Manage Your Skin With TLC During Menopause

Menopause is that time in a woman’s life when everything seems upside down! The ruckus created in our system is because our body stops producing one small hormone called estrogen.  Just when you thought that you had left your skin care woes behind with teens long gone, they seem to be back! Worry not- for today we talk about how your skin could get impacted during menopause and how to handle it the right way.

What does menopause do to the skin? Aging is an intrinsic process of living. As your cells age your skin is subjected to aging changes. Environmental factors such as pollution, smoke, lifestyle choices, extreme temperatures and photo aging are all contributors to skin aging. But, during menopause the skin changes because of these factors are at a faster rate. The major skin concerns due to decrease in estrogen levels during menopause are reduction in collagen content, reduced epidermal thickness, reduced skin elasticity, dry to very dry skin, reduction in glycosaminoglycans or GAG’s leading to appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, reduction in skin strength and acne.

What can we do? Just because menopause has set in, you don’t need to just accept in quiet resignation the problems that you face. Your skin and your entire system will require a certain shift to maintain its health and goodness. This is what you can do:

1. Collagen support – Look for skin care products such as creams, cleansers and lotions that stimulate collagen production and fill out the skin.
2. AHA – Alpha and Beta hydroxy acids both help in increasing the epidermal thickness while reducing the thickness of the superficial dead skin cells. They help in normalizing the skin tone. Use lower concentrations of AHA as they tend to increase skin sensitivity.
3. Complete and deep moisturization– Menopause makes your skin very dry and itchy. Switch to a body lotion that provides intense hydration and is able to hold the moisture in. Moisturizers that contain seaweed and algae extracts are very good to seal in moisture.
4. Antioxidant care – Much of the skin deterioration occurs because of oxidation. Topical application of antioxidants definitely improves skin texture and protects the skin from the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
5. Look at your lifestyle –Add oil to your diet in the form of oily fish, nuts, and seeds. Incorporate oils like olive oil, rich in antioxidants to restore the oil balance. Drink plenty of water to keep the skin hydrated. Skip alcohol and smoking as they further dry out the skin and accelerate aging.
6. Get the right products –You may need a skin serum for intense moisturization. Also invest in a gentle exfoliator to improve skin appearance.  Skip soaps completely and never over exfoliate.

Are there some more skincare tips you would like to share? Comment here. You can talk to us on Twitter and Facebook too.

Take Care:)