What Are Common Menopause Skin Changes?
Let’s explore how these changes present themselves in perimenopause and what you can do to minimize your symptoms.
#1 Accelerated Aging
We all lose about 1% of our collagen production per year starting in our 20s. This decline accelerates during perimenopause, where collagen production will slow another 30% within the first 5 years. After the first 5 years, this decreases to a 2% loss per year.
How accelerated collagen loss affects your skin:
- Skin thinning – Skin becomes more fragile and delicate
- Dry skin – Loss of moisture retention
- Fine lines and wrinkles – Accelerated formation, especially around the eyes and mouth
- Skin laxity – Loss of firmness and elasticity
- Volume loss – Hollowing in cheeks and temples
- Skin sagging – Particularly in the jawline, neck, and under the eyes
Bioidentical hormone therapy can minimize menopause skin changes. When combined with aesthetic treatments that boost collagen production, we can revitalize your skin.
Skincare ingredients that help:
Shifting to skincare products designed for mature skin is also advised. Particularly products containing:
- Retinoids – Boost collagen production and cell turnover
- Vitamin C – Antioxidant that supports collagen synthesis
- Peptides – Signal skin to produce more collagen
- Hyaluronic acid – Intense hydration and plumping
- Niacinamide – Improves skin barrier and texture
- Growth factors – Stimulate skin repair and renewal
Aesthetic treatments for collagen boost:
- Morpheus8 – RF microneedling for deep collagen remodeling
- Sculptra – Collagen-stimulating injectable
- PRP – Natural growth factors for skin rejuvenation
- PDO Thread Lift – Immediate lift plus collagen stimulation
Convenience comparison:
- Pills: Daily dosing required
- Patches: Changed every 3-7 days
- Creams: Applied daily
- Pellets: Inserted every 3-5 months
#2 Acne and Menopause
Whether you struggled with acne or not during puberty, fluctuating estrogen levels can lead to adult acne. Painful cystic acne is more common in this phase of life.
Why menopause causes acne:
- Estrogen levels drop while testosterone remains relatively stable
- This hormonal imbalance increases oil production
- Inflammation increases
- Skin cell turnover slows, clogging pores
Menopausal acne won’t respond to the same skincare products as prepubescent acne. While utilizing products that contain salicylic acid is suggested, personalized skincare is essential. Visiting a dermatologist may be required to get cystic acne under control.
Treatment options:
- Topical treatments – Salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, retinoids
- Hormone therapy – Balances hormones to reduce breakouts
- Professional treatments – Chemical peels, facials
- PRP – Reduces inflammation and heals acne scarring
- Lumecca IPL – Addresses acne scarring and discoloration
Aesthetic treatments such as PRP and Lumecca IPL can address acne scarring once active breakouts are under control.
#3 Dry, Dull, and Rough Skin
One of the many roles that estrogen plays in the body is contributing to moisture retention and producing the oil (sebum) that keeps your skin hydrated. When you enter perimenopause, you may notice that your skin is dry, dull, or rough a week or so before you menstruate. As time goes on, your skin from head to toe may look and feel dry, dull, and rough all month long.
This loss of hydration can intensify existing wrinkles
Tips to combat dry skin:
Hydration from within:
- Drink 80-100 oz of water daily
- Eat hydrating foods (cucumbers, watermelon, celery)
- Limit caffeine and alcohol (both dehydrating)
- Take omega-3 supplements for skin health
Topical hydration:
- Use a gentle, hydrating cleanser (avoid harsh soaps)
- Apply hyaluronic acid serum to damp skin
- Use a rich moisturizer morning and night
- Add facial oil for extra moisture
- Use overnight sleeping masks
- Don’t forget body moisturizer
Environmental protection:
- Use a humidifier, especially in Arizona’s dry climate
- Avoid long, hot showers (use lukewarm water)
- Apply moisturizer immediately after bathing
Professional treatments:
- Forma Skin Tightening – RF treatment that hydrates and tightens
- Hydrating facials – Deep moisture infusion
- PRP – Natural hydration and rejuvenation
#4 Increased Facial Hair
Menopause skin changes aren’t likely to be your only aesthetic concern. Although estrogen and progesterone levels drop during perimenopause, testosterone levels stay pretty much the same. This can lead to an increase in upper lip, chin, and facial hair. This hair may also feel dry and coarse.
Managing unwanted facial hair:
- HRT – May minimize unwanted hair growth by balancing hormones
- Laser hair removal – Long-lasting reduction
- Waxing and threading – Temporary removal
- Electrolysis – Permanent hair removal
- Topical prescriptions – Slow hair growth
Hair loss on your head:
While you may grow more hair on your face, fluctuating hormones can cause hair follicles on your head to shrink. This can lead to thinning hair and balding in both men and women.
Solutions for hair thinning:
- Hormone replacement therapy – Addresses root cause
- Platelet-rich plasma injections – Stimulate hair follicles. Nutrafol supplementation – Clinically proven hair growth supplement
- . Topical treatments – Minoxidil and other growth serums
- Combining PRP and Nutrafol – Maximum results
#5 Itchy Skin, Rashes, and Sensitive Skin
While not related to menopause, your skin’s pH level gradually becomes more acidic with age. This impacts both men and women. Acidity can leave your skin itchy, irritated, and more sensitive than before. If your skin is already sensitive or you have preexisting eczema or rosacea, yourx symptoms may increase in or around your 50s. When combined with the dryness that accompanies menopause, this increases the risk of rashes and slower-than-usual wound healing.
Minimize these symptoms by:
Skincare adjustments:
- Switch to fragrance-free products
- Use gentle, pH-balanced cleansers
- Avoid harsh exfoliants
- Patch test new products
- Choose mineral-based sunscreens
- Use lukewarm (not hot) water
Dietary support:
- Eat alkalizing foods (leafy greens, vegetables, fruits)
- Reduce inflammatory foods (sugar, processed foods)
- Increase omega-3 fatty acids
- Stay well-hydrated
Medical support:
- Hormone therapy to address root cause, Prescription treatments for eczema or rosacea, Anti-inflammatory topicals, Professional guidance for persistent issues
#6 Hyperpigmentation
Also referred to as melasma, sunspots, liver spots, and age spots, you may notice that scarring is darker and fades more slowly. You may also develop freckle-like sunspots as large as a pencil eraser on your face, neck, hands, and other areas of your body that are frequently exposed to sunlight.
Why hyperpigmentation worsens during menopause:
- Fluctuating hormones impact melanin production
- Skin heals more slowly, leaving darker scars
- Years of sun exposure become visible
- Decreased skin cell turnover allows pigment to accumulate
Fluctuating hormones impact how skin heals, often leading to scars that are a few shades darker than they used to be. Sunspots are often associated with age, but you may also develop dark patches on your body, also caused by a combination of fluctuating hormones and UV exposure.
Prevention strategies:
- Use broad-spectrum SPF 30+ daily (even indoors)
- Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours when outdoors
- Wear protective clothing and hats
- Enable blue light filters on electronic devices
- Avoid peak sun hours (10 am-4 pm)
Treatment options
Topical treatments:
- Vitamin C serums
- Retinoids
- Hydroquinone (prescription)
- Kojic acid
- Niacinamide
- Alpha arbutin
Professional treatments:
- Lumecca IPL – Targets and breaks up pigmentation
- Chemical peels – Exfoliate pigmented layers
- Laser treatments – Precise pigment removal
You can’t slow the increased melanin production that’s causing your hyperpigmentation, but you can address hyperpigmentation with topical products and Lumecca IPL.
#7 Skin Laxity
The combination of decreased collagen production, increased dryness, gravity, and natural aging contributes to skin laxity. Skin laxity is inevitable, but there are a variety of skin-tightening treatments to explore. As an added bonus, the skin tightening treatments below boost collagen production to further minimize menopause skin changes.
PDO Thread Lift
Facial threads are ultra-thin surgical sutures strategically placed underneath the deep layers of the skin. Threads painlessly pull the skin upward or in the desired direction to address the skin laxity that accompanies aging.
Threads can be used on:
- Brows (lift drooping brows)
- Cheeks (restore volume and lift)
- Jawline (define and tighten)
- Neck (reduce sagging)
- Nasolabial folds (soften smile lines)
Benefits:
- Immediate lifting effect
- Stimulates collagen production
- Minimal downtime
- Results last 12-18 months
Forma Facial
The Forma Skin Tightening Facial is an advanced skincare treatment that utilizes pain-free radio frequency to promote the regrowth of collagen.
Forma can be used to tighten skin on the:
- Face (overall tightening)
- Forehead (smooth lines)
- Eyes (reduce crepiness)
- Cheeks (lift and firm)
- Jawline (define contours)
- Neck (tighten and smooth)
Benefits:
- Completely painless
- No downtime
- Gradual, natural-looking results
- Safe for all skin types
- Can be done during lunch break
Morpheus8
Morpheus8 combines radiofrequency and microneedling technology to contour, tighten, and resurface skin. Unlike some aesthetic treatments, Morpheus8 can be used on the face and body. We can use Pro-Nox during your treatment. It wears off fast, so you can still drive yourself home.
Morpheus8 can be used to tighten skin on the:
- Face (full facial rejuvenation)
- Neck (dramatic tightening)
- Décolletage (smooth chest area)
- Arms (reduce crepey skin)
- Abdomen (tighten loose skin)
- Thighs (improve texture and firmness)
Benefits:
- Treats deeper layers than other treatments
- Dramatic results
- Minimal downtime (3-5 days)
- Safe for all skin types
- Long-lasting collagen remodeling
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