5 tips for caring for menopausal skin

The menopause is defined as the permanent ending of menstruation and it has direct physiological effects on a woman’s body, since the production of oestrogen stops as a result of a decline in the follicular function.

Most women (65-70%) reach menopause between 45-55 years of age, 25% before 45 years of age and 5-10% after 55 years of age. Around 87% of women feel that the menopause results in skin changes and 54% feel insecure about their appearance.

Skin changes

• Reduced sebum synthesis.
• The water content of skin decreases and the production of sweat.
• The thermoregulatory function is altered, causing the temperature of the nose, back, hands and feet to rise, but forehead and cheek temperatures decrease.
• The microcirculatory function decreases in fingers, despite there being increased vascular permeability and reactivity.

In any event, skin becomes drier after 50; it gets thinner and begins to lose firmness as it becomes more flaccid. Expression lines appear together with wrinkles and blemishes through pigmentation (skin spots). There are also vascular dilatations and the skin healing process slows down. As a result of this vascular process, tissues receive less water and nutrients.

We recommend 5 simple skincare tips during menopause:

1. Protect your skin:
   • Solar radiation can affect you more during this period of your life as your skin is thinner. Expose your skin to sunlight at least 15 minutes a day to stimulate vitamin D synthesis, which enables efficient calcium absorption (there is an increased loss of bone mass during the menopause as a result of low hormone levels). But remember to use treatments that include sun protection.
2. Don’t forget to hydrate your skin:
   • You need to compensate for the dehydration that occurs during this period, in order to slow down the aging process.
   • We recommend drinking at last 1.5 litres of water a day and using a skin treatment that contains retinoid derivatives (vitamin A) in order to also prevent photoaging.
3. Change your diet:
   • You should eat a varied diet containing lots of fruit and vegetables and one that provides vitamins, particularly A, C and E, which have antioxidant functions.
   • A topical treatment containing vitamin C will stimulate collagen synthesis, which is essential in order to maintain smooth skin.
4. Exfoliate your skin regularly:
   • This will remove dead cells and stimulate cell renewal, which is essential during this stage of life, as cellular turnover decreases.
5. Healthy lifestyle:
   • Limit your intake of caffeine, tobacco and alcohol and your skin will be more hydrated, since you will reduce your toxic load and increase your skin absorption capacity.
   • Gently exercise: this will boost blood circulation.
   • Personal hygiene: requires the use of extremely hydrating gentle products and emollients that respect your skin and prevent it from drying out even more.

DermatologistExpert in skin care