Menopausal skin: can we reverse the effects of ageing on our skin health (and should you even want to)?

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Menopausal skin: can we reverse the effects of ageing on our skin health (and should you even want to)?

By Miranda Larbi

2 years ago

3 min read

We’re becoming more familiar with the ways in which menopause and perimenopause can affect mood, energy and sleep, but that hormonal shift can have huge implications on our skin too.  


In recent years, menopause and the power of hormones have really taken over the health and wellness space. TikTok has forced many of us to start thinking about eating for better hormonal health. Covid taught us the overwhelming power of unregulated cortisol on our systems. And household names like Davina McCall have been busy documenting their own journey through ‘the change’ – teaching us more about the process.

The one area that still seems relatively unaddressed, however, is the impact menopause has on our skin. Since the dawn of time, skincare has been geared at ‘reversing signs of ageing’ and demonising women for getting older. Wrinkles, fine lines, sunspots… the majority of products are marketed at erasing and plumping. 

We’re not here to deny the realities of getting older or to shame those women who want ‘younger-looking skin’, but it’s a fact that our skin – just like every part of our bodies – changes with hormonal fluctuations. And that implies that at least some of this age-based skin chat might be missing the point. Menopause is a life reset that affects almost everything – including skin quality, texture, health and appearance. Here’s how.  

Menopause is a life reset that affects almost everything – including skin quality, texture, health and appearance

Production issues can cause thinner skin

By the time we reach perimenopause, we stop producing as much collagen as we used to. Dr Abha Gulati, consultant dermatologist at The Harley Street Dermatology Clinic, says that our production of elastin in the dermis of the skin also slows, and that can mean our skin becomes thinner in appearance. 

The thinner the skin, the more liable you are to bruise – so you might find yourself picking up odd marks more frequently.

Menopause slows down our skin renewal cycle

Mala Shrestha, director of The Skin Culture, explains that perimenopause and menopause cause “the biggest change in a woman’s skin”, which might surprise anyone who ever struggled with acne and oil during puberty. That’s because our skin renewal cycle slows down alongside the drop off in collagen, hyaluronic acid and ceramide production. 

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We become more at risk of sun damage

“It is really important to wear sunscreen daily during perimenopause and menopause, due to an increased risk of melasma during this time,” says Pippa Harman, co-founder and CEO of Renude

“Fluctuating hormones or the introduction of HRT or other hormone therapies can increase oestrogen in the skin, which can impact existing melasma or trigger new melasma to appear.”

Skin can become more irritated and dehydrated

Dr Ross Perry, medical director at Cosmedics, says that there’s a real temptation to ‘correct’ skin around this time with strong acids – and that can cause more mayhem than you started with. “Often, I find patients will overuse products to try to encourage rejuvenation but often this can irritate their skin.” 

Sebum levels drop – leading to dryness

According to Dr Rayhaneh Zahedi from AlumierMD, any kind of hormonal disruption can lead to the sebum levels in our skin changing, but it’s particularly the case during perimenopause when oestrogen levels drop. And that sebum disruption tends to lead to dryness.

To help combat dryness, you might want to look for serums that include hydrating hyaluronic acids (helps the skin to stay flexible), ceramides (which lock in the moisture) and niacinamide (vitamin B3).  

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How to protect your skin throughout peri/menopause 

Dr Meriem Martins of sk:n clinics says the key to healthy skin at any age is super simple:

  • Avoid smoking
  • Moderate your intake of alcohol
  • Wear SPF every day and avoid sunburn as much as possible
  • Exercise at least three times a week
  • Eat a balanced diet

She also recommends the following skincare steps:

  • Always remove make-up (even after a night out)
  • Cleanse using an AHA cleanser
  • Try clinical-strength products like vitamin C serums and retinol

“I think it’s always a good idea to consult with a dermatologist prior to starting a new skincare regime,” she says. 


Images: Getty

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