Has your skin been acting differently since you started approaching the menopause? Perhaps showing signs of redness or spots, or new signs of ageing?
Hormone changes can signal the start of a new era for your skin and in this guide, we’ll show you to support your skin through menopausal skin changes.
How does skin change during and after the menopause?
Are you worried that signs of ageing will accelerate during the perimenopause and menopause? Perhaps you’re more concerned about menopause acne, hot flushes or redness.
There’s no doubt about it, the menopause is no picnic and as oestrogenic levels decline, your skin will change, but that needn’t mean you need to let go of your glow.
In the next few sections, we’ll explore the most common facial menopausal skin changes and will provide you with tips and tricks for enhancing your existing routine with age confidence skin care that can support your skin during the menopause.
How to cope with menopausal skin changes
There is no ‘one size fits all’ beauty tool kit to help skin navigate the menopause. Because every woman will experience changes to their skin during the menopause that are unique to them, the best way to adapt your skin care is to be flexible with your beauty regime.
It can be tempting to stick with what has always worked before but now your skin’s needs are changing, you may find that it needs extra support.
Gradually introduce products that are formulated with age-appropriate actives proven to target the problems you are experiencing and you can help your skin retain its radiance through the menopause and beyond.
What are the most common menopausal skin changes?
Menopausal dry skin
Dry skin is one of the menopausal skin changes that many women experience and there are many factors that contribute to this.
After menopause, skin produces less sebum, is thinner, more translucent and less effective at retaining moisture, meaning it loses plumpness and radiance.
Menopausal skin also sheds slower and this reduction in cell turnover rate means dull, dead cells congest on the surface, making it harder for skin to absorb moisturiser and leaving skin try, tight and uncomfortable.
Our 3 must-haves for dry menopausal skin:
Need more detail? Read our in-depth, specialist tips for dry skin during the menopause
Menopausal skin ageing
Hormone changes reduce your skin’s collagen supplies and, according to the menopause researchers at Gen M, studies have estimated that menopausal women can lose 30% of their skin’s collagen during the 5 years that they first experience menopause symptoms[i].
This will increase with age so ingredients that support collagen and elasticity should be a core part of your anti-ageing menopause skin care routine.
Our Vitamin C Collagen Boost Serum and Hydra-Glow Sleep Mask are made with collagen-boosting ingredients such as slow-release Vitamin C and Green Macro Algae.
To keep the thin skin around the eyes plump and taunt, we make Age Defy+ Lip & Eye Serum with Baicalin, an ingredient with remarkable skin restoring properties that has been proven to restore skin to its state 10 years previously.
It also features Sea Holly Stem Cells, a skin-firming active shown to increase hydration by 95%, smoothness by 38% and tightness by 27%.
Age Defy+ Line Eraser Serum 10ml
Rich in powerful anti-ageing actives which firm skin in just 15 minutes
£29.00
Lifestyle factors can also help to minimise the changes to your skin during menopause by conserving its collagen supplies and preventing premature ageing.
Avoid smoking, use an SPF moisturiser and consider supporting your skin with an anti-ageing beauty supplement.
Discover our full Age Defy+ collection.
Perimenopausal acne
Skin usually produces less sebum during the menopause but hormone changes can mean some women experience breakouts and blemishes, especially during the perimenopause.
We recommend mixing a few drops of Purifying Balancing Oil Serum with your face cream.
This serum for perimenopausal skin targets congested skin with mattifying Ginger Stem Cells, blemish fighting Black Cumin Seed and sebum-balancing Jojoba oil.
Read more skin care tips for perimenopausal acne.
Menopause and rosacea/redness
IS IT REALLY ACNE?
Not all menopause spots are acne. Rosacea is one of the skin changes that is common in women of menopausal age and according to the NHS, one symptom of this is small pink or red bumps.
Rosacea-prone skin needs gentle care, so if you’re unsure of the cause of your spots or redness, seek guidance from your GP or dermatologist.
Our favourite duo for skin that may be prone to rosacea during the menopause are our Scent Free 24-Hour Cream and our Anti-Redness Oil Serum. Made with ultra-gentle, skin-calming ingredients, these are designed to restore soft, balanced and healthy skin.
Read more about our anti-redness skin care.
Menopause and itchy skin
The NHS lists having dry and itchy skin as one of the ‘Common physical symptoms of menopause and perimenopause’ and while it can be reassuring to know that this menopause skin change is nothing out of the ordinary, having itchy skin or an itchy scalp during the menopause can be very frustrating.
We have written a detailed guide to itchy skin during the menopause with lots of practical tips and products to calm your skin.
Menopause and melasma
Caused by accumulated sun damage, Melasma is the name given to the brown spots of pigment that emerge on the skin in later life. You may also hear of these spots referred to as age spots or hyperpigmentation.
Age spots can appear more prominent on thin skin and during bright sunlight. Annoyingly, these patchy pigment changes can be permanent but there are actives that can help to skin that may be prone to menopausal melasma.
Firstly, try Vitamin C skin care. The form of Vitamin C that we use in Collagen Boost Vitamin C Serum is Ascorbic Glucoside, a vitamin C derivative which slowly breaks into Vitamin C and has been shown to promote the creation of collagen whilst also helping to inhibit development of skin pigmentation.
During the day it is also important to use an SPF face cream or an SPF tinted moisturiser. We recommend our tinted DD creams which help to even skin tone, minimising the appearance of hyperpigmentation.
At night, apply your serum and then follow with Brightening Moisturiser. This blends Pineapple enzymes with Cucumber and Hibiscus to refine the skin tone and offer an to offer a lightening effect on patchy, uneven skin. Moisture-binding Cucumber has also been shown to restrict the transfer of melanin to reduce hyperpigmentation.
If you’d like personal advice and recommendations to help you cope with skin changes during the menopause, our friendly UK customer care team would be happy to help. Please contact us on 01403 740350.
[i] https://gen-m.com/symptom/changes-in-skin-texture/
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