Menopause – this scourge that epitomizes old age hits women from the age of 45 onwards. Most women are not even properly educated on the signs of menopause, and are usually none the wiser when they’re going through it.
As important as it is to be well-educated on the signs of menopause to better deal with it, there is a more pressing matter on hand that needs to be addressed – your skin.
Our skin tends to deteriorate at a faster rate than our body, and the worst part is that it shows. With the classic adage of prevention being better than cure coming into play, let’s look at some telling early signs of ‘skin-opause’… before it becomes too advanced for any form of mediation.
Read more: Optimal skincare during Menopause
Adult Acne
One of the first signs of menopausal skin is adult acne due to the shift in the balance of estrogen and testosterone.
In fact, menopause is associated with outbreaks on the chin and neck. Second childhood? We would like to think so. But that’s no reason for you to abandon all hope and succumb to the full and devastating impact of acne-prone skin.
Menopausal skin does not take well to drying anti-acne regimens as skin is already dry during these years. Try BBL Forever Clear for its gentle yet effective skin-clearing benefits sans chemicals, and its added perks of clearing up marks. It uses broadband light to stop zits in its tracks while preventing new ones from forming.
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Sagging Skin and Wrinkles
As if we didn’t have enough to worry about as we hit our 50s, menopause throws another spanner into the works. Another sign of menopausal skin is of course, sagging skin and wrinkles.
Estrogen stimulates fat deposits over the female body. However, with dipping estrogen levels during menopause, a loss of supportive fat below the skin of the face, neck, hands, and arms will occur. This kickstarts a whole process of loss of support, sagging, and wrinkling.
Short of going under the knife and leaving your face to the mercy of a plastic surgeon, a wiser approach would be to use radiofrequency to coax your skin to a more supple and elastic state, aka Thermage.
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Increased Loss of Hydration and Dry Skin
Dry skin is commonly associated with menopause, because estrogen levels drop and oil glands become less active during menopause, this can trigger the skin to be dry. In fact, dry skin can be associated with itch and rashes.
Soap substitutes such as aqueous cream can be used during your shower to ensure you are not stripping your body skin of vital moisture.
For your face, use a cream cleanser such as Warm Vanilla to keep your skin barrier intact each time you wash your face. Apply a rich humectant such as Luminizing II combined with an emollient type serum such as Rose Gold serum for optimal skin moisturizing effects.
Hydrate while your skin is still damp as this produces better moisturization results.
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Hyperpigmentation and Age spots
Another sign of menopausal skin? Hyperpigmentation and age spots.
If you’ve noticed your skin starts to look splotchy and discolored, it could be due to menopause, as lower estrogen levels also temper with melanin production.
Even though skin cancer and wrinkling are caused by the amount of sun you got in your 20s, 30s, and 40s, you still need to protect your skin. Always look for a sunscreen with a broad-spectrum SPF of 30 or higher, and wear it every day.
Pico Pigment goes straight to the point to remove stubborn age and sunspots on your skin. Powerful antioxidants such as Astaxanthin also go a long way to protect the skin against UV and free radical damage and may be a useful adjuvant in your menopausal years.
Read more: Fortifying Your Skin in Your Forties