How Menopause effects the skin?

How menopause affects the skin

Oestrogen is an essential ingredient in maintaining healthy skin. It activates oestrogen receptors in key skin cells, stimulating the production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid to promote healthy skin and a vibrant looking appearance.

Four Things That Happen To Your Skin During Menopause

Menopause is an unpredictable time. Even in the years leading up to menopause, you can experience a range of changes to your physical and emotional health and it is natural to wonder exactly what’s going on. One thing in particular, that you might not have expected is the dramatic changes to the appearance of your skin.

What the research says

As oestrogen levels decrease during menopause, the skin loses a large amount of collagen over a short space of time.

• 30% loss of skin’s collagen within the first five years of menopause¹
• 1% loss of skin’s collagen in each subsequent year¹
• 1% decline in skin thickness in each postmenopausal year¹

This is the reason why as you approach and go through menopause, you’ll probably notice some big changes to your skin. Increased dryness, sagging, dullness, more wrinkles; it’s all normal. The good news is, you can take control and redefine how your skin ages.

What will we focus on in this article

In this article, we will take a look at the changes that occur to skin during menopause. We will explain what changes you can expect and show you which skincare ingredients to look out for to keep your skin bright and vibrant during menopause.

Here are four things that happen to skin during menopause:

Menopause Causes Collagen Loss

During menopause, your body’s oestrogen levels naturally decline. In turn, this causes the loss of collagen and elastin – both essential proteins that help maintain skin firmness. 

Studies show skin loses about 30% of its collagen within the first five years of the menopause. After that, the decline is more gradual with a 2% loss expected per year for the next 20 years. This lack of collagen can make the skin less firm, with an increase in wrinkles and fine lines.

The Ingredient that help

Ingredients such as retinol and peptides help boost collagen production, making them important ingredients to include in your menopause skincare regime. Peptides boost collagen production by creating chains of proteins within the skin. Meanwhile, retinol helps to increase cell turnover and stimulate collagen. These ingredients can help increase the appearance of firmness, improve uneven skin tone, and smooth the surface of skin.

Menopause Impacts Epidermal Thickness

Low oestrogen levels also cause a decline in skin thickness which can affect the overall look and feel of the skin. Research shows you can expect to see a 1.1% decline in skin thickness each year after menopause. This change in the skin’s structure can make it appear thinner and duller. 

The Ingredients that help

Vitamin B3, niacinamide is a restorative ingredient that can improve the appearance of uneven skin tone, fine lines and dullness. Niacinamide also boosts the production of ceramides – which are essential for promoting a healthy skin barrier to help protect your skin from external irritants and pollutants. In addition, superoxide dismutase is an excellent active for skin that is going through menopause to support and protect the skin from free radicals and keep the skin healthy looking. 

Menopause Causes Brown Spots and Uneven Skin Tone

As you age and approach menopause, you may notice a more uneven skin tone with brown spots appearing. This happens because the melanocytes that create melanin are controlled by oestrogen. As oestrogen levels decline, the skin can appear paler, with more brown spots. Ageing skin is also more susceptible to UV damage which causes brown spots too.

The Ingredients that help

The good news is that retinol (also known as vitamin A) can help address brown spots and uneven skin tone by encouraging skin cell turnover. This renews the skin’s surface to create more even, brighter skin.

Remember to look out for skincare that contains antioxidants which will also help prevent brown spots from forming.

Menopause Causes Dry Skin

When menopause begins and oestrogen levels drop, your skin can look and feel much dryer. This is because menopausal skin finds it difficult to hold onto the oils in the skin. As a result, dry, itchy patches can occur. The effects are made worse by external influences like cold weather and pollution.

The Ingredients that help

Hyaluronic acid is a key ingredient to look for in your skincare. It acts like a sponge, allowing your skin to soak up moisture. Hyaluronic acid absorbs up to 1,000 times its weight in water, helping to keep your skin looking plump and well moisturised.

Find the Best Skincare for Menopausal Skin

If you are worried about how your skin is changing and ageing due to menopause, take a look at our product collection for menopause skin to keep healthy and radiant looking skin.