling the skin in the moment, it might be treating thinning hair or soothing itchy skin. For example, our cooling geranium face spritz helps to provide instant relief from hot flashes, soothing the skin whenever you need it in a handy sized bottle that will fit in your handbag. 

Skin often becomes very dry and possibly itchy during menopause. Introducing a body oil enriched with nourishing ingredients like Vitamin E, coconut oil and therapeutic essential oils, as well as natural plant oestrogens, can help sooth and support skin health as well as relieve dryness and itchiness.

Cover the symptom 

Covering up symptoms isn't about hiding, it's about helping you to look and feel your best, whatever that means to you. For our part, we think that you look great just as you are, but sometimes we want to put our game face on. Even so, we still like to see the real you shine through, so we favour enhancement of your natural look. 

Our favourite product for this is our Menopause Age Smoothing Primer, designed to even skin tone, whether it's used with or without make-up, giving skin a healthy, balanced appearance. 

Contrary to popular opinion, there are ways to feel great during and beyond menopause, and we're here to help make that happen.

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