3 Surprising Skin Problems During Menopause

During your reproductive years, the hormone estrogen helps to keep your skin healthy and supple.
Once estrogen production decreases, your skin thins and dries out, especially in sensitive areas like your face.
The loss of estrogen can show on your skin starting during perimenopause.
It can lead to the following:

1. Dryness & itchiness

Itchy skin is a common condition experienced during menopause.
Around 50, the pH level of our skin changes and with this change, skin becomes more sensitive and you are more likely to develop rashes and have easily irritated skin.
At the same time the level of estrogen in your body falls, so does the amount of collagen and skin-moistening oils produced, causing your skin to become dry and irritated.
You can end up with a rash or hives, especially if you are exposed to irritating substances, such as perfumes, itchy fabrics, and dyes.
Besides itchiness, you may experience tingling, prickling, or numbness of the skin.

Home remedies you can try to alleviate itchiness

Use a cool compress
Apply a cool, wet compress to the itchy area to help soothe irritation.
You can also cover the itchy area with a damp towel overnight if the itching disturbs your sleep.

Take an oatmeal bath
It can help to bathe in colloidal oatmeal, which is oatmeal that is in a fine powder form.
When added to water, it enables the skin to absorb the cellulose and fiber contained within the oats easily, softening and soothing the skin.

Moisturize regularly
Alleviate dryness and itchiness by moisturizing the skin after a bath or shower, to help lock in moisture into the outermost layer of the skin.

Prevention of itchiness during menopause

Avoid hot baths or showers
As these can strip your skin of essential oils, leaving your skin dry and scratchy.
Lukewarm water is better suited for irritable skin.

Pat yourself dry after bathing
Patting skin lightly instead of rubbing it after a bath or shower can help to prevent itchy skin.

Avoid scratching
Scratching the itch can tear and damage the skin further, especially if it is already sensitive or inflamed.

Use scent-free skincare
Scented soaps and perfumes often contain harsh chemicals that can further irritate the skin.
Choose instead perfume-free soaps and cleansers.

Reduce alcohol and nicotine intake
Both have a drying-out effect on the skin and can cause premature skin aging.

Wear soft, loose fabrics
Go for natural fibers such as cotton, that are less likely to irritate skin than synthetic fibers which can also cling to the skin.

Avoid strong sunlight
UV sun rays can further irritate dry, itchy, or sensitive skin.
Use a broad-spectrum sunblock suitable for sensitive skin.

Stay hydrated
Water is super important for keeping the skin healthy and preventing dull, itchy skin.

2. Menopausal acne & increased facial hair

Hormonal changes are one of the biggest reasons for acne, so it comes as no surprise that acne can occur during perimenopause and menopause.
Menopausal acne’s symptoms can be different from regular acne in that it mainly occurs around the mouth, chin, and jawline.
Another side note to menopausal acne is that it often manifests along with excess facial hair, especially on the chin and upper lip.

Because of the fall of estrogen levels, it throws off the delicate balance of androgens, particularly testosterone.
A rise in testosterone results in oily skin and clogged pores and also causes increased facial hair growth.
This is why this type of acne shows up on the lower face.

Prevention of menopausal acne

Monitor stress levels
While this is obviously easier said than done, reducing stress as much as possible during and after menopause, can go a long way in preventing menopause acne.

Limit foods and drinks that contain sugar, dairy, red meat, and refined carbs

Natural treatment of menopausal acne

Tea tree oil
If your acne is mild to moderate, tea tree oil can help to reduce inflammation.
It needs to be diluted with a carrier oil and a skin patch test needs to be done prior to use.

Alpha hydroxy acid
These are plant acids derived from citrus fruits and can help to remove excess dead skin cells that clog the pores.
Skin can become more sun-sensitive, so it’s important to apply sunscreen when using AHA products.

Green tea
This tea is known for helping to decrease inflammation in the body.

Other treatments for menopausal acne

Spironolactone
This is an oral medication also used to treat high blood pressure, and one of the most often used as a treatment of menopausal acne.
It is an anti-androgen medication that blocks the androgen receptors in the skin, helping to prevent both acne and excess facial hair growth.

Oral contraceptive pills
These can also help to regulate hormone levels but should only be used when prescribed by your gynecologist, as there are potential side effects in menopausal women.

Topical creams
It is important to seek out gentle formulas to help minimize the likelihood of increased dryness and irritation, as regular topical creams can make your dry skin even drier.

Sources
aad.org – caring for your skin in menopause
mayoclinic.org – adult acne can natural hormone treatment help
medicalnewstoday.com – can menopause cause itching
medicalnewstoday.com – how to get rid of bruises

3. Bruising & slow healing

Low levels of estrogen result in a decrease in skin’s elasticity as well as the skin’s ability to retain water, which acts as a buffer against injury.
This makes your skin thinner and more prone to painful bruising that also does not heal as quickly.
The backs of your hands in particular are sensitive to bruising, as estrogen levels drop.

What you can do to lower your risk of bruising

Arnica gel
This has been used for centuries to soothe muscle aches, reduce inflammation and heal wounds, especially bruises and sprains.

Bromelain
Is believed to reduce bruising and healing time and is a mixture of enzymes that digest protein and are found in pineapples, which have been used for centuries to reduce inflammation.

Quercetin
Quercetin may have natural anti-inflammatory properties and can be found in foods such as apples, citrus fruits, red onion, dark-colored berries and cherries, and leafy green vegetables.
There are also creams and gels available that contain a combination of quercetin, bromelain, and vitamin K.

Vitamin C
It is recommended to take 200 mg of this vitamin daily to ease bruising.

Omega-3 and fish oils
You need lots of good healthy oils during menopause, like omega-3 and fish oils.
If you are vegetarian or vegan you can use flaxseed oil or buckthorn oil.

Supplement with zinc
Zinc is important for healthy skin and especially helpful for wound healing.

Bilberry extract
This natural remedy has potent antioxidants that may reduce bruising by stabilizing collagen.

Vitamin K
Vitamin K helps to clot blood when necessary.
Eat foods with vitamin K such as kale, broccoli, spinach, cabbage that help the blood to be more viscous and less likely to leak from blood vessels.
Alternatively, a topical cream may be used.

Eat papaya
This contains papain and is believed to help break up the dead material that is responsible for bruising.

9 Ways to Better Skin in Your 40s & Beyond

As you approach your 40s there are some skin changes that can start happening.

Your skin becomes drier and more sensitive to cleansers and skincare products
You are more prone to irritation and stinging
Loss of collagen and elastin in the deeper layers of the skin, leads to wrinkling and loss of elasticity
Your skin may appear duller due to the fact that with age your skin cells turn over slower than they did when you were younger
You may notice more hyperpigmentation due to age-related UV exposure and this can lead to an uneven skin tone
You start to produce less oil
You may still be coping with acne into your 40s
However, many of the acne treatments that you might have used in your 20s or 30s are now too drying and irritating now that your skin is not as oily as it once was
You are more prone to breakouts due to hormonal changes especially around menopause
Your levels of antioxidants in your skin such as vitamin C and vitamin E start to decline leaving you more vulnerable to environmental stressors such as ultraviolet radiation pollution

Cleanser

Cleaning is an important part of anyone’s skincare routine but when you get into your 40s you may find that you need to switch your cleanser.
You may be using a foaming cleanser that strips your skin too much leaving it dry and parched especially if you are experiencing age-related dryness.
Instead, you might select a gel cleanser or a cream-based cleanser.
You may need to reduce the frequency of cleansing, instead of cleansing twice a day you may only need to cleanse once a day.

Moisturize

Moisturizing especially at night-time is very important.
As you get into your 40s you may find that you need to use a thicker moisturizing cream to help your skin stay hydrated.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is super important.
Even if you have never used sunscreen on a daily basis before, it is not too late to start now.
Sunscreen protects your skin from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation including the UVA that comes through window glass.
UVA is what actually destroys the collagen in the deeper layers of your skin.
Protect your skin by wearing broad-spectrum sunscreen every day even when it’s cloudy.
It is also important to remember to reapply sunscreen throughout the day if you spend time outdoors.

Exfoliating

As you get into your 40s your skin cells don’t turn over as quickly as they once did and this leads to dull, dry skin.
A chemical exfoliant is recommended to help remove sun-damaged skin cells, brighten up skin tone and soften dry patches, giving your skin a more radiant appearance.
Avoid physical exfoliants, like scrubs, that can create micro-tears in the skin, worsening dryness, which is the last thing that you want.

If you have an oily skin type you will benefit from using a salicylic acid exfoliant.
It will help with the overall appearance of the skin and also help with acne control and reduce the appearance of pores and oiliness overall.

If you have dry skin you will benefit from alpha-hydroxy acids.
These can soften dry patches and facilitate skin cell turnover.
They improve moisture retention and overall skin barrier function.
If you have really sensitive skin and are prone to rosacea, you might want to consider a polyhydroxy acid.
These are very gentle and help with hydrating the skin and improving moisture retention without exfoliating too aggressively.

Antioxidants

The antioxidant levels in your skin start to decline as you age, resulting in less vitamin C and vitamin E which is necessary for collagen production.
Vitamin C applied topically to the skin has been shown to improve collagen production, helping to smooth out wrinkles.
It has also been shown to help brighten and improve areas of hyperpigmentation.
Unfortunately, vitamin C is not stable and is difficult to get absorbed into the skin.
It needs to be in the presence of vitamin E and ferulic acid (a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free-radical damage from pollution, ultraviolet light, or infrared radiation).

Retinol

This is something you should consider incorporating into your skincare routine in your 40s if you haven’t already.
Retinol is a topical vitamin A, the goal of which is to put retinoic acid into your skin.
It increases collagen synthesis and facilitates skin cell turnover.
It also helps to remove sun-damaged skin cells and to improve the look of wrinkles and fine lines.
So, incorporating some form of topical vitamin A in your 40’s is prudent.

Diet

Make sure that you are eating your fruits and vegetables because those will help protect your skin from free radical damage.
Diets rich in fruits and vegetables have carotenoids in them.
They help your skin deal with UV radiation better and ultimately benefit you in more ways than just your skin.

Exercise

It is really important to keep exercising in your 40s and not to become a couch potato.
This is really critical because as you age, you start to lose muscle mass and bone density.
Weight-bearing exercises are a helpful way to protect the health of your bones.
Cardiovascular exercise is key for the most important muscle in your body, your heart, as well as reducing inflammation in the body.
Age-related loss of bone density and muscle mass will also show up on your face with facial sagging and hollows.

Sleep

Sleep is so important for the recovery of your skin and for fighting off free radical damage and for total body health and longevity.
Women in their 40s may be approaching or going through menopause and a lot of women experience insomnia as a part of menopause.
This can drastically impact your total body health, as well as the health of your skin.
Establishing a good sleep hygiene routine involves amongst others:

Not drinking caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime
Lowering the temperature in your bedroom, making it cool can help facilitate sleep
Turning off bright lights early in the evening
Turning off your devices, in particular, can help your brain transition to sleep.

Sources:
aad.org – skin care in your 40s and 50s
sciencedirect.com – analysis of facial soft tissue with aging
health.harvard.edu – do retinoids really reduce wrinkles
tandfonline.com – skin anti-aging strategies
mdpi.com – role of vitamin c in skin health
aad.org – 11 ways to reduce premature aging