Skin Care Through Menopause and Beyond
Skin gets drier, thinner and slower to recover with age. What dermatologists recommend, what to stop doing, and how long to give a new product.
At some point in your forties or fifties, the routine that worked for twenty years stops working. A cleanser you've used forever leaves your face tight. Moisturizer seems to vanish by lunchtime. A bump on the shin takes weeks to fade. These changes are normal, and most of them respond to adjusting what you use and how you use it.
What changes, and why
Menopause brings a drop in estrogen, and skin responds to it. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, lower estrogen makes skin thinner, which is why bruising becomes more common. The AAD also notes that skin often becomes drier.
That means some habits that were harmless at 30 can cause problems now. Strong exfoliation is the most common one.
Start with the basics
Cleanse gently. The AAD recommends a mild cleanser rather than soap for drier, mature skin. Cream, milk and balm cleansers leave skin comfortable, and you may not need a second cleanse in the morning at all.
Moisturize more generously. Look for moisturizers containing hyaluronic acid or glycerin, both of which the AAD recommends for dry skin in menopause. Apply them to damp skin and consider a richer cream at night than during the day.
Wear sunscreen every day. The AAD's menopause advice starts with daily broad-spectrum sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher. Sunscreen helps prevent further thinning of the skin and can help age spots fade over time.
What to stop
The AAD cautions that at-home exfoliation or microdermabrasion may do more harm than good when skin has become thinner. If you've been using scrubs, peel pads or exfoliating tools for years, this is the time to cut back sharply or stop. If a product now stings or leaves you red, believe it.
Stacking several products at once is the other habit to drop. The AAD's advice is to start with one new product at a time, because using several anti-aging products together can irritate skin, and you won't know which one is responsible.
Retinoids, slowly
Retinoids are among the most studied ingredients for aging skin, and a dermatologist may suggest a retinoid cream for thinning skin. They're also easy to overdo, and drier skin is less forgiving.
The AAD's guidance from dermatologists is to start with the lowest strength you can find, use it every other night at first and build up slowly, and apply it at night only, because retinoids increase sun sensitivity. A moisturizer helps reduce irritation. Skin that's already dry may do better with the moisturizer applied first and the retinoid on top.
Be patient
Expect to wait. The AAD notes that most products take at least six weeks to work, and sometimes up to three months. The exception is moisturizer, which can plump up fine lines within a few days, as anyone who has tried a richer cream will have noticed.
Give each change at least two months before you judge it, and change one thing at a time.
Get your skin checked
The AAD recommends a skin cancer screening with a dermatologist during menopause. A spot that looks like an age spot can sometimes be skin cancer, and it's much easier to treat when caught early. Ask your doctor about any new mole, a spot that changes in size, shape or color, or a sore that won't go away.
Makeup that works with your skin now
Powder foundation and setting powder can settle into fine lines and cling to dry patches. Creams generally sit better on drier skin: a cream blush, a tinted moisturizer instead of full coverage, and a hydrating lip color. If your brows look sparser than they used to, filling them in softly with a pencil or tinted gel gives the face back some definition.
Sources
This story is for general information and isn't a substitute for advice from a dermatologist, trichologist or doctor. Patch-test new products, and stop using anything that stings, burns or itches.
