Perimenopause and Menopause | What it does to your skin and how you can help ease it

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Perimenopause. It’s something I didn’t expect myself to be talking about, yet here I am at the ripe old/young age of 43. It actually started at 42 but I was in denial for a while. Telling myself things like “I’m too young”. “My mum didn’t go through menopause until 50 and so I don’t need to worry about anything until then”. But that’s menopause, not perimenopause. No one talks about perimenopause.

Did you know that perimenopause can start as early as your 30s, but for most women its somewhere between 40 and 45? Symptoms can be extremely variable and include anything from a shortening or lengthening of the menstrual cycle, anxiety, loss of confidence, depression, hot flushes, trouble sleeping, trouble concentrating, and many more. It’s not easy to talk about, but the more I do, the more I realise other women my age are in a similar situation.

Basically our hormone levels start to fall, particularly oestrogen and progesterone, and our body undergoes a whole raft of changes. Skin is not left out of this upheaval.

The most significant change in skin caused by reduced hormone levels is dryness and I can confirm this. My skin has never felt so thirsty! Thankfully the Clemence range includes some extremely hydrating products and so I can deal with this one. My skincare recommendations for dry skin in perimenopause/menopause can be found here.

Another significant effect is a decrease in collagen production. This affects both elasticity and skin thickness. Vitamin D is also harder to produce which has a flow-on effect to the skin, influencing both immunity and skin repair/ageing.

To support the skin during this time, the best approach is through a combination of internal and external recommendations.

Internal recommendations:

• Dry skin – increase omega 3 and omega 6 rich foods (salmon, sardines, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds) and ensure you are drinking 1-2L of water daily.
• Collagen support – add foods and nutrients to your diet which support collagen production including protein, vitamin C, and zinc. I actually add a scoop of collagen powder to my morning smoothie to give my skin a big boost.
• Vitamin D – increase vitamin D rich foods (oily fish, eggs, nuts and seeds) and consider adding a supplement as absorption is reduced as we get older.

External recommendations:

• Dry skin and collagen support – choose skincare products which are rich in natural oils and butters, and contain hyaluronic acid to hold water in the skin. Also look for products which contain vitamin C and hyaluronic acid. Thankfully the Clemence range ticks all these boxes. See ‘Bridget’s Perimenopause Skincare Routine’ below for specific recommendations.
• Vitamin D – get a little sun on your bod each day (not during peak UV times). 10-15 minutes is all it takes to boost vitamin D levels.

If you feel that there are changes happening in your body and you don’t quite feel yourself, please make sure you talk to your Naturopath and/or Doctor. Don’t just put up with it. Start that conversation and move yourself towards feeling good again.

I hope this information is helpful.

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