Menopause Does More Than Give You Hot Flashes—Here’s How It Changes Your Skin

How Your Skin Changes With Menopause

1. Puberty-Style Breakouts

"It's complicated," admits Lee, "but as estrogen declines, testosterone levels rise, creating an imbalance of male to female hormones. While estrogen helps the skin manage acne bacteria and sebum, testosterone (an androgen) stimulates oil production." In menopause, not only does cell generation slow down, but it doesn't get rid of dead skin cells like it used to. This causes clogging, dullness, and blemishes, particularly in the lower-third area of the face.

Tip #1: Keep Away From Stripping Products

Although you might be tempted to reach for the benzoyl peroxide and astringent products you used in your teens, Lee urges you to hold off. She says, "They're incredibly harsh and drying on the skin at a time when you want to support skin hydration and build up skin strength." Instead, try a gentle cleanser or consider double cleansing with an oil to remove makeup, and a cream product to wash away sebum and dirt. Lee also recommends incorporating a nourishing, fragrance-free mask to hydrate skin and remove old cell buildup a few times per week.

Tip #2: Avoid retinoids

While retinoids are great for fine lines, Lee suggests you limit or stop vitamin C serums or retinoids until your skin returns to a balanced state. A serum like the CAIRE Theorem Serum Boost, which has anti-inflammatory hyaluronic acid in it, keeps skin hydrated and clear both above and below the skin barrier. However, for more annoying breakouts, she adds, "Other worthwhile blemish helpers are the hydrocolloid acne spot patches by Hero, CosRx." Just be sure to use the non-medicated formulas.

2. Desert-Level Dryness

One of the very first signs of perimenopause is drying skin. Lee tells us, "It starts pretty early, as early as 35, and most women have no idea that it's caused by internal aging." When you notice that shift, it's important you take action.

Tip #1: Hydrate From the Inside Out

"By 40 at the latest, you want to adjust your skincare and water and food intake to support your skin," she says. "Every part of your skin routine should support hydration and pro-collagen protein behavior." To do so, Lee recommends you get tons of vitamin C and other antioxidants via real fruit, vegetables, and berries, not just supplements. 

Tip #2: Load Up on Hydrating Topicals

 When your natural hydration levels are dipping, it's important you feed your skin with topical treatments. Lee recommends choosing serums, essences, moisturizers, and makeup infused with active skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid, pro-collagen peptides, antioxidants, algae, and ceramides. She especially loves a low-weight hyaluronic acid, saying, "It's so important because it can seep into deeper layers of skin and pull up moisture, literally making the skin stronger and smoother from the inside." She adds, "It's like a soft corset for your skin.”

3. Hair On Your Chinny-Chin Chin

Things can get a bit hairy when you hit menopause, and we mean that quite literally. "About 10 to 15% of women respond to declining estrogen with random hair growth," explains Lee. While we all live with a subtle peach fuzz at worst, Lee says menopause can bring on the rise of what looks like a mustache or stray coarse hair, especially on the chin. It's totally normal, albeit annoying.

Tip: Pluck, Pluck, Hooray

Luckily, a few stray facial hairs are easy to treat. Most of the time, you can just pluck, wax, or use electrolysis and laser treatment to remove all traces of it. However, Lee says, "If they continue or the appearance of hair is significant and sudden, it can be a sign of an underlying issue such as diabetes or something more, so you would definitely want to check in with your doctors."

4. Supercharged Sensitivity 

As if the sagging skin, chin hair, and breakouts weren't enough changes for you to deal with, menopause does, in fact, make skin more sensitive to the sun. Lee says, "Your skin is getting thinner, and also, you're producing fewer melanocytes, which is responsible for melanin production, so your skin becomes more likely to react to the sun [with] sunburns, 'prickly' rashes, and brown or red spots." And this is true for women of all skin tones. Unfortunately, going out late in the day or wearing a sun hat may not do the trick anymore.

Tip: Take Cover

"It's essential to nourish your skin every day with collagen and hyaluronic peptides and limit retinol use (especially in sunny months) to ensure the strongest possible skin for when you are outside," explains Lee. But prevention, before you leave the house, is only half the battle. Lee recommends protecting your skin with physical and hybrid sunscreens that you reapply every few hours and limiting sun exposure. Her favorite way to sneak in extra protection is to reach for SPF-infused makeup and sun hats.

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