According to healthcare experts, menopause is officially recognized as beginning one year after a woman’s last menstrual period. This transition often results in noticeable skin changes and usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, with the average age being 51 years.
Prior to menopause, women typically experience a perimenopause phase that lasts about 2 to 8 years. During this time, clinical and biological signs indicating the approach of menopause start to manifest. This perimenopause period encompasses the twelve months following the final menstrual cycle.
Research indicates that women experience a loss of approximately 30% of their collagen in the first five years of menopause, followed by a more gradual decline. Over the next two decades, women typically lose about 2% of their collagen each year. The decrease in estrogen levels during menopause impacts both the structure and function of the skin. As a result, you may notice a marked increase in lines and wrinkles, dryness and flakiness, age spots or dark spots, decreased elasticity, acne, thinning skin, and accelerated collagen loss.
What is estrogen?
Estrogen is a steroid hormone linked to the female reproductive system, playing a crucial role in the development of female sexual characteristics. It is frequently known as the female sex hormone.
There are three major forms of estrogen:
- Estrone (E1) is the primary form of estrogen that your body makes after menopause.
- Estradiol (E2) is the primary form of estrogen in your body during your reproductive years. It’s the most potent form of estrogen.
- Estriol (E3) is the primary form of estrogen during pregnancy.
Estrogen is involved in numerous functions throughout the body. In women of reproductive age, the ovaries serve as the main source of estrogen production. Additionally, peripheral tissues like the skin can also generate estrogen through the action of an enzyme known as aromatase. This enzyme converts a category of hormones called androgens into various forms of the female sex hormone estrogen.
When menopause occurs, women experience a full year without menstruation, as the ovaries cease to produce estrogen. During this time, peripheral tissues become the main source of estrogen production.
The impact of declining estrogen levels during the menopause phase leads to atrophic skin changes and acceleration aging skin.
- Impairs the skin’s barrier function, causing dryness due to diminished moisture and reduced sebum production on the face and scalp
- Decreases antioxidant function. Substantial evidence now exists that the neuroprotective effects of estrogens contribute to intrinsic free-radical scavenging, The antioxidant cycle maintains the “chemical shield” raised by estrogens against the most harmful free radicals
- Because UV enhances free radicals in cells, skin aging is usually directly connected to UV exposure. The use of antioxidants is an effective approach to prevent symptoms related to photo-induced aging of the skin.
- Impairs wound healing. Estrogen deprivation in older adults has been recognized as a primary factor contributing to age-related delays in wound healing for both men and women.
- Decreased collagen and elastin synthesis leads to wrinkling and dermal thinning.
- Decreased *glycosaminoglycans in the extracellular matrix, including hyaluronic acid, result in less firmness of cells and reduced hydration. Glycosaminoglycans are essential for joint health, cartilage formation, and the healing of wounds.
- The thermoregulation function is impacted as blood vessels dilate deeper within the blood capillaries, leading to hot flashes.
Frequent hot flashes can lead to persistent redness and broken capillaries. This redness looks similar to that seen in rosacea. Furthermore, when capillaries break they give rise to to a network of tiny, red, web-like lines under the skin’s surface. These are called telangiectasia or ‘spider veins’ and can become a permanent feature on the skin.
However, with the right care, these effects can be mitigated. When building your skincare regimen, it’s important to prioritize hydrating products that are rich in antioxidants and peptides. These ingredients will provide your skin with essential moisture and protection.
Use strengthening and collagen-building ingredients such as retinols, mandelic acid, and AHAs. Also vitamins and nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and botanicals, these ingredients can help enhance collagen levels in your skin. Most importantly, it is essential to shield your skin from further damage caused by UV rays by using broad-spectrum sunscreen.
Cleanse:
Choose a Gentle Milk or Creamy Cleansers
As skin may become more susceptible to dryness, sensitivity, and decreased natural oil production, effective cleansing becomes crucial. It helps remove impurities, excess oil, and environmental pollutants.
Choose a mild, non-drying, fragrance-free cleanser specifically formulated for mature or menopausal skin. Look for products that are free from harsh ingredients such as sulfates and alcohol, as these can strip the skin of its natural oils and weaken the moisture barrier. Cream or milk cleansers are generally gentler and more hydrating, making them an excellent choice for menopausal skin.
Toner:
Select a toner enriched with antioxidants and botanical elements designed to hydrate the skin, calm irritation, minimize inflammation, and balance the skin’s pH levels.
Serums:
Integrating cosmeceutical serums into your skincare routine is an excellent way to tailor your treatments specifically for problems associated with menopausal skin. Serums are powerful skincare formulations intended to provoke a positive response in the skin.
Moisturizer:
Moisturizers play a vital role in safeguarding damaged and sensitive skin. They enhance the softness and smoothness of the skin by preserving its natural lipids, reducing surface dehydration, and trapping moisture within the stratum corneum.
- Emollient moisturizers, often called barrier creams, form a protective layer on the skin’s surface, aiding in softening and smoothing its texture.
- Humectant moisturizers deliver hydration and help retain water within the skin.
- Those containing occlusive ingredients create a barrier that locks in moisture and minimizes water loss.
Sun Protection
Always apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day before going outdoors. This practice helps prevent further thinning of the skin. Be sure to cover your face, hands, neck, and any other exposed areas not protected by clothing, even during the winter months.
References
Skin, hair and beyond: the impact of menopause, Zouboulis, C. C., Blume-Peytavi, U., Kosmadaki, M., Roó, E., Vexiau-Robert, D., Kerob, D., & Goldstein, S. R. (2022). Skin, hair and beyond: the impact of menopause. Climacteric, 25(5), 434–442. https://doi.org/10.1080/13697137.2022.2050206
ESTROGEN DEFICIENCY – A CENTRAL PARADIGM IN AGE-RELATED IMPAIRED HEALING? https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000607082400001
Role of antioxidants in the skin: Anti-aging effects – Masaki, Hitoshi – Journal of Dermatological Science, Volume 58, Issue 2, 85 – 90
Prokai L, Prokai-Tatrai K, Perjesi P, Zharikova AD, Perez EJ, Liu R, Simpkins JW. Quinol-based cyclic antioxidant mechanism in estrogen neuroprotection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Sep 30;100(20):11741-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2032621100. Epub 2003 Sep 22. PMID: 14504383; PMCID: PMC208828.
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