By Lucia Fontaina Powell
Can menopause affect your skin? Whether you’re going through it right now, or simply want to feel prepared for the future, it’s helpful to understand all the ways menopause can change our bodies, including our skin.
Menopause begins a year after you have had your last period, usually between the ages of 45 and 55. You can start having symptoms of menopause before your periods officially stop, which is known as perimenopause. The most common symptoms include anxiety, brain fog, mood swings, hot flushes and irregular periods.
And if that wasn’t enough to deal with, menopause can also affect your skin. So if you’re menopausal or perimenopausal and are wondering where those dry or discoloured patches, wrinkles or breakouts have come from, know that your hormones are at play—and that you’re not alone.
According to the British Menopause Society, 75% of women suffer from menopausal symptoms. And while in the past, like many aspects of women’s health, menopause was a taboo subject, times are thankfully changing.
So at Dr Jackson’s, we want to lift the lid on the mysteries of menopause and help you look after your skin during this transition. Let’s take a look at how menopause can affect your skin.
What is menopausal skin?
With less collagen to keep skin supple and firm, you might notice more pronounced signs of aging in menopause, like fine lines, wrinkles, sagging, jowls and pouches under the eyes.
Discolouration and pigmentation
Age or sun spots can appear, and you’re more at risk of skin cancer and pre-cancerous skin growths. Make sure to conduct regular self examinations to spot anything unusual and visit your doctor or dermatologist if you have any concerns.
Since hormones play a role in how our skin regenerates, scratches or wounds may take longer to heal.
Hot flushes cause a sensation of heat, which usually begins in the face, head or chest. This can lead to visible redness in the skin, sweating, and feeling weak or agitated.
On top of the symptoms above, you might notice that any existing skin conditions, like eczema, psoriasis or rosacea, worsen during menopause. Make sure to see your doctor or dermatologist for help understanding and treating your skin, and try to use targeted products to care for it.
What does menopausal skin need?
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to look after your skin during menopause and ease symptoms.
We recommend:
- Wearing SPF on a daily basis to protect it from the sun, which can worsen signs of aging, pigmentation and thinning.
- Using a mild cleanser with natural ingredients to prevent dryness.
- Applying a rich, nourishing moisturiser morning and evening.
- Choosing natural ingredients with rejuvenating, soothing and complexion-evening properties, like calendula, baobab and kigelia (three of the star ingredients in Dr Jackson’s award-winning skincare).
Recap: how skin changes during menopause
To recap, there are seven major changes you might notice in your skin during perimenopause and menopause:
- More pronounced signs of aging
- Discolouration and pigmentation
- Thinner skin
- Dry or itchy skin
- Breakouts and acne
- Flushing
- Worsening of existing skin conditions
We hope this will act as a helpful guide as your skin and body matures, and remember, menopause doesn’t last forever!
It can be a tough transition, but there’s an increasing amount of resources and treatment out there. We hope at Dr Jackson’s we can guide you on how to achieve healthy, glowing skin through this next chapter of your life.