I’m Not Ready!

Ahhhh… yes… Menopause

Ok. So we’ve survived puberty and the breakouts that came along with it. Pregnancy, postpartum, and the stress of everyday life. And now we’re trying to outpace the aging process. I mean… It’s exhausting! While aging is something to be celebrated, sometimes it feels like we just can’t catch a break!

The hormonal shifts that occur during and after menopause change the physiology of the skin, yet again. And in all the conversations I’ve had the past few months, it seems like we’re going through this stage of life together. For those of you who are not quite there yet… let’s try and stay ahead of this shift as best we can.

One thing that we can all agree on is that menopause brings along a whole lot of changes in the skin; acne, rosacea, dryness. Your hormones are shifting, and your skin is learning a whole new way of being.

Estrogen & Menopause. The not so dynamic duo.

When we hit menopause, estrogen falls and we start to see and feel it in our skin. I know I do. Our skin’s microbiome is disrupted, we are slower to heal, and our skin barrier function is weakened. Basically, it’s like your skin’s best friend is slowly moving away, and the skin is trying to adjust without the support it’s known through much of it’s life.

Not everyone’s skin will respond the same way to menopause. But when estrogen levels drop, it can feel like a rollercoaster ride with our skin

• Dry, Dehydrated Skin: Estrogen helps maintain the skin’s moisture levels by promoting the production of natural oils and keeping the skin barrier intact. When estrogen dips, skin becomes drier and more prone to dehydration. Even if you were once an oily skin type, you may not be producing the oils you once did in your pre-menopausal years.
• Acne and Breakouts: Yep, just when you thought breakouts were behind you, they may return for an encore. Hormonal imbalances can cause oil production to go a little haywire, leading to congestion and breakouts. It’s like we’ve come full circle with acne. (insert disgusted emoji face here)
• Rosacea and Sensitivity: The drop in estrogen can make the skin more sensitive to external irritants. This means your skin mayflush more easily, become more reactive, or even develop rosacea-like symptoms. The upside – we may no longer need blush in our makeup routine! I’m trying here. ;)
• Thinner, Fragile Skin: With declining estrogen comes a loss of collagen. This is like the scaffolding in our skin. In fact, it’s estimated that women experience a 30% loss in collagen in the first five years of menopause. This means the skin can become thinner, less plump, and more prone to fine lines and wrinkles. Bring on the LED!!!
• Dermatitis or Eczema-Like Symptoms: A weakened skin barrier can also mean the skin struggles to retain moisture, ward off irritants and repair itself, leading to conditions like dermatitis or increased irritation. I have been seeing this more and more lately. The drier weather is not helping the situation, either.

Oh my word – I just read through this. So sorry for all the doom & gloom! But!… there is hope. :)

Evade the ads!!!

We can no longer be willy-nilly with our skin care selection. I’m sorry. We just can’t. We must support our skin’s integrity and barrier function. Barrier-first care isn’t about doing less. It’s not fluffy or soft (a common misconception in our industry).

Instead of stripping away layers with peels or abrasives, we focus on nurturing the skin, boosting hydration, strengthening the barrier, and promoting healthy collagen production. And!… support our skin through life changes.

Conquering menopausal skin with Dermaviduals

For underlying redness

My favorite active ingredient for calming down rosacea-like symptoms following hot flashes is the herb Butcher’s Broom. (True rosacea appears earlier in life). This is also an especially noteable active for those who also experience visible capillaries.

Dryness

I love Isoflavone as a ‘neat’ pre-serum. It tricks the skin into thinking estrogen is present – a menopausal must-have. Mix in a little CoQ10 and now we’ve got a collegen-boosting par-tay! Speaking of collagen, every skin deserves vitamin A for the ultimate collagen stimulation. If you’re sensitive to Vitamin A, we’ll blend in some Echinacea to keep it mild. Ah – healthy aging is always on my mind. ;)

Winter Dry Skin (because it’s February) ;)

Regular moisturizers can struggle to keep skin hydrated throughout the day. If your skin is lipid-dry, we can supercharge your blend by adding the super-hydrators Hyaluronan NAG, Liposome NMF Concentrate Plus and CM-Glucan. One of my favorite blends. :) Chef’s Kiss.

The list of blends is endless. So many unique blends for so many unique skins. <3

My Favorite Treatments

Skincare is only part of the jigsaw. While important for protecting the barrier and increasing hydration levels, it can’t address loss of firmness and elasticity. Within the first five years of menopause, collagen diminshes by roughly 30%, and continues to deplete at about 2% per year thereafter. We need to get stimulating collagen – Stat! lol

• Customized Facial: a combination of skin health technologies (high frequency, iontophoresis, & LED), depending on your skin on the day.
• Microcurrent: Re-educates lazy muscles under the skin, reminding them to hold up facial contours!
• Diabolical DMK: In a nutshell, bringing a boost of oxygenation to the skin and jumpstart the healing process. A beautiful choice for all skin types and conditions.

Beyond the treatment room, you may also want to consider seeking the advice of a menopause specialists to support this new journey for your skin. After all, your skin is a double sided organ. And your skin deserves the best, no matter what stage of life you are in. <3