Ageless Beauty: Dr. Karen Pike’s Expert Advice on Menopause and Skin

Menopause is known as the time for change for many reasons. Women go through transitions during this period in many internal and external ways. Among the changes, which include hot flashes, weight gain, trouble sleeping, and night sweats, there are also the changes women experience in relation to their skin.

Did you know that, as per research, a woman’s skin loses almost 30% of its collagen during the first five years of Menopause?

Collagen is the prime protein that helps in strengthening the skin while maintaining its elasticity. Therefore, the decrease in collagen naturally brings about a change in the appearance of a woman’s skin.

Not many women, however, are aware of this fact, and I’ve witnessed most of them being caught off guard when their skin no longer looks the same.

When my team of doctors and I asked a group of women whether they were aware of the skin changes that accompany Menopause, most of them were left quite astonished.

Due to this very reason, I, Dr Karen Pike, am here to discuss the ways in which Menopause affects the skin and how you can look after your skin post-menopause.

Before we get into that subject, let me tell you a bit about who I am. I’ve been a part of the medical field for years now. Research and observations made me realize that the material regarding Menopause isn’t sufficient to keep women informed, which is why I started Simply Menopause.

Through my website, I attempt to provide as much knowledge about Menopause as possible so that women can embrace this new period in a more comfortable manner.

Let me give you an insight into the connection between Menopause and your skin.

How Does Menopause Affect the Skin

If you’re inching close to Menopause, you may start noticing little changes in your skin. While they may not be too prominent initially, subtle signs do exist. Let me walk you through the various ways in which Menopause affects a woman’s skin:

Dry and Itchy Skin

The skin becoming dry and itchy is among the most common effects of Menopause. This occurs due to the drop in estrogen levels that a woman faces while going through this transition.

Estrogen is responsible for keeping our skin hydrated and maintaining its elasticity. It also facilitates the production of sebum, natural hyaluronic acid, and ceramides, all of which aid in keeping your skin firm and younger-looking.

However, with the loss of estrogen, water evaporates from a woman’s skin, which in turn causes it to become dry. The minute you develop dry skin, it leads to irritation and itchiness.

Delicate Skin

As we move along this list, you will notice that a drop in estrogen is closely linked to skin changes in several ways, which is what brings me to the part about how Menopause causes the skin to become delicate or fragile.

As I mentioned earlier, a woman’s skin loses about 30% of its collagen during the first five years of Menopause. Not only does this make the wrinkles more pronounced and the skin less pump, but your skin also becomes more vulnerable to bruising.

Are you wondering why that’s the case? This is because collagen helps in healing our wounds, and when the collagen levels drop, it takes our skin longer to heal.

Skin Flushing

You know how, at times, your skin looks flushed? This is known as skin flushing, and it’s yet another symptom of Menopause, which is often visible on a woman’s skin. The hot flashes women experience during Menopause contribute to skin flushing.

Menopause can also often lead to a woman suffering from rosacea, which is a skin condition in which there is long-term redness or flushing on the face.

Acne and Melasma

Do you remember how some of us suffered from acne during our teenage years, and we were told it was due to the hormonal changes our bodies were going through? Well, since Menopause brings about hormonal changes and imbalances, many women experience acne during this time.

In addition to acne flare-ups, women can also experience pigmented skin. This is known as melasma, wherein brown or grey-brown appear on the face. It mainly occurs as a result of sun damage, appearing more pronounced as you go through Menopause.

Facial Hair

I once came across a study that said that about 40% of women aged 45 and above experience excessive facial hair growth, especially on the chin. This is because Menopause messes up the balance between estrogen and testosterone.

Some of you may ask what this means. It basically means that while there is a decrease in estrogen levels during Menopause, the circulation of testosterone continues, leading to women witnessing certain male secondary sex characteristics, such as facial hair.

How to Take Care of Your Skin After Menopause

With so many skin-related changes occurring due to Menopause, it’s also vital to know how to look after your skin as this big transition enters your life. So, here are some tips for better skin after Menopause that you can follow to achieve skin that looks healthier and rejuvenated:

• If, by any chance, you wash your face with bar soap, you need to throw it away immediately and switch it with a gentle cleanser that’s soap-free.

Soap strips away the oil from our skin, which is why you need a cleanser that doesn’t make your skin dry. I would suggest a creamy cleanser for this purpose.

• Make sure to use a hydrating moisturizer that contains nourishing ingredients, such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, or glycerin. Applying such a moisturizer on damp skin will enable it to get absorbed into your skin more effectively. Since fragrance can often irritate the skin, choose a fragrance-free moisturizer for yourself.

• Add peptides and retinol into your skincare routine. Peptides help stimulate collagen production, and since there are many serums and moisturizers available in the market today that contain peptides, you should easily be able to find one that suits you.

Retinol is known to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. As it helps with collagen production, you can incorporate a retinol serum or moisturizer in your nighttime skincare routine about two to three times every week.

If you’re using retinol for the first time, my advice is to start out slow and then build it up to twice or thrice a week once your skin develops more tolerance towards it.

• With melasma being one of the symptoms of Menopause, it’s crucial to protect your skin from sun damage.

You must use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30. I’d recommend getting one with a higher SPF, and remember to apply it on your face, neck, and every body part that gets exposed to the sun on a daily basis.

Also, sunscreens aren’t just for when you step out. They need to be applied indoors as well. This will not only help in fading age spots but also protect you from skin cancer.

• If you suffer from acne due to Menopause, invest in a cleanser containing salicylic acid, as this ingredient helps in unclogging your pores and fighting acne.

• Try to control your stress levels whenever possible, as the combination of stress and Menopause can show up on your post-menopausal skin in the form of acne, dryness, itchiness, and more.

Incorporate simple steps in your daily routine to de-stress yourself. This could include reading, meditation, journaling, or anything that calms you down and brings you joy.

• Create a healthy diet for yourself that doesn’t include inflammatory foods such as trans fats, refined flour, sugar, or processed foods.

• Drink plenty of water every day to keep your skin hydrated and bring the issue of dryness under control.

Menopause is a challenging time for most women. While dealing with the other symptoms that accompany Menopause is tough as it is, no woman wants her skin to change for the worse in the process.

I genuinely hope this interview helps you gather the information you need to look after your skin and keep the menopause-induced skin changes as much in control as possible.