Menopause and Skin

The menopause is a major event in a woman’s life and one of the greatest physical changes we will go through. It is also a very big deal for our skin. The Good News? There is a lot that can be done to boost skin health, condition, and vitality during this time with a refreshed skincare regime and a targeted approach.  

Collagen production. Collagen decline. Collagen in skin.

PERIMENOPAUSE AND MENOPAUSE

Surely I’m too young for menopause? But what about perimenopause? You may be one of the 46% of women who have never heard of it.* Perimenopause is the transition stage leading up to the menopause when hormone levels start to fluctuate. Most women enter this stage in their 40’s although it can be earlier or later, the average length of perimenopause is four years but it can last up to ten years.

During midlife we have a lot on our plates, relationships, ageing parents, careers, teenagers and small children to name just a few and it can be easy to attribute perimenopausal symptoms to the stresses of life.

Menopause isn’t all hot flashes and missed periods, there are over 30 symptoms ranging from physical to psychological. It’s often the symptoms that you wouldn’t associate with menopause that can be the most debilitating. Your periods may become heavier or lighter, PMS can become intense, itchy dry skin, mood swings, irritability, anxiety, loss of confidence, feeling unhappy or depressed, brain fog, poor concentration and fatigue are all common symptoms of perimenopause but not the complete list. Don’t be surprised if it takes you a while to figure out what is happening – it is easy to attribute a lot of symptoms to the stresses of everyday life.

“Menopause” actually refers to a single day – it is reached when you haven’t had a period in 12 months. The average age to reach menopause is 51.

HOW DOES PERIMENOPAUSE AND MENOPAUSE AFFECT SKIN?

Perimenopause can be a hormonal rollercoaster that plays havoc with our skin. It might surprise you to learn that these hormonal shifts can have a much greater impact on skin than chronological ageing.

As hormone levels start to fluctuate and decline, collagen levels will start to decrease. Collagen is the structural protein responsible for skin’s elasticity - a scary sounding 30% will be lost during the first 5 years of menopause. As we approach menopause oestrogen levels decline and collagen production slows down.

Skin becomes drier and thinner with a weakened skin barrier. Cell turnover slows rapidly and skin starts to lose it’s ability to hold onto water appearing less plump and radiant.

Skin can become more sensitised and you might find that products that used to work well with your skin aren’t as effective anymore or are causing irritation. Hormonal imbalances can also lead to breakouts and inflammation that you may not have experienced since puberty.

GIVE SKIN BACK WHAT MENOPAUSE TAKES AWAY

Now is the time to start to replenish your skin and give back what menopause takes away. Nourish your skin with collagen boosting ingredients, strengthen skin’s natural barrier and reduce sensitivities by avoiding known irritants such as fragrance, essential oils and drying alcohol.

Know that your skin doesn’t need the highest level of active ingredients (like peptides, retinol, niacinamide) all the time to get amazing results. It can be easy to overwhelm your skin with complicated layering regimes based on the latest trends but they can create more problems than they solve.

Your perimenopausal and menopausal skin needs a more balanced approach with products formulated with the right actives at the right levels giving your skin everything it needs and nothing that it doesn’t.

DESIGNED WITH YOUR HORMONES IN MIND

Just like when we hit puberty, perimenopausal and menopausal skin needs a fresh approach. Living M has been designed with your hormones in mind to target skin changes caused by the contradictions of perimenopause. Our skin can be dry, blemished and irritated all at once.

At Living M we have developed a range of multi-benefit, multi-active formulations containing a potent blend of phytoestrogens, anti-oxidants, vitamins and skin nourishing ingredients to boost skin health and condition through all three stages of menopause.