How menopause impacts your body skin—and what you can do
Menopause is a natural part of the aging process for women. Physical side effects vary, though it brings dramatic changes to your skin, often rapidly. Many women in their 40s and 50s report their skin suddenly taking a severe downturn.
The impact of low estrogen on skin
Estrogen is crucial for skin health. It aids maintaining firmness, plumpness, and hydration and supporting wound healing. The dramatic drop in estrogen during menopause impacts skin in multiple ways:
- Collagen loss: Your skin loses approximately 30% of its collagen within just five years of menopause.
- Thinning and crepiness: Skin becomes noticeably thinner and more delicate.
- Dryness: Reduced estrogen means less natural oil production .
- Sagging: As bone density decreases, skin loses its underlying support structure and volume, leading to more noticeable sagging.
- Increased sensitivity: Skin becomes more reactive and takes longer to heal from injuries.
- Sun damage: Menopausal skin is more susceptible to UV damage, leading to an increase in age spots
Building a body care routine for menopause
Navigating the changes in your body skin during menopause can be challenging, but a well-rounded body care routine can help you maintain healthy, comforted skin. The key is to cycle through different body care products that address your skin's varying needs.
Start by establishing a baseline of hydration with a moisturizer like Speed Soak, which contains moisturizing glycerin. This helps draw water into the skin without clogging pores. Apply after every shower.
To take your hydration to the next level, regular gentle exfoliation will help slough away dead skin cell buildup from the surface of your skin - which can block your moisturizer from doing its job to its fullest potential. Look for products containing keratolytic agents (help break down and remove excess keratin) like urea. You can lock in the hydration further by following up with a layer of Carea Cream - a lightweight yet deeply moisturizing daily body lotion, packed with 10% urea, squalane, and colloidal oatmeal.
Mass Index Recommends
Soft Services
Speed Soak
$28
5.5 fl oz
fragrance free
Perfect for summer: the first ever immediate rehydrating gel for body is like a sports drink, for your skin.
Soft Services
Carea Cream
$40
11 fl oz
fragrance-free
A lightweight body lotion with 10% urea that deeply moisturizes and gently exfoliates. This more-than-just-a moisturizer cares for dry and weathered body skin.
As menopause progresses, you may notice a loss of firmness and a crepey skin texture. This is where more advanced ingredients like retinoids come in. With prolonged and consistent use, products like the Soft Services Software Update Performance Retinol Serum can help support collagen production, increase skin cell turnover, and improve skin texture, resulting in smoother and plumper-looking skin. This 0.25% serum also contains glycerin and niacinamide to help hydrate and brighten.
Mass Index Recommends
Soft Services
Software Update
$44
2.5 fl oz
fragrance-free
A lightweight, creamy overnight serum designed to promote surface skin cell renewal with 0.25% retinol. Ideal for addressing both preventative and existing signs of aging.
Finally, don't forget the importance of sun protection. It should be a part of your normal routine long before menopause, though especially during menopause, as your skin becomes more vulnerable to UV damage. Finding a comfortable, non-irritating sunscreen you enjoy using daily is essential. Wearing wide-brimmed hats, driving gloves, and longer layers if spending extended amounts of time outside will also help greatly.
By incorporating these simple key elements into your body care routine, you can help your skin feel supported and balanced throughout the menopausal transition.
References
Lephart, E.D., Naftolin, F. Menopause and the Skin: Old Favorites and New Innovations in Cosmeceuticals for Estrogen-Deficient Skin.
Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) 11, 53–69 (2021).Brincat M, Kabalan S, Studd
JW, Moniz CF, de Trafford J, Montgomery J. A study of the decrease of skin collagen content, skin thickness, and bone mass in the postmenopausal woman. Obstet Gynecol. 1987 Dec;70(6):840-5. PMID: 3120067.
Mature Skin
Mature skin is skin that, with age, develops wrinkles, dryness, and sagging from declining collagen and elastin.
Also Called
Aging skin
Frequently Found On
Neck, chest, hands, arms, and other sun-exposed areas.
Related Concerns
Learn More: Mature Skin