Menopause for Thought

MENOPAUSE FOR THOUGHT
Menopause affects us in countless ways and our skin experiences some of the most profound of these changes. Even if your menopause is plain sailing, the physical changes in our skin due to the changes in our hormonal patterns are there and very often visible.

What happens during menopause?
During menopause our hormonal balance is thrown out, not least in the case of diminishing oestrogen levels. Oestrogen is the driver of almost every aspect of strong, healthy skin so these hormonal changes also mean changes for your skin. At a time of undergoing phenomenal change on the inside, we start to see some fundamental changes on the outside and in our skin too.

When the body loses oestrogen, it loses the ability to support collagen and elastin production. Both of these start to reduce as a normal part of the ageing process. Your skin also loses - and cannot maintain - levels of hydrating hyaluron.

Lipids in your skin also deplete, resulting in loss of ceramides, peptides and squalane – all needed in the maintenance and condition of strong, healthy skin, both on the surface and in the internal support structures.

The temptation is to only see the surface, to see the lines forming and the collapse and to focus on products that turn these surface cells over to refresh. This is one reason why vitamin A and retinols become popular, and for good reason. We all want to ‘press refresh’, but if the fundamental needs of your skin aren’t being met then you have nothing to turnover, no stocks to refresh and the deterioration accelerates.

How to support your skin during menopause.
Firstly, looking in a magnifying mirror should be banned. Changes to your skin are completely normal. It’s also worth noting that products labelled ‘For Menopause’ should be viewed with caution. Sometimes this is just marketing to catch you out when you feel worried about your skin and the changes to your body, so being aware of what your skin needs is important.

You don’t need knee jerk reactions, you need skincare plans and these need to be in place now because in skincare, preparation and prevention is crucial. We’ve broken down the steps that everyone needs for healthy, balanced skin in our Skincare 5 A Day system, which makes it easy to work out what you need to use and when.

A replenishing, supportive routine that feeds the fundamental physiology of your skin will carry you through every time of life, whatever is going on with your skin. You should update your skincare routine at each decade, or if you start to see skin or lifestyle changes that might need something different.

The main goal for supporting your skin during menopause is balance. You want to keep it clean, clear of dry and dead skin and free from congestion whilst also making sure it’s hydrated, nourished and protected. In short, you want to cleanse, exfoliate, hydrate, nourish and protect every day, twice a day. Take a look at your current skincare routine and lifestyle to see if there’s anything missing

 and see if there is an obvious gap, maybe hydration just got missed or there isn’t any nourishment – skin needs food in the form of lipids and omegas to keep the barrier function healthy and strong, fortifying and protecting your skin whilst giving you that bounce back glow. Skin needs food and water to survive. Start to look at your skin's needs like the needs of your body.

The ingredients your skin requires in each step to be supportive and replenishing during your menopause will be very different to those needed in your other decades. The dramatic reduction in oestrogen means each step needs to up its game and work hard to replace what is now missing.

The ingredients to add into your skincare routine.
We know that collagen and elastin support the strength and structure of your skin, giving it the ability to move, show expression and bounce back. You need to choose formulas that are pro collagen, pro elastin or stimulate the production of both ingredients. These will reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Adding hydrating products into your routine, such as hyaluronic acid, can help to give your skin a smoother, plump and dewy finish. Niacinamides and vitamin B help to boost ceramide production, keeping the skin supported and your skin barrier replenished and strengthened.

Choose oils with lipid and omega content to replace lost peptide levels and to repair skin damage and lost strength. Remember, peptides are the protein in skins bringing strength and supporting collagen production – the scaffolding poles of skin.

Nourishing your skin during menopause.
You can take your skincare as well as apply it, and not just in the form of supplements. Eating a diet rich in phytoestrogens supports your skin as it grows and helps to supply levels of plant derived oestrogens to replace your natural stocks.

Replacing and replenishing low levels of oestrogen in your diet helps fight against heart disease and osteoporosis which both become more prevalent during menopause.

Find recipes that are heavy in the foods listed below, foods that are tasty, healthy and most importantly boost your phytoestrogen stocks whilst also reducing symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, and night sweats.

• Cruciferous vegetables - vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, are rich in phytoestrogens. They can be oven roasted or eaten raw.
• Dried fruits - these are a powerful sources of phytoestrogens but also high in fruit sugars due to the concentration during the drying process but they bring flavour and a natural replacement for sugary snacks we often crave during menopause. The level of phytoestrogens in dried fruit is much higher than that in fresh fruits and they don’t go off as quickly or squash in your handbag either!
• Beans, pulses and grains - lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans and split peas are rich in phytoestrogens and they’re delicious too. Rice, oats, barley, quinoa, rice bran, rye, and wheat bran all contain concentrated amounts of phytoestrogens so they’re great for your skin. They are also high in protein and fibre for skin strength, filling and low in fat which is good to know as weight gain may be an issue during menopause. Soybeans and their raw state as edamame beans, recipes with tofu and miso are all super rich in beneficial lignans and phytoestrogens.
• Flax seeds (making sure they are ground to powder for better absorption in the gut) have been shown to reduce some menopausal symptoms although this is not as tested as soybeans – that being said they are rich in Omega 3 which is essential for healthy, strong and vital skin.
• Sesame seeds too are rich in fibre and phytoestrogen, alfalfa sprouts and mung beans add flavour, texture and a rich source of phytoestrogen.
• Garlic is an all round healthy and flavour source and eaten raw is great for the gut microbiome – keeping our digestion healthy and fully absorbent of all essential nutrients in our daily foods.

It’s completely unfair that many of the things we reach for during menopause to placate, stimulate or relax us are also bad for both our skin and our menopausal symptoms. I call them "Skinflammagers" because they’re ageing, damaging and cause inflammation for our skin and so should be avoided at cost. The three main culprits are caffeine, alcohol and sugar.

Once in your system they can drive your need for them, so it’s difficult to give up but worth the effort in many ways. Too much sugar makes you crave sugar, which in turn destroys the skin's support matrix so fine lines and wrinkles become deeper, more defined and permanent grooves.

Sugar also leads to mood swings and menopause causes low mood due again to the low levels of oestrogen and sometimes testosterone. Keeping moods and emotions balanced is key to getting through these hormonal changes.

Both caffeine and alcohol cause you to eliminate water from your body, leading to dehydration internally and dry, wrinkled skin. Caffeine can also throw your adrenals out of balance so you believe you need more and more caffeine to achieve the ‘energy hit’.

The first glass of alcohol can help you to relax but in reality, it’s disrupting, dehydrating and upsets your sleep patterns. All three of which are bad for your skin, especially lack of sleep which affects the skin’s natural repair cycle. Alcohol is also filled with sugar, which as we’ve already explained, isn’t great for your skin.

Staying positive and thriving during menopause.
You don’t need to give up everything you enjoy, but it’s worth being aware and mindful when it comes to the lifestyle choices that can make a big difference to your skin. Knowing this can help you to make some decisions that will seriously benefit your skin.

The fact that menopause is now being discussed much more openly and honestly is nothing but positive. Anyone experiencing symptoms of peri menopause and the menopause (whether you realise it or not) needs to know that they’re not alone, they’re not the only one and that there are many, many ways to reduce symptoms,

Don’t panic, don’t disrupt, simply support. Menopause is not just for October and by taking some of the steps above or adapting your lifestyle to incorporate some of the changes you can find your own recipe, your own groove via which you can navigate your menopause beautifully, calmly and healthily.

Looking to take better care of your skin during menopause? Check out our range of menopause-friendly skincare products to help take care of your skin during your hormonal changes.