Menopause & Dry Skin: Platinum Dermatology Finds the Missing Link!

It comes as no surprise that ageing takes a toll on a woman’s skin tone and texture. What is a surprise to many of the women that visit us at our dermatology practice in Ultimo is how quickly their skin changes as they approach menopause.

Some don’t believe their eyes and think they must be imagining things. Our dermatologists are quick to reassure them that they’re not. They point to a 2014 report published by the North American Menopause Society that finds specific links between hormonal changes related to menopause and changes to the skin.

Here’s what you need to know:

3 Ways a Woman’s Skin Ages Naturally

After the age of twenty, any woman’s skin may already be showing the effects of

• Internal Skin Ageing Factors – As skin cells age, they lose their ability to function at peak potential. Dead cells are not sloughed off as effectively, leaving the skin looking dull and dry.
• External Skin Ageing Factors – A host of irritating materials including chemicals and cigarette smoke, environmental factors such as extreme cold and wind, and even indoor dry heat and air conditioning damage skin texture and tone over time.
• Photo-Ageing Factors – The damaging rays of the sun lead to fine lines and wrinkles, skin discoloration problems, and dry skin.

When menopause arrives, however, something new is added to the mix: oestrogen loss.

Pedal to the Metal: 9 Ways Oestrogen Loss Accelerates Skin Ageing

Oestrogen directly affects the function of key cells in the skin:

• Fibroblasts – produces collagen and elastin
• Keratinocytes – helps protect the skin
• Melanocytes – is related to even skin colour

Oestrogen also helps regulate hair follicle function (hair production) as well as sebaceous gland activity (producing skin oils). This is why the hair of menopausal women may become thin and grey.

1.  Accelerated loss of collagen (the support structure in the skin) particularly within the first two years of menopause.
2. Increased skin dryness
3. Increased wrinkles
4. Increased susceptibility to trauma
5. Poor healing
6. Decreased skin elasticity
7. Decreased skin strength
8. Decreased dermal thickness
9. Decrease in GAGs (glycosaminoglycans) that provides plumpness to the skin.

3 Ways Platinum Dermatology Solves Dry Skin Related to Menopause

At Platinum Dermatology, we have a wide range of treatments to help women regain the fresh, glowing skin they enjoyed before oestrogen loss caused changes to skin tone and texture. Three of the most effective treatments are:

1. BroadBand IPL – Considered the gold standard of intense pulsed light (IPL) therapies, BroadBand light treatments are an excellent remedy for dry and uneven skin texture.
2. Chemical Peels – Available in varying strengths, chemical peels quickly and effectively remove dead skin cells and other skin imperfections related to menopause.
3. Micro Laser Peels – An erbium laser superficial resurfacing technique that provides our dermatologists with a precise method for controlling the depth of the peel.

If you’ve begun to notice that your once-youthful skin is becoming dry, thin, and sagging and think menopause may be the reason, we invite you to contact Platinum Dermatology on 02 8014 6500 or use the contact form on this page to schedule a skin-saving consultation at our practice.