Does Menopause Affect The Quality Of Your Skin?

At the same time as oestrogen levels are declining at the menopause, changes related to chronological ageing as well as the first signs of chronic sun damage (photoageing) are emerging. It is difficult to be certain exactly how oestrogen lack fits into the scenario. Oestrogen deficiency after the menopause is thought to contribute to some of the ageing of our skin, particularly skin dryness, thinning of the epidermis (the top layer of our skin), and breakdown of collagen in the dermis leading to the loss of skin elasticity. There is some evidence that oestrogen treatment in women leads to thickening of the dermis over time, but the effects on epidermis are not clear. It is likely that HRT (hormone replacement therapy) has some beneficial effects on skin by increasing the thickness of collagen and perhaps decreasing its breakdown. On the other hand no amount of extra oestrogen will reverse the degeneration of skin due to photoageing and it will not remove wrinkles.


Many menopausal women notice a dramatic increase in overall dryness of the skin, particularly in the areas of skin which may have formerly been oily, such as the T-zone of the face. The lower legs may become dry and flaking, photoageing also being an important factor in this area. On the body, dryness may contribute to sensations of itchiness. This is usually relieved by water dispersable bath oils and suitable moisturisers. If unchecked, eczema patches may develop; common sites for this are on the back, between the shoulder-blades and on the lower legs.

Hard, dry callused heel skin with a tendency to form cracks may become apparent in middle-aged women. This is more related to mechanical factors than oestrogen lack, being more often seen in overweight women and those who habitually go bare-footed.

There is absolutely no evidence that hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone in cosmetic creams exert any beneficial affect on the skin or relieve dryness any more effectively than moisturisers not containing hormones. Furthermore, as hormones in creams are actually absorbed through the skin into the blood stream (which is precisely why oestrogen patches work), the net effect is like taking a small dose of oestrogen orally.

By: SkinXpert

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Information by editor of teeth whitening, skin care products and la roche posay.