It’s not just mood, sleep patterns, and joints that are affected by hormones during menopause. Menopause can have a big impact on your skin too. In particular, the drop in estrogen that begins during perimenopause can affect how your skin looks and feels.
Find what you need quickly
Why is menopause skincare important?
Skin changes affect the majority of people during menopause and perimenopause – dry, itchy skin, wrinkles, and sagging are among the most common complaints. Most importantly, these changes can affect the way you see yourself and have been found to impact quality of life.
Hormone therapy (HT) can help by supplying more estrogen, which in turn can improve skin firmness and skin hydration levels. Of course, not everyone wants to use HT, and it is not suitable for others. There is also help in the form of skincare techniques and products – you just need to work out the cause of your issues and know what ingredients to look out for.
Aesthetic medical doctor Dr. Sophie Shotter and dermatologist Dr. Emma Wedgeworth offer expert advice as to exactly which ingredients to look for if you feel the time is right to up the ante on your skincare.
1. Drier skin
Dr. Sophie explains, “This is usually the first thing people begin to notice. During menopause, your skin produces fewer natural oils. Your lipid (oil) barrier deteriorates and you suffer transepidermal water loss so your skin gets much dryer.”
What can you do?
Dr. Emma suggests, “Choose a cleanser that can help repair the skin barrier – look for ceramides in the ingredient list for this. Another useful ingredient is niacinamide – it’s soothing as well as reparative and can also help reduce sensitivity if that’s an issue too.”
Dr. Sophie and Dr. Emma both recommend a moisturizing product that contains hyaluronic acid. “It’s your skin’s natural sponge to help it hang on to more water,” says Dr. Sophie. “So ideally try a hyaluronic acid serum followed by a ceramide-rich moisturizer.”
What to look for –
- Cleanser containing ceramides and niacinamide
- Moisturizing cream containing ceramides
- Hyaluronic acid serum
2. Loss of firmness
Dr. Sophie explains, “Fibroblast cells that produce collagen need a good supply of estrogen in order to function at optimum levels. So as your estrogen levels drop, so does your collagen production. In the first five years of menopause, you can lose up to 30% of our collagen.”
Read more about collagen and menopause.
What can you do?
Dr. Emma suggests, “Retinoids, such as retinol, are the gold standard for boosting collagen volume.”
Retinoids are a group of chemicals related to vitamin A. Some – like tretinoin and adapalene – are prescription-only. Others – like retinol – can be found in a wide range of skincare products and bought without a prescription. They help prevent skin aging by regulating the life cycle of skin cells, restoring the skin’s natural barrier, reducing water loss, and slowing collagen breakdown. However, they aren’t suitable for everyone. For example, they shouldn’t be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Some people may be sensitive to retinoids and could try an ingredient called bakuchiol, which has also been shown to improve skin appearance and is a good alternative if retinol doesn’t agree with you.
Dr. Sophie and Dr. Emma are also both impressed with a new ingredient called methyl estradiolpropanoate (MEP), which can be found in some new skincare lines designed for menopausal women. It may just sound like clever marketing but MEP mimics the effects of estrogen on the skin and appears to have genuine benefits.
What to look for – Products containing retinol, bakuchiol, and MEP.
3. Fine lines and wrinkles
Dr. Sophie explains, “Many people start to notice more lines and wrinkles during menopause, which is also driven by the loss of collagen. Less collagen means our skin loses structural integrity and this can result in fine lines.”
What can you do?
Dr. Emma says, “Retinoids can help with fine lines and wrinkles, but let’s not forget the importance of wearing a daily sunscreen. Over time the skin’s ability to protect itself against the sun will result in more wrinkles.”
“I tell my patients to wear at least an SPF 30 every day, all year round. And there’s evidence that we do not apply nearly enough of the amount of product needed. A rough guide is half a teaspoon just for the face and neck.”
What to look for – Products with at least SPF 30.
4. Menopause breakouts
Dr. Sophie explains, “Many people who have had great skin throughout their adult life can find they suffer from breakouts once they hit menopause. This is because estrogen drops much quicker than testosterone, so you can be left with unbalanced estrogen and testosterone levels resulting in both unwanted hair and spots.”
What can you do?
Dr. Emma suggests, “Look for products containing azelaic acid. On the whole, I prefer creams, which, in my experience, are tolerated well during menopause.”
What to look for – Creams with azelaic acid. Speak to your healthcare provider for further suggestions if this doesn’t help.
5. Dull-looking skin
Dr. Sophie explains, “During perimenopause and menopause the turnover of your skin slows down. New skin cells come through much slower and this can result in less radiant skin.”
What can you do?
Dr. Emma says, “Superficial exfoliators such as AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) are more effective than physical scrubs. But it’s important not to overdo the AHA, as this can lead to further skin sensitivity. Less is more when it comes to regaining your natural glow.”
Dr. Sophie also advises, “If you do prefer a physical scrub, make sure you choose one with round beads or microdermabrasion crystals and never scrub more than twice a week. If you are prone to redness, avoid physical scrubs altogether.”
What to look for – Exfoliators containing AHAs.
Final word
Shopping for menopause skincare should now be easier – we hope you find what works for you.
Find out more about menopause on our blog or in our symptoms library.
- Calleja-Agius, J., & Brincat, M. (2011). The effect of menopause on the skin and other connective tissues. Gynecological Endocrinology, 28(4), 273–277
- Dhaliwal, S., Rybak, I., Ellis, S. R., Notay, M., Trivedi, M., Burney, W., Vaughn, A. R., Nguyen, M., Reiter, P., Bosanac, S., Yan, H., Foolad, N., & Sivamani, R. K. (2018). Prospective, randomized, double‐blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. British Journal of Dermatology, 180(2), 289–296
- Thornton, M. J. (2005). Oestrogen functions in skin and skin appendages. Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets, 9(3), 617–629
- Zouboulis, C. C., Blume-Peytavi, U., Kosmadaki, M., Roó, E., Vexiau-Robert, D., Kerob, D., & Goldstein, S. R. (2022). Skin, hair and beyond: The impact of menopause. Climacteric, 25(5), 434–442. https://doi.org/10.1080/13697137.2022.2050206
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