Fri–Tue 9:30 – 18:00. Wed & Thu 9:30 – 20:00. Sun Closed.
Fri–Tue 9:30 – 18:00. Wed & Thu 9:30 – 20:00. Sun Closed.
To kick off Menopause Awareness Month, I want to talk to you about my favourite subject, which is our skin and the impact hormones can have on it...
Menopause as we all know is a natural process where the female ovaries stop producing eggs and oestrogen levels fall. Medically this is when your periods have stopped for one year and the average age for women in the UK is 51.
Perimenopause is the period leading up to this point, that can start from as early as the mid-’30s and for most women is a physical, mental and emotional rollercoaster.
Menopause does not turn on like a light but more like a dimmer that increases over time with intense flashes along the way, which can be a very confusing and daunting time.
It is something that is going to happen to us all (men included “Andropause” but that's another subject for another time!) all we can do is know what to look out for and how best to manage our individual journey.
Most common things to look out for:
Changes in your skin including:
Now let's talk about skin damage/ageing as a result. This is generally broken down into 3 types
This is a fact of life. This is the ageing that would occur naturally if you put yourself into a box and let nature takes it course. This type of ageing is also impacted by your genetics.
This is external, environmental and lifestyle-driven. It is inevitable but controllable and is the impact of what we expose ourselves to. UV exposure, stress levels, alcohol, cigarettes, pollution, poor diet and so on.
And finally, we have...
This is not only what happens to us at menopause but also in the years running up to this, perimenopause. Oestrogen is your skins best friend and as oestrogen starts to decline levels of collagen start to decrease presenting fine lines and wrinkles on the skin. Hyaluronic acid depletes leaving the skin unable to retain its moisture and impairing the barrier function of the skin. This can lead to irritation, Rosacea and hormonal acne and by the time a woman reaches menopause the collagen can decrease by up to 30% in the first few years - now that's a scary statistic!!!
For your skin, the easiest and cheapest way to prevent and give yourself the best chance to withstand these changes is to invest in protecting your skin as soon as you can.
Protecting your skin with a good quality SPF (read here to find out more) will without a doubt put your skin in the best possible place to combat the effects of hormonal changes when they happen. If you are already encountering hormonal changes then an SPF will allow the skin to fight it much better. Limiting the radiation levels that your skin is exposed to will prevent the depletion of collagen, hyaluronic acid and other vital components your skin needs to stay strong and supple.
Remember Vitamins A, B, C will play a vital part in skin health and can be applied topically and of course through supplements. Contact us for more advice on this and watch out for more information coming up on these three mega vital vitamins.
CIT - Collagen induction therapy are treatments including micro-needling, mesotherapy and radiofrequency which when performed by a qualified practitioner can help to stimulate the collagen and strengthen the skin to prevent deeper lines and wrinkles from forming. These treatments will also help to decrease already existing ageing factors.
Cortisol and adrenaline will exasperate menopausal symptoms. Find whatever it is that helps you to relax. Being in nature, yoga, meditation, aromatherapy and other holistic treatments and therapies, can all create a 360-degree approach to help you provide a balance to hormonal change.
Take time this month and explore what you can do to help yourself at whatever stage you are at.
Contact us to find out more about the virtual consultations and seminars we have coming up this menopause awareness month.
We are here to help you and your skin.
And don't forget to subscribe to our blog to receive notification of more blogs posts during Menopause Awareness Month: Subscribe Here
