Treating Menopausal Skin
As you transition into the menopause, hormone levels drop resulting in various skin changes. While the skin can cope with the effects of the menopause, advice on which products and ingredients to use for preserving and maintaining healthy skin is key.
The importance of the ingredients in skincare products
With the decline of intrinsic hormones with menopause, there is a substantial and rapid loss of collagen production as well as changes of the skin in general. After menopause, our skin experiences a slowdown in oil production and cell turnover. An effective routine for menopausal skin incorporates products that employ humectants, emollients and occlusives, like glycerine, hyaluronic acid and ceramides. These help to replenish and retain cell moisture. A key ingredient for brightening a dull complexion and diminishing sunspots is Vitamin C, which helps in fighting against free radical damage that causes oxidative stress and skin ageing while brightening skin.
Adding a retinoid is essential to brighten the complexion while helping increase cell turnover and promoting the proliferation of collagen and elastin. Studies show that collagen levels reduce by as much as 30% in the first 5 years of menopause due to a decrease in oestrogen levels which can lead to sagging and thinning of the skin. There is also an important reduction in sebum, hyaluronic acid and ceramides which can result in drier skin. Taking this into account, it’s advisable to focus on products that include ingredients for stimulating collagen production such as retinol, as well as hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and ceramides.
Further changes that can be seen in the skin due to lower levels of oestrogen include a decline in melanin regulation, making the skin more prone to photo damage, which means it is never too late to start using daily sunscreen. If pigmentary changes are already visible, there are several advanced skincare products as well as in-clinic treatments such as skin resurfacing - skin peels, and micro needling with advanced serums containing melanin inhibitors to reduce melanin activity.
Depleting hormone levels
Many of the skin changes seen in menopause and perimenopause are the result of lower levels of oestrogen. However, oestrogen is not the only hormone playing a role. Progesterone is also thought to contribute towards preventing collagen breakdown, and when levels drop in perimenopause, this can contribute to loss of firmness of the skin. Some women experience increases in testosterone levels, resulting in acne. Skincare alone can’t influence these hormonal changes, and you might find it beneficial to explore hormonal therapies with a trained practitioner who will measure your hormone levels and advise on the correct treatment for you.
When to adjust your skincare
The right skincare can make significant improvements to skin that is going through changes due to the menopause, however, if your skin is not responding to your current skincare, or is now reacting differently to your usual skin products, it’s worth talking to a trained skin specialist, who will look at your skin from a clinical as well as a cosmetic angle, and advise you on how you can improve your skin health, and ways to boost skin elasticity and prevent collagen depletion. Just a little note of caution: the label on your skincare doesn’t have to say MEN-O-PAUSE to be effective; you just need the right skincare with the right ingredients - retinoids, Vitamin C, ceramides and hyaluronic acid. These may be in the forms of serums and creams. Every skin practitioner will have a skincare range that they like to work with; mine is Environ Skincare because it contains Vitamin A. It’s a fantastic molecule that has the ability to address several skin concerns in one, easily applied moisturiser. I recommend it for its simplicity (one moisturiser containing the essential nutrients your skin needs) combined with its effectiveness.
Another great benefit of using Environ Skincare is the Step - Up system, with levels of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and anti-oxidants increasing gradually as you step up through the dosages. This effectively means that as your skin needs change, there is a moisturiser to address the changes, keeping your skin healthy and maintaining levels of collagen and elastin, in addition to preventing pigmented areas of skin.
In-Clinic skin treatments
A quick search online will throw up many different forms of skin therapies, but in the end it all boils down to tried and tested, proven treatments. These are the treatments that have stood the test of time, while others have proven themselves to be a passing fad, and have fallen by the wayside. The best skin improvement treatments all have clinical and scientific data to back them up, along with a proven safety record. The best ones include:
Microneedling, Radio Frequency, Ultrasound, LED Light, clinical skin peels and electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) There are many different ‘brands’ of these treatments, and actually the name of the machine or device isn’t as important as the person delivering your treatment, although it's important that the device they are using has passed safety checks; it's worth asking a few questions about not just the effectiveness of the treatment, but whether it’s the right one for you, and not forgetting perhaps the most important question - how experienced is your practitioner/therapist in delivering the treatment?
You can find out more about Environ Skincare and our range of in-clinic skin treatments by clicking here https://www.thechilgroveclinic.co.uk/body-facial-treatments
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