Menopause and Your Skin

Menopause and your skin: you’re not imagining it

If you’ve looked in the mirror lately and thought, “that doesn’t look like me any more”, you’re not alone. Almost all of our clients at Glowing by Leah are women, and many of them are 45 or older. So menopause isn’t a side topic for us. It’s part of the conversation in our treatment room every single day.

Menopause usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55. The years leading up to it, known as perimenopause, can bring changes long before your periods stop. Hot flushes and poor sleep get most of the attention. But your skin, your face shape and your hair often change just as much, and those changes can quietly knock your confidence.

The good news is that there’s a lot we can do to help. In this post we explain what’s happening to your skin, and the treatments at our Stroud clinic that can support you through it.

What menopause does to your skin, face and hair

Oestrogen helps your skin make collagen, hold on to moisture and repair itself. As oestrogen falls, all of that slows down. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, skin loses about 30% of its collagen in the first five years of menopause. After that it loses about 2% a year.

Here’s what that can look like:

• Volume loss. Cheeks and temples can look flatter or hollow. The face can look more tired, even when you feel fine.
• Sagging and lines. With less collagen, skin loses its bounce. You may notice softer jawlines, jowls and deeper lines around the mouth.
• Dryness and itching. Skin holds less water, so it can feel tight, dry and dull.
• Thinner, more sensitive skin. Skin can bruise more easily and react to products it used to be fine with.
• Pigmentation and redness. Old sun damage often shows up as age spots, and flushing can make redness and thread veins more noticeable.
• Breakouts. Some women get hormonal spots for the first time since their teens.
• Hair thinning. The NHS lists hair thinning and hair loss as common menopause symptoms.

How we can help

Every woman’s menopause is different, so we never start with a treatment menu. We start with a chat. At your consultation we’ll look closely at your skin, ask how you’ve been feeling, and talk through what’s bothering you most. From there we’ll suggest a plan that suits you. Here are some of the treatments our menopause clients love most.

Sculptra, for faces that have lost their fullness

One of the things we hear most often is “my face just looks tired”. A lot of that comes from losing volume in the cheeks and temples as collagen drops. Sculptra is brilliant for this. Rather than simply filling an area, it gently encourages your skin to start making its own collagen again.

Most people have two or three sessions a few weeks apart. The results creep in slowly over the following months, which is exactly why they look so natural. People tend to say you look well and rested, without being able to put their finger on why. And the results can last two years or more.

Dermal fillers, for a little lift where you need it

Sometimes there’s one area that really bothers you, like flattened cheeks or deeper lines around the mouth. Hyaluronic acid fillers can soften these straight away. Hyaluronic acid is something your body already makes, and it holds on to water, so it hydrates as well as lifts.

Skin boosters, for skin that feels dry and dull

If your skin feels thirsty no matter how much moisturiser you use, you’re not alone. Skin boosters like Profhilo®, Jalupro® and Seventy Hyal 2000® put hydration back deep in the skin, where creams can’t reach. They won’t change the shape of your face. They just bring back that bounce and glow. We usually recommend three sessions, four weeks apart, then a top-up every six months.

Polynucleotides, for thin and delicate skin

As skin gets thinner, it can look crepey and bruise more easily, especially under the eyes. Polynucleotides (we use Plinest®) help the skin repair itself and encourage fresh collagen and elastin. They’re lovely for dark circles and redness too.

Treatments to firm and smooth

If you’d rather not have injectables, or you’d like to combine approaches, there’s plenty we can do. SkinPen and Secret RF microneedling help smooth texture and fine lines and firm the skin. Our Cutera XEO laser offers Laser Genesis and Titan, which gently warm the skin to encourage collagen and help tighten the jawline and neck. And if you just want something calming with no downtime, Dermalux LED is a real treat for sensitive skin.

Age spots and redness

Menopause is often when years of sun catch up with us. LimeLight IPL fades age spots and sun damage and calms redness and broken veins. Chemical peels are another great way to even out tone and brighten the skin.

Thinning hair

Hair changes can be one of the hardest parts of menopause to talk about. We offer PRP, exosomes, microneedling, LED and Plinest® for the scalp, and we’ll always take the time to talk it through with you. Our blog on understanding alopecia has lots more on this.

Looking after your skin at home

What you do every morning and evening makes a big difference. We stock AlumierMD medical-grade skincare, and we’ll help you build a routine that suits drier, more sensitive skin. If you’d like ongoing support, our memberships make it easy to keep your skin on track all year round.

Simple things that help every day

• Wear SPF 30 or higher every day, even when it’s cloudy. Thinner skin burns and pigments more easily.
• Switch to a richer, gentler routine. Swap harsh foaming cleansers for creamy ones, and look for hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides.
• Introduce a retinoid slowly to support collagen. We can advise on the right strength for your skin.
• Look after the inside too. Drinking enough water, eating well, sleeping well and managing stress all show up in your skin.

Book your skin consultation

Menopause is a natural stage of life, but you don’t have to just put up with how it makes you look and feel. Our team will listen, assess your skin and create a plan that suits your face, your lifestyle and your budget.

Book your consultation online

Call us on 07854 426292 or email info@glowingbyleah.co.uk

Glowing by Leah, Office E, Five Valleys Shopping Centre, King St, Stroud GL5 1RR