Skin In Menopause: How to Handle the Changes, Preserve and Boost Skin Elasticity

Post was updated January, 2024. As an affiliate and Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Skin and menopause are related. Being aware of the changes that take place inside the skin, your largest organ, will prepare your mind and make your actions more powerful.

Each woman is unique, and so is the menopause process. Some women will experience menopause easily. But for some, the changes inside the body can be so drastic and debilitating that they may suffer from them for months and years. The hormonal changes that happen in a woman’s body before, during and after the onset of menopause are crucial to her well-being.

Without doubt, hot flushes and night sweats, hair loss and loss of collagen, mood swings and dry skin are just a few of the menopausal symptoms that each woman has to navigate through. Hormone levels, especially the estrogen deficiency in a woman’s body, play an important role in the life after the menstrual cycle.

Choosing a healthy lifestyle, a healthy diet, ample amounts of fresh air, clean water and physical movement are the key focus points for postmenopausal women.

What Happens to Hormones During Menopause?

Medical science indicates a drastic hormone changes with the onset of menopause. You may be very well aware that the women’s hormone estrogen declines drastically during the perimenopause, causing a woman to live almost half of her life in menopause. The slowdown of ovaries and decrease of B-Estradiol hormone contribute to the many changes many women experience. Hot flashes, profuse sweating, vaginal dryness, weight gain, thinning of hair are a few of the changes that women go through in their own unique way.

With the absence of estrogen hormones, women may experience appearance of facial hair, deepening of the voice and some other bodily changes that are more vivid in men. It happens to the increased secretion of androgens, men’s hormones.

I am always fascinated about the fact how each one of us, women, relies on the effects of estrogen this hormone has in our lifetime. In the early years of a young woman’s life, she may be unhappy with some of the arrangements in her body the Mother Nature has gifted her. Later in life, especially while going through menopausal changes, she vividly witnesses the effects, sometimes drastic, of the insufficient levels of estrogen.

Does Menopause Affect Your Skin?

With an onset of menopause, the first things women notice is the quality of their skin. It becomes thinner, dryer, sprinkled with lines and even deep wrinkles, and acting up more frequently than it used to.

Definitely, skin in menopause undergoes some dramatic changes. They may not present themselves all at once, but they will gradually.

The key female hormone Estradiol plays a key role in skin changes during menopause. In addition, due to decline in production of estrogen and progesterone, women see significant changes in their skin.

Estradiol is a female sex hormone produced by the ovaries, adrenal gland and also the placenta during pregnancy. Estradiol is the most important hormone during a female’s reproductive years, and is required for reproductive and sexual function as well as having an impact on the health of other organs and tissues.

Skin health becomes one of the top priorities in a woman’s life during her menopause. Why? Because the visual effects in her skin don’t lie what is happening in her body.

Dark spots become more vivid and may populate the skin on the face and hands. Using broad-spectrum sunscreen lotions and creams is a powerful tool to include into a daily skin care regimen to prevent skin cancer.

Skin thickness suffers due to fat disappearance from the under the skin areas. Blood vessels become more visible, hence those dreaded under-eye dark circles.

As the collagen and elastin production slows down, the connective tissues are going through a huge change as well. And it affects any place where collagen and elastin are present: skin, tendons, cartilage, ligaments, bones and blood vessels.

But you can address a rapid change in menopause!

Skin Changes During Menopause

Before you take any action towards your skin regimen during a new phase of your life, menopause, become aware of a global picture that a hormonal change produces on different aspects of skin condition. Many women may rush into hormone replacement therapy, dermal fillers or laser treatment to feel and look better. Just take it in small steps. Breathe in and know that you can do a lot of powerful things to positively affect your skin and body while living in menopause.

As the body undergoes a drastic change under the menopause, one of the critical ingredients that our skin loses is Collagen. With the lack of collagen, skin elasticity decreases and invites the changes associated with an onset of dryness.

Check out this detailed post on How to Take Care of Aging Skin Complexion in Women.

The parts of our body and skin that suffer the most and the quickest are your neck, jawline, cheeks. Basically, your face takes a hit like nothing else! What do you see when you look in the mirror is fine lines, wrinkles, dry patches of skin, dark circles, bags under eyes, age spots, puffiness and swelling. All these signs are usually labeled “aging.” Hence this work got a so negative connotation.

Wow, but it is Not amusing when this happens to you. Rather, it may cause a distress and even drive a woman into a depressed state. In my mind, aging is a continuum where a woman has to exercise her wisdom, her choices, her skills to live a better life, a healthy life.

Ideas for More Collagen for Your Skin and Body Health

By now you know that collagen is produced in your body. However, menopause onset drastically reduces its production. To supply more collagen for our skin and organs, we could eat certain foods and consume collagen supplements. We could also use fascia blasting techniques to really boost formation of new collagen all over our body. Scroll down to get the link to the post where I’m detailing this topic on self-myofascial release.

Amino acids are the building blocks of collagen. So, how do you get more amino acids into your daily life? Consuming hydrolyzed collagen also known as collagen peptides powder could do wonders to your skin.

Another way you can boost your collagen supply is by adding plant-based pea protein with amino acids formula like the one from Life Extension you can buy HERE (affiliate link). I like this clean formula and add it to my smoothies or water-based drinks.

This Vanilla flavor goes well with frozen fruit smoothie recipe that will have antioxidants, pea protein and amino acids to feed your skin.

– 3/4 cup frozen berries of your choice
– 3 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
– 1 cup water
– 1 scoop of Wellness Code Plant Protein Complete & Amino Acid Complex
Combine all ingredients in the mixer and enjoy your truly flavorful drink.

I like this pea powder protein formula. And the only thing to make it better would be More Fiber!

If you would to get your own LIFE Extension pea protein powder with amino acids, use this promo: $5 OFF $50 in purchases + FREE Shipping.
Use code LAURA HERE.

Age Spots And Hyperpigmentation During Menopause

Skin conditions during menopause can include the appearance of age spots. They pop up on the face, neck, arms, chest, hands. You may be surprised by how quickly these so unwelcome blemishes populate your skin. But they are a mere result of the previous sun damage. The more you spent time in the sun when you were younger, the higher probability you will experience age spots during menopause.

To promote more collagen production, lower inflammation and maintain a younger-looking skin at any age, discover Activated Hydrogen Water Skin Care that will be your game changer.

The technology behind the hydrogen water is an extra molecule of hydrogen (H) which is offered to free radicals (OH) during the use of the skin care product. Once hydrogen joins a free radical in a chemical reaction, the skin gets the so-needed water (H2O) to keep and moisturize its tissues. Discover how natural aqua gel can easily take your beauty and skin care routine several notches higher.

With decreased estrogen production that controls melanin production, our skin becomes more prone to sun damage and appearance of hyperpigmentation and age spots. Interestingly, during menopause, melanin production increases in the areas of the skin that previously (when we were young and did not use sunscreen) were exposed to UV rays. As a direct result of such increased melanin synthesis and no regulation of it from a decreased estrogen, we get age spots.

Limiting sun exposure to the detrimental doses of UV rays is a must during menopause.

Ways to reduce hyperpigmentation

To lower the appearance of the age spots and hyperpigmentation, you could use different skin care products that address this condition. In addition, use sunscreen every single day, even when it is overcast. Discover the best non-toxic sunscreens to prevent hyperpigmentation and protect your skin from aging.

And if you are curious enough to incorporate some potent antioxidants for sun protection during your menopause journey, read that post! You will uncover the facts that nobody talks about publicly or educates us, women, on.

I just wrote a detailed post on Skin Benefits of Powdered Vitamin C. This is a skin care product applied topically while being mixed with your favorite lotion or serum.

Take a look at the post on how to get rid of age spots, sun spots or any hyperpigmentation areas on the skin while using Vitamin C powder with your skin care products. It has been proved by researches (the reference is in the post about powdered vitamin C) that topical Vitamin C is 20 times more powerful than when it’s taken orally. Really fascinating stuff.

Using powdered Vitamin C in your skin care routine you can drastically reduce the appearance of hyperpigmenation in your skin. It happens thanks to the properties of Vitamin C to inhibit a conversion of Tyrosinase, an enzyme, into melanin, a color pigment which gives your skin color.

Thinning of the Skin In Menopause

As our skin appears lighter due to the reduction of the cells that produce skin pigmentation, Melanocytes, our skin is more prone to sun damage. Using a body lotion with SPF 30 and a facial moisturizer with SPF 30 are my must-haves for every single day.

Check out the sunscreen options safe for skin and coral reefs HERE. If you see a different ingredient other that zinc oxide or titanium dioxide (both need to be in topical lotion application. Do not buy sprays or powders!), leave it on the shelf! Check this awesome page on EWG that talks and educates us about the safety of different ingredients in our sunscreens.

You may be amused by knowing that the cells that make up the surface of the skin are similar in structure to those of the vagina and urinary tract. When a woman notices changes in her skin that covers her body – sagging, wrinkling, loss of resiliency, dryness, flaking, – there are similar changes occurring in the lining of the urethra, bladder and vagina.

Skin is a brilliant way to become aware of the changes happening elsewhere in the woman’s body.

Easy Bruising of the Skin With Onset of Menopause

As we have established the fact that with dropped estrogen levels woman’s skin becomes thinner, it also becomes prone to easy bruising. Like with anything else, you need to protect the skin from damage. Exercising and skin care on the regular basis will keep your skin more protected by creating early awareness if anything wrong happens to it.

Dry Itchy Skin During Menopause Is Frequent

The other two culprits that can be added to the skin problems during menopause are dry and itchy skin conditions.

As during menopause the skin loses its ability to retain water, dryness can easily become a constant companion.

Check out this post Why Every Woman Needs Hyaluronic Acid in her Skin Care Routine.

By changing your skin cleansing and moisturizing routine, you can maintain a beautiful skin, and even improve its structure and collagen deposits! Using hyaluronic acid could dramatically increase the feel, the look and an overall condition of your skin.

Soaps can be too drying. Skip deodorant bars for life, as they dry out the skin the most. Apply a good moisturizer with the actives that feed your skin. Personally, I use Hyaluronic Acid (HA) in the morning and in the evening. It is OK to reapply it during the day as well. It has an affinity to attract water and keep your skin plump and lifted. You can also apply HA under any moisturizer and makeup to retain the maximum moisture inside the epidermis.

• Try La Roche-Posay B5 Hyaluronic Acid for Face, you can buy it HERE
• Discover Cosmedica Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum, check it out HERE
• Test Eve Hansen Serum, get it HERE
• Explore Petunia Serum with Vitamin C – the latter is a helping vitamin to produce collagen! Great combo in one formulation. You can buy it HERE.
• Try Seoul Ceuticals Serum – you may love this one, as it has a combination of Vitmain C, Ferulic acid and Alpha Tocopehryl in one. Very potent face serum for a daily regimen. You can find it HERE.

Body Butters Moisturizers for Dry Skin

For the body to maintain nice smooth skin structure, apply body butters that are richer and can keep your skin moisturized throughout the day.

NO SPA Trip is Needed! Indulge into this luxurious body treatment at home and keep your skin well moisturized. You can buy them from Spongelle site here.

Check out the New Fragrance Notes these moisturizing body butters are available in.

Pearl Blossom Fragrance Notes
Top notes of lemon, grapefruit, pear
Middle notes of freesia, peony, floral bouquet
Bottom notes of woody, musk, amber

Brilliant Tuberose Fragrance Notes
Top notes of cinnamon sticks, sliced ginger, sweet clove, juicy orange
Middle notes of tuberose
Bottom notes of whipped vanilla, cozy musk

Moon Flower Fragrance Notes
Top notes of blackberry, pear, peach
Middle notes of moon flower accord, wisteria, jasmine
Bottom notes of wood, musk, green

Radiant Amber Fragrance Notes
Top notes of citrus nuances
Middle notes of vanilla orchid
Bottom notes of sandalwood, amber, coconut, musk

And with Spongelle washing sponge, you can further make your skin care infused with all needed moisture and aroma. Get it in your favorite aroma HERE.

Check out how to Prevent Dry and Sagging Skin during Menopause in this post.

Oily Skin and Facial Hair As the By-Products of Diminished Estradiol

During a woman’s reproductive years, hormone estradiol controls and masks the expression of the men’s hormone testosterone. During the menopause, with a drastic reduction of estrogens, there’s no barrier to suppress that extra testosterone. That is why some women could experience overstimulated sebaceous glands that secrete sebum, giving appearance of oily skin.

Due to the unmasking of testosterone, some women may grow facial hair, especially in the chin area and over the lip. Some women opt out for waxing this area. But beware that your thinned skin could break much easier now, and a healing process will take longer, too. Your dermatologist may advise you to take a different rout based on the condition of your skin, like a laser procedure. All depends on your unique situation.

So, how do we to control excess sebum during menopause?

What do we do with such overreacted testosterone? The best way to begin any action is to schedule a conversation and meeting with a dermatologist.

There are some skin care products that help with the excess sebum.

• This skin serum controls excessive sebum production for oily skin and has vitamin B in it, too. You can get it HERE.
• Check out this moisturizing cream with a calming calamin powder inside. You can get it HERE.

Jowls, Sagging Skin and Wrinkles

The ways how menopause affects skin can be really traumatic if we do not prepare ourselves by taking care of our well-being, skin included. Female hormones regulate a million functions that affect how we feel and look during our pre-menopause years.

But hey, menopause is not the time to give up or give into the things that begin to happen to our physical bodies. What is more important is to educate thyself and take a daily care of your body, mind, soul. Learning and marching with the knowledge about the changes that take place in time are super critical if we want to look and feel great.

Take a look at this post with detailed explanation on How to Slow Down Skin Aging in Women, based on my personal experiences and on studying literature on the subject.

Collagen loss is one of the biggest culprits, along with estrogens, for the changes in skin during menopause. During the first five years of menopause, women lose up to 30% of collagen. After that, the loss gets to 2% per year of their collagen reserves for the next twenty years.

No Collagen – No Firmness in Your Skin

No collagen, no firmness in the skin. Instead, the skin begins to sag, giving way to jowls and wrinkles. In addition, with the fat redistribution throughout the woman’s body, fat leaves our facial features and settles down elsewhere. While we may gain fat deposits in places where we do not wish for, less fatty mass in the face affects it negatively. As the result, the skin allows sagging and wrinkles to take place.

What really could help with sagging skin and jowls is the facial exercises that need to begin early in woman’s life. But it is possible to improve the looks with the beginning onset of jowles. I will make a quick video to show these movements to those who is interested.

It’s been found that Fascia Blasting is one of the ways to encourage collagen and elastin to regenerate in the body. Check out my detailed post on Self Myofascial Release.

What is Elastosis?

Elastosis settles in when a woman’s skin loses resiliency. As collagen and elastin productions are partially controlled by estrogens, during menopause, lowered estrogen production affects the repair mechanism of collagen and elastin.

That is why it is super important to keep your precious skin protected from the sun’s desctructive UV rays. And with the loss of the repair mechanism – our estrogen production – we lose a quick response of collagen production. This is when elastosis sets in, loss of resiliency of your skin.

Quality supplements to hydrate and feed the skin give a unique boost to our incredible organ, our skin. Blossom Essentials Lilium is a dietary supplement that supports skin hydration from within.

Supplements for Skin Hydration

For example, Lilium fights inflammation and reduces flare-ups thanks to the anti-oxidant properties of vitamins A, C, and E. The vitamins from the B complex, Biotin and Folate, contribute to the health of your skin on the cellular level.

Biotin health benefits or vitamin B7 benefits are essential for the health of your skin, hair, nails. That is why it is often called a “beauty vitamin.”

Folate/Folic Acid or vitamin B9 is crucial during formation of the red blood cells and skin cells. Healthy skin cells turnover is at the very bace of the anti-aging effect everybody is talking about. You can check out this supplement HERE.

Check out my detailed post on the vitamin B complex benefits for your skin and body overall.

As the blood flow through the dermal capillaries slows down during menopause, woman’s skin gets less nutrients and oxygen. This poor blood circulation adds to the thinning of the skin’s epidermis and a slower cell turnover. In addition to these negative expressions in the skin, you can add trans-epidermal water loss that contributes to dry, itchy skin.

Transepidermal water loss (TEWL or TWL) is the loss of water that passes from inside a body through the epidermis to the surrounding atmosphere via diffusion and evaporation processes.

That is why moistirization becomes one of the top skin care priorities during the times of perimenopause and menopause. To restore and retain moisture to the skin’s topical layers contributes to the anti-aging process.