The dreaded menopause is triggered by the decline in hormones including oestrogen. This can have a noticeable impact on the way your skin ages.
Every layer of the skin is impacted.
- The outer layer of the skin (epidermis) becomes thinner and fine lines start to appear
- The dermis itself loses density due to the natural reduction in collagen and hyaluronic acid (which retains water and adds to the volume and texture of the skin), so the skin develops creases
- The amount of fat stored within facial skin depletes and hollows start to appear as well as a general thinness
Treating Menopause-Related Skin Ageing
The good news is that modern aesthetic medicine has a host of options for treating the skin before, during and after the menopause.
As a former GP, Dr John Tanqueray is able to fully and comprehensively understand and advise on the impact of menopause and how it has affected your skin.
The first step is to ensure proper understanding of the symptoms and underlying causes.
Symptoms of Menopausal Skin Ageing
Hydration
One of the key symptoms that patients notice is their skin becomes dryer and loses that fresh youthful ‘glow’. The texture of the skin can look rough rather than smooth. Women can often go through several different moisturisers to try and redress the balance. Sometimes the skin will overcompensate itself, by creating additional sebum, which can cause acne breakouts, which is equally frustrating.
Volume Loss
Loss of fat and collagen leads not only to wrinkles, creases and hollows appearing; but also the structure of the face shape is affected too. Without the same amount of support, the skin can become loose and saggy. The definition of the cheeks and jawline can become a lot less pronounced and the eyes develop bags.
Pigmentation
Patchy areas of pigmentation tend to be caused by sun exposure, but after the menopause, the skin is far more susceptible to showing signs of photo damage. This is because oestrogen helps to regulate skin pigmentation. After menopause, there is a reduction in melanin production, so the skin appears lighter and UV damage is a greater risk. Sun spots or age spots and patchy pigmentation are not seen as attractive; they can be quite ageing.
Treatment Options
There are cosmetic and anti-ageing treatments that can help to improve the appearance of the skin, tackling hydration, volume and pigmentation.
- Treatments to improve hydration
- Cosmeceutical skincare such as ZO Skin Health has active ingredients to stimulate the skin
- Profhilo Injections are designed to improve hydration and moisture retention, improving the condition of the skin
- Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) can be used to promote better texture and hydration
- Treatments to improve volume
- Dermal fillers to tackle lines and creases
- Non-surgical facelift uses dermal fillers in a more structural way, to restore and lift sagging skin tissues
- 8-point face lift and Multi-Point face lift provide a lift to the whole face without surgery
- Treatments to improve pigmentation
- IPL/laser to stimulate skin renewal. We offer both Laser skin resurfacing and IPL skin rejuvenation
- Chemical peels/microdermabrasion to strip away the outer skin cells to reveal new skin
- Tixel® Thermal Fractional Rejuvenation uses heat rather than lasers or injections can can improve areas of darker pigmentation
What About HRT?
As a former GP, Dr John Tanqueray is well qualified to understand the impact of any other treatments you are having for perimenopause or menopausal symptoms.
Hormone replacement therapy is widely prescribed to help women to cope with the unpleasant symptoms of the menopause, such as hot flushes and headaches. It has a benefit for the skin too, as it maintains a level of hormone within the body that would otherwise be lacking. So HRT tends to help the skin too. This is not a reason in itself for having or not having HRT.
Any medication is discussed as part of your medical history during the consultation, to ensure that our doctor has full understanding before recommending the most appropriate treatment plan.
Mulberry House Clinic
Established 2003
Mulberry House Clinic has an excellent reputation in the Northampton area as an independent, doctor-led practice with over 17 years experience. Cosmetic skin treatments are carried out by Dr John Tanqueray, who works closely with leading manufacturers to remain at the forefront of the medical aesthetics.
For further information or to arrange a confidential consultation, please complete our contact form, call 01604 702630 or email: info@mulberryhouseclinic.co.uk.
