Hello menopause
Menopause. It’s that fait that as women, we all know is coming sometime or another. We see our older generations go through it and pray that we get off lightly. The hot flushes, sleepless nights, night sweats, changes in mood, irregular periods, temperamental skin, weight gain, thinning hair....the list goes on.
But what really is going on? What happens to cause all of these changes and how do we deal with them? We’ve delved onto the world of menopause as skin experts, in order to really understand what’s happening deep down in the skin and body, how we can help guide you through menopause with your skin, mental health and how you can prepare for the inevitable.
What is the menopause...
The term menopause translates to the pause of the menstrual cycle, when your periods stop. Medically, the menopause officially starts 12 months after your last period. There are 3 main stages...
Peri-menopause- The very beginning, usually starting between 40-44 (however can start as early as 30’s) periods become irregular, hot flushes may start creeping in, changes in the skin including breakouts, dry or oily patches and sometimes the development of Rosacea.
Menopause- The main event, usually starting around 45-55 and lasting approximately 7-14 years with most symptoms lasting around 4 years, symptoms include night sweats, chills, flushing, weight gain due to a slower metabolism, thinning hair, dry skin, enlarged pores, black heads, rapid ageing due to a massive decrease in collagen quantity and quality, in fact we see a 30% decrease in our collagen production within the first 5 years of the menopause!
Post-menopause- Things will begin to ease however symptoms continue with a few added extras, changes in taste, tingling mainly in the hands and feet, depression, insomnia, learning to live with our new changes is now so important.
What can help?...
Every person is different and menopause will present itself differently from one person to the next. The basics are key, good eating habits, plenty of water, exercise and general wellbeing and mindfulness may help, however HRT maybe something that you can discuss with your doctor to find the best route for you.
Let’s talk skin...
Now, this is our expertise, and where we can really offer guidance. During the menopause everything that’s changing usually boils down to hormones changing, things like the hypothalamus gland, which controls sleep-wake cycles, body temperature and appetite, all of which are affected, another example is the Thyroid gland, which helps with the metabolism, it slows down and so we see weight gain. But these changes will also have an effect within the skin, increased sebum production, dehydration from water loss, reduction in collagen and elastin and hyperpigmentation, black heads and enlarged pores, all of which are linked to hormone changes.
How can we help our skin?...
Our top tips would be to take care, your skin maybe be much more sensitive than before (particularly within days 2-12 of your cycle), first and foremost look at keeping your barrier healthy by using a good quality SPF... EVERY SINGLE DAY! Products that help to maintain the water levels within the skin and repair the barrier, a good quality hyaluronic acid will help with hydration and anti ageing, treatments such as light therapy can also be a gentle way of boosting your collagen and elastin.
We will all be affected in different ways, but it’s important for us to remember to be kind to ourselves during this transition, and for the ones around us to understand which a major change our bodies are going through.
Should you require help with your skin, book in for our skin discovery clinic, where we can have a good chat, full skin analysis and come up with a plan to help get you through this difficult transition within your skin.
