Skin begins to change leading up to and during menopause, but these expert tips will help you look and feel your best.
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Mention menopause to a group of women, and you’ll get mixed responses about what it entails depending on their ages. Most of us focus in on the biggie – the end of reproductive capabilities – but there’s a lot more to the menopausal transition than simply no longer needing feminine products.
Skin becomes more finicky as hormones fluctuate, and you may not recognize them as symptoms of perimenopause or menopause itself.
The Connection Between Estrogen and Skin
Even if you’re happily bidding farewell to your monthly cycle, that drop in estrogen also reduces the production of skin-plumping hyaluronic acid as well as collagen and elastin. Research indicates that “estrogen insufficiency decreases [the skin’s] defense against oxidative stress.” And that means drier, thinner skin that’s more prone to wrinkling and sagging.
Invigorate Skin’s Fibroblasts
With reduced levels of estrogen undermining your skin’s natural elasticity and tightness, now’s the time to add a facial tool to your routine. Gua sha plates and jade rollers are great, but what has the menopause marketplace made specifically for us lately?
Not enough actually, since the industry has primarily left those options to medical providers, but this is a rapidly growing section of the beauty industry. If you haven’t yet heard about Pause Well-Aging – a luxury skincare brand designed for women 45 and up, founder Rochelle Weitzner has created a “patented FDA-cleared Class 1 medical device” with menopausal women in mind that addresses laxity in the face and neck.
The stainless steel Fascia Stimulating Tool borrows “the science that [physical therapists] use in their practice (Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization) to improve tissue health and quality.” When used with a few pumps of a slip agent or their Collagen Boosting Moisturizer, it stimulates the collagen-producing fibroblasts in the skin’s connective tissue through micro-tension motions and is clinically proven to minimize sagging and improve skin density.
Unlike a gua sha, this tool has long, straight edges to massage the neck area and cheeks, as well as a “fishtail” edge to tone and tighten the “jawline, upper lip area and around the brows.” Whether you use a gua sha or the Fascia Stimulating Tool, this is a worthy practice that delivers results.
Control Pores
We’ve spent our lives trying to make our pores look smaller, but if they seem larger now that you’re in menopause, you’re not imagining things. As your collagen level decreases, your skin’s structure weakens. And when skin loses elasticity, pores can look more like craters. Add in the onset of menopausal acne (yes, ugh) and you may need to rethink your skincare choices.
Switching to a skin-strengthening, balancing toner, like Orpheus Flora Balancing Rose Toner, and a medical grade cleanser specifically formulated to hydrate skin while naturally removing dullness-causing dead skin cells, such as Restorsea’s Reviving Cleanser, may strengthen skin and balance its sebum production.
Wipe Out White Spots
Skincare companies often refer to age-related skin discoloration as “liver spots” or “age spots” – neither of which is particularly flattering. Both fall into the category of hyperpigmentation. But what if you’re perimenopausal/menopausal and start noticing little white spots on your arms or legs? Depending on your skin tone, hypopigmentation can be nearly invisible or downright distressing. When melanocytes malfunction, they no longer produce pigment evenly. Getting a proper diagnosis requires a visit to a board certified dermatologist.
Some spots, like those caused by idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (IGH) may be caused by excess sun exposure or genetics. Your dermatologist may recommend a topical steroid cream to reduce inflammation or anti-aging powerhouse tretinoin (aka Retin-A).
Dermabrasion has also been found to improve IGH as well as other signs of aging since it removes the dead skin cells and increases cell turnover. If your spots are caused by vitiligo, which can surface during menopause, they may be repigmented. Solutions include topical corticosteroids or photochemotherapy, which combines UVA light with oral medication to trigger pigment production. Micropigmentation (aka permanent makeup) can also help. As with any cosmetic procedure, micropigmentation is an art, so do your homework to find a highly skilled practitioner.
These three concerns are but the tip of the iceberg, lovelies. What other skin-related issues are you coping with during perimenopause or menopause?
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