Menopause and Your Skin

Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when she stops menstruating, signaling the end of her reproductive years. During menopause, hormone estrogen levels drop, which results in a wide gamut of physical changes that can affect how you look and feel.  

With the estrogen drop, production and repair of the skin’s collagen and elastin also falls, which can cause a dryer, duller complexion. Estrogen also stimulates fat deposits. As these levels shrink, fat deposits become redistributed, and that causes the loss of supportive fat in the skin of the face. This allows sagging wrinkles to appear.

Menopausal skin is also more prone to sun damage, because estrogen controls the cells that manufacture the pigment melanin, which guards against sun damage. When estrogen levels wane, a woman’s body produces less melanin; the skin appears lighter, which makes it more prone to sun damage, including sunburn and hyper-pigmentation (“age spots”).

Tips which can help you cope with the changes that occur after menopause:

    1. Wear a sunscreen daily with a 40SPF(sun protection factor) and broad-spectrum protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.
    2. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables and keep hydrated.
    3. Eat foods rich in essential fatty acids, like the omega-3s in walnuts, salmon, sardines, safflower oil and flax.
    4. Schedule an annual full body skin check with your healthcare provider.
    5. Ease up on the hot showers and baths and don’t spend a long time in the water. Both hot water and too much time in the tub can exacerbate dry skin.
    6. Use less abrasive soaps, and use moisturizer whenever you are exposed to the elements for an extended period (water skiing, snow skiing, wind, etc.).

And consider estrogen replacement with bio-identical hormones. Estrogen is the second best thing for your skin, after Retin-A or retinol. Bare Skin Care Rejuvenation Serum and Night Cream both contain retinol.