Most women are afraid of going through menopause because this transition brings forth unwanted physical changes: bones become weaker, hair becomes thinner, and skin gets drier. Yes, these changes are inevitable because when your ovaries gradually stop producing estrogens, the female sex hormones, many cells, tissues, and organs are also affected.
Menopause and drought have something in common: loss of water. Lands become dry during a drought, while your body suffers from a lack of moisture due to hormonal imbalance, reflecting through your skin changes. When estrogens decline, your skin may not receive proper hydration to keep them healthy and youthful-looking.
But don't fret, for you can still do many things to prevent your skin from experiencing the effects of menopause. Learn more about how menopause affects your skin health and follow some useful tricks and tips to preserve your healthy and glowing skin amidst menopause.
Skin Changes During Menopause: How Does Menopause Affect Your Skin Condition?
While looking at your face in the mirror, you've noticed wrinkles beside your eyes and on your forehead. The skin on your arms and legs also felt dry and saggy.
Menopause should not be taken for granted, for it can bring noticeable changes in your mental health and physical appearance, especially on your skin. Below are the following skin changes that you may encounter during your menopausal journey.
1. Your skin may feel dry and flaky.
Skin dryness can happen due to dehydration. Because of this change, you may notice some flakes forming on your skin's topmost layer, and it doesn't look pleasing to the eyes.
2. You may develop rashes and age spots.
During menopause, your skin becomes hypersensitive to both external and internal factors. Even the products you used to slather on your skin might not work effectively during your menopausal transition.
3. You may notice wrinkles and loose skin.
The lack of collagen during menopause may cause your skin to develop wrinkles and become saggy. These changes can make your skin appear older than your age.
4. Your skin may become hypersensitive.
These skin changes don't only upset your physical appearance, but these can also affect your self-confidence. Therefore, it is essential to take precautionary measures to prevent experiencing the adverse effects of menopause.
5. Your skin complexion may look dull.
Your skin may become extra sensitive to heat and sunlight, which can cause uneven skin tone. Lack of moisture due to estrogen decline can also make your skin look dry and dull.
7 Tricks Menopausal Women Can Do to Keep Their Skin Healthy and Glowing
If you're aiming to retain your youthful appearance, you should take good care of your skin. Below are some helpful tricks to preserving your skin's pristine condition.
1. Always hydrate yourself with fluids.
Hydrate, hydrate, and hydrate. This golden rule should exist in every skincare regimen. If you don't drink enough water, your expensive skincare moisturizers and other products will go to waste. Above anything else, drinking water is a must for healthy and glowing skin. Your skin is the biggest organ in your body. Water deficiency can cause this organ to malfunction and start showing signs of dryness. Your sebaceous glands may also overproduce sebum, which can cause oily skin instead. Hence, amplify your fluid intake by drinking 10 to 15 cups of water every day. You can also drink fresh fruit juices for extra hydration with a pump of vitamins for hair growth.
2. Exfoliating is a must in every skincare regimen.
If you think that you shouldn't be exfoliating during menopause, you may have to debunk that thought. Exfoliating is actually one way to keep your skin healthy, especially during menopause. By gently rubbing your skin, you can remove the dead skin cells that accumulate on the skin's topmost layer, making it smoother and softer. Regular exfoliation also helps unclog your pores and remove any dirt and oil residue. While physical exfoliation may work for women with normal or oily skin, those who have dry or sensitive skin should only exfoliate their skin once or twice a week to prevent skin irritations. Women should also be meticulous with choosing exfoliating products. As much as possible, avoid using chemical exfoliants, especially with glycolic acid. This particular ingredient can irritate and wreak havoc on your skin.
3. Don't fail to use moisturizing products all over your body.
Estrogen decline can adversely affect some of your sebaceous glands by decreasing their natural sebum production. As a result, there isn't enough oil to moisturize your skin naturally. To cope with your skin's dryness, apply a powerful moisturizer regularly, regardless of your skin type. Even women with oily skin should also prioritize using moisturizers to improve their skin condition. You should also moisturize your face and your whole body since you are covered with skin. It would also be useful to apply products with hyaluronic acid for extra moisture preservation.
4. Never skip sunscreen application.
It's fun to go outdoors, get sun-kissed, and have some tan lines, but you're not getting any younger. The sun's ultraviolet rays can damage your sensitive skin, especially during menopause, triggering the appearance of age spots, especially on your face, neck, arms, and legs. Being regularly exposed to sunlight will not only cause sunburn, but it also puts your skin at risk of developing skin cancer. Thus, menopausal women must take extra precautions whenever they get sun exposure by applying skincare and makeup products with at least SPF30. The higher the SPF, the longer you can stay out in the sun. These sunscreens will help you prevent dark spots and lighten the existing blemishes on your face and skin. Don't forget to reapply your sun-proof products to get the product's full effects.
5. Hormonal pills can make your skin more radiant.
Menopausal symptoms and problems can be rooted in hormonal imbalance. Since estrogen is a vital hormone for improving your skin's elasticity, texture, and appearance, you need high estrogen levels to keep your skin healthy-looking. Unfortunately, most women during menopause experience drastic and adverse skin change because of estrogen deficiency. Therefore, if you want to maintain your skin's glowing and smooth complexion, you may opt to ingest estrogen pills to make up for your body's lack of estrogens. This hormone replacement treatment can help compensate for your ovaries' decline in estrogen production. Don't forget to consult your physician before undergoing this kind of treatment to avoid complications.
6. Pump up your vitamin C intake.
Collagen, the protein that can be found all over your body, is vital in forming and maintaining the structure of your muscles, skin, tendons, and ligaments. Estrogens assist these unique proteins in preserving moisture and keeping your skin's elasticity. Hence, when a woman enters the menopausal stage, her skin may develop wrinkles and feel dry as an after-effect of hormonal imbalance. To protect your skin against collagen decline and skin aging, boost your diet with vitamin C-enriched foods. This super vitamin does not only have antioxidant properties to protect your skin cells against free radicals, but it also stimulates collagen production for your hair and skin health. Citrus fruits, bell peppers, potatoes, and broccoli are superfoods that you should definitely add to your daily diet if you want to obtain vitamin C.
7. Choose your facial cleanser wisely.
The skin encompassing your face is one of the sensitive parts of your body. It is always exposed to the environment, which makes it prone to skin problems. That's why women should always wash their faces twice a day. Yet, cleansing your beautiful face isn't an easy-peasy step. You have to be meticulous with every product you apply to your skin, especially if it is hypersensitive. As part of your precautionary measures, you have to know your skin type first before buying and using skincare and beauty care products. Once you have identified your skin type (normal, dry, oily, or combination), you can choose the best and safest product that caters to your skincare needs. You are also recommended to use a mild cleanser to prevent irritating your skin. Try to avoid chemical exfoliants in the meantime because some of their ingredients can worsen your skin's condition.
Revamp Your Skincare Regimen During Menopause.
It's a harsh reality for every woman who can't escape undergoing menopausal transition. But don't worry; women can still mitigate the impact of menopause on their hair and skin. By hydrating yourself regularly with fluids and using the best and safest skincare products on your skin, you can protect yourself from experiencing the worst-case skin problems during your menopausal journey.
Menopause Isn't Just About Adverse Skin Changes.
Your skin shouldn't be your only concern during menopause. Your hair growth is also at risk during this transitional phase. To prevent your hair from experiencing adverse changes, don't skip using the best hair growth products. Protect your hair from falling out by using the best shampoo for thinning hair and hair loss. Learn more about female alopecia and how you can avoid this hair malady during menopause.
