Caring for Your Skin Before and During Menopause
While World Menopause Day lands on October 18 each year, there are many women who will begin perimenopause, early-onset menopause, or full-fledged menopause in January, April, or June.
When menopause begins, estrogen levels decrease, which affects multiple aspects of how your skin looks and feels. It is common for women to report unwelcome changes in their complexion during menopause including dryness, itching, fine lines and wrinkles, age spots, and other issues with skin tone.
An important part of the menopausal skin battle is getting your skin to a healthy place before heading into the hormonal depletion that causes menopausal skin changes. If you can commit to a lifestyle that nourishes your skin and builds up skin hydration from a younger age, odds are you’ll experience less of the effects of menopause, or at least not as quickly.
The good news is, even if you missed the opportunity for the preventive side of things, you can still make some changes to help your skin feel its best and to assuage some of the skin symptoms that come with menopause.
Prevent and Treat Dry Skin from Menopause
Even better news – the changes you make for the prevention and treatment of menopausal skin itching (from dryness) are exactly the same!
The key for dry skin is to apply the right products for moisturization AND avoid products that contain ingredients that leech hydration you currently have.
Most people and skin types can only tolerate the harsh, drying effects of soap for so long. The top tip for dry skin is this: instead of using a face wash that includes sodium laurel sulfates (SLS) or other strong surfactants, opt for a mild and moisturizing cleanser. This milk cleanser benefits skin by keeping the microbiome intact and not stripping the essential fatty acids while clearing out pollutants and toxins! Win-win-win!
Now going back to those essential fatty acids you want your skin to hold onto. What makes a moisturizer great for dry menopause skin is ingredients that help to rebuild skin from the inside out, aid in collagen production, and fortify the skin barrier to protect it from the environmental pollution we are exposed to every day. Ingredients that are ideal include amino acids (peptides), fatty acids (like from organic soy oil or vegetable glycerin), oils rich in vitamin A/retinol (rose and carrot seed), and organic shea butter.
Rebuilding Collagen and Elastin for Skin Elasticity and Reversing Wrinkles
During menopause, when collagen production is stunted and the natural oils that help keep the skin hydrated and soft are depleted, there comes a loss of skin elasticity, increasingly visible wrinkles and pores, and the pigmentation issues we call age spots. It has been documented that during the first five years of menopause, there is a 30% decrease in the amount of collagen in the skin.
A lack of collagen can look like hollow cheeks, bags under the eyes, large pores, and sagging skin. Many women resort to medical spas for facial fillers when they get to this stage, but there is a more natural way to address these concerns.
To rebuild collagen, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends implementing a skin care product that contains retinol (vitamin A) or peptides (amino acids) as these can help to rebuild collagen in your skin.
Incorporating a serum rich in amino acids and natural retinol into your moisturizer or as its own treatment is a great way to increase your skin’s intake of these essential building blocks of collagen. And adding in a nourishing and protecting face mask for mature skin one to three times per week would do wonders for ensuring that the basic structures of the skin aren’t being torn down as they’re being rebuilt.
Acne and Oily Skin in Menopause
For some women, the skin changes in a different, yet equally unwelcoming way.
Occasionally women in menopause struggle with hormonal acne and excess oil. While this is annoying, there is a simple three-step routine that helps clear acne breakouts, minimize acne scars, and balance oil production in a natural way. The key to acne and excess oil at any age is to not deplete the skin of ALL oil and strip the acid mantle with harsh cleansers, acids, and synthetic retinol.
Menopause Skincare Products for Dry Skin
+ Mild Milk Cleanser, Collagen Building Serum, & Skin Firming Face Cream
Hydrating and Protective Face Mask
Menopausal Skincare Products for Acne or Oily Skin
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