For women, the process of transitioning to menopause can be an emotional experience. They are moving from one stage of the life to another (see more here), perhaps even struggling to get comfortable not only with what’s going on the inside, but the outside too. Like in puberty, during menopause woman go through a lot of changes. Besides the well known mood swings, insomnia and weight-gain issues, menopause can also take its toll on skin.

Maintaining a good self-care regimen is necessary for skin health throughout your life, but it is especially important for women experiencing the dual challenges of delicate skin and breakouts during menopause. Several scientific tests concluded at the laboratory of dermatology practice of Neil Niren MD showed precisely why women in menopause should afford extra care.

Every woman would like to keep her youthfulness and vitality throughout menopause, but the reality is during menopause, levels of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone rapidly decline leading to accelerated skin ageing.  Dryness, thinning strands, acne and other beauty concerns are related to hormonal shifts that happen during menopause and in the time leading up to it.

While ageing will naturally have an effect on the appearance of your skin, Dr Neil Niren published a report on his website where he explains that menopause can accelerate that process and create new issues you may have never had to deal with before.

Collagen and elastin are the two skin components that help keep it firm, smooth and plump.  However, declining estrogen levels can speed up that decline, causing sagging skin and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

In order to keep this problem under control, Neil Niren MD recommends using night cream that contains retinol, a derivative of Vitamin A that triggers new collagen production and help smooth out any fine lines or wrinkles.

Since estrogen plays an important role in strengthening the barrier function of the skin, blood flow to the skin is often reduced during menopause, contributing to a thinning and increased water loss through the dermal layer. This results in flaky, scaly dry skin.

Dermatology specialist, Neil Niren MD suggests avoiding long, steamy showers which can dry out your skin even further. Using facial moisturizer and oil with hydrating ingredients can be helpful.

No matter the age, acne outbreaks always have the same root cause. Changes in hormone levels affect the way your skin protects and regenerates itself, sometimes with unpleasant results. Women in menopause are can spot acne blemishes near their chin, jaw, and mouth, while pimples can also appear on the chest and back area. Dr Neil Niren explains that menopausal acne is a temporary condition that goes away once a woman settles into post-menopausal hormone levels.

In addition to proper skin care, Neil Niren MD encourages women to re-evaluate their cosmetics products. Oil-based cosmetics can exacerbate the problems for skin that is already clogged with excess oil, so replacing your oily products with water-based or mineral cosmetics can have a positive result.

And although menopause can bring some frustrating new issues for your skin, remember that there are the good changes with menopause too.