Menopause and your skin

Menopause is an incredibly complicated process that all women experience as they reach middle age. For some, symptoms appear to be merely an end to the monthly cycle. For others, it is a difficult process that can last for a few years and cause a variety of changes, physical and emotional.
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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.
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With the right care, you can lessen these effects and manage your skincare journey. To mark #worldmenopauseday we’ve offered some topline skincare tips below:
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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. 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 veins. Our favourite physical sunscreens are @eltamdskincare or @revisionskincare.
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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 ageing, 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 @revisionskincare Retinol Complete (1% retinol) or, for those with sensitive skin or rosacea, DEJ Night which contains 0.25% Retinol and Bakuchiol.
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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 skin collagen, improve hydration and also has an antioxidant action to help rejuvenate skin.

Likewise serums or moisturisers containing Hyaluronic acid act as powerful binding agents, enhancing skin hydration to produce plumper, smoother skin, reducing lines and wrinkles.
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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) or Ultherapy, all of which address particular issues.
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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.