Managing your Menopause

Managing your Menopause:

Menopause, which officially begins one year after your last period, can bring with it some noticeable changes to your skin and hair. As hormone levels plummet, your skin can become dry, slack, and thin. You may notice more hair on your face and less on your scalp.With the right care, you can lessen these effects and manage your skincare journey. We’ve offered some top line skincare tips below:

1. SPF: A zinc containing, tinted sunscreen every day is likely the least expensive and most effective anti-ageing product you can ever use! As age spots and larger areas of darker skin may appear on your face, chest, neck and hands, it’s important to use minimum SPF 30+ on these areas during Winter months and 40+ during Summer months. Apart from the obvious reduction in skin cancer risk which becomes higher later in life, sunscreen also prevents collagen breakdown, blotchy discoloration of the face, and the development of broken capillaries. Our favourite physical sunscreens are @eltamdskincare or @revisionskincare.

2. Retinoid: Where possible, a retinoid (retinol or prescription tretinoin) should be the cornerstone of every perimenopausal skincare regimen. Retinoids are the most effective topical therapies to reverse the signs of aging, increase collagen production, reduce fine lines, discolouration, enlarged pores and have a minor but appreciable impact on reducing precancerous skin changes with increasing age. Our favourites are Revision Skincare Retinol Complete (1% Retinol) or, for those with fair Irish skin who suffer with skin sensitivity or Rosacea, Revision DEJ Night which contains 0.25% Retinol and Bakuchiol or Alpharet by skinbetterscience which has both Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid which also moisturizes the skin.

3. Hydration: As menopausal skin struggles to retain water and becomes far more dehydrated, using a Vitamin C Serum or cream can aid the production of collagen, improve hydration and also has an antioxidant action to help rejuvenate skin and prevent environmental damage. Likewise serums or moisturizers containing Hyaluronic acid act as powerful binding agents, enhancing skin hydration to produce plumper, smoother skin, reducing lines and wrinkles.

4. Consultation: For slackening skin, loss of volume and sagging jowls, as well as hair loss and excess hair on the face, there are numerous other cosmetic treatments that we can recommend, bespoke to you. These may include anti-wrinkle injections, dermal fillers, IPL, Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP), Exilis Ultra 360 or Ultherapy, all of which address particular issues.

If you are menopausal and finding it difficult to tailor your skincare to your changing needs, or are concerned about your changing face, please do book a consultation with us on (01) 912 3030 or email us at info@instituteofdermatologists.ie.