Dry, dehydrated skin that is thinning & sagging is a sign of hormonal changes & potentially Menopause
So what causes this and can you change it?
As your Oestrogen levels deplete with coming into menopause – which starts usually around age 40 and continues to age 53 – typically called peri-menopause. Menopause is only when you haven’t have a period for 12 months. Once you have passed that you have Menopaused and are now post-menopause.
So why doesn’t your skin dry out?
Oestrogen is normally one of the hormones that keeps collagen and a lot of connective tissue full and plump, with plenty of bounce and vitality. This slowly gets less and less over the 10 yrs leading into Menopause, so your skin is usually the first place you notice things “drying out”.
The problem with dry skin is – it gets thinner, creates less of a barrier and therefore can become more irritated, itchy, more prone to redness & reactions – like Rosacea and adult acne, psoriasis and eczema.
The deeper layer of the skin – dermal layer where your collagen and elastin sit, being the “mattress” of your skin and giving support, also thins, becomes weak and saggy giving you deeper lines and wrinkles that slowly start to look like crevices.
Oh no!
So What are some Natural Ways to Treat this?
Holistically looking at Menopause helps enormously.
That means, physically, mentally and emotionally as all these impact your skin. Just like a bad nights sleep can leave you with dark circles under the eyes and a dull complexion – equally stress and physical exhaustion can do the same.
All things being equal – to set a good foundation is paramount, as life happens and stress levels will vary during the day, weeks, years. So to set the foundation for minimal lines, dehydration and sagging there are a couple of key areas to address
3 Key Areas to Address
1. Nutrition
Nutrients to support healthy skin AND hormones – are mainly Vitamin C for collagen production and Omega’s 3 & 6 which help the absorption of those nutrients into your skin cells, as well as maintaining a good balance of oil and water ratio to keep your skin plump and “full”. These 2 vital ingredients re-build collagen and also prevent excessive collagen breakdown as your oestrogen becomes less.
2. Skincare with Tech
Skincare with peptides and the new technology of epigenetics to get your own body’s “switches” to flip back on (which normally turn off with age) and the same nutrients to feed the upper levels of the skin, help prevent further dryness and thinning from the surface, as well as, preventing the damage from internal stressors attacking the skin to break it down.
3. Abdominal Breathing
This triggers the nervous system to “relax and calm” down as well as repair. Mostly you breathe from the upper lung area, which triggers the fight or flight response – making cortisol high, which in turn attacks your collagen from within. Breathing is a quick, simple and free way to control stress levels that can damage more than just your skin – but starting with your skin is great!
So, to summarise:
A holistic approach to menopausal symptoms can not only alleviate normal symptoms, such as bloating, gut issues, hot flushes and mood swings – but in fact, help improve your skin, especially when it comes to firmness, lines and colour.
Now who doesn’t want a bit of that eh?
