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How Does Menopause Affect The Skin?

Menopause is well-known for causing symptoms such as hot flashes and mood swings, but many women are not aware of the significant effect menopause has on the skin. When women experience new skincare concerns like dryness and wrinkles, they may assume it is just a natural part of getting older and not consider that menopause could be at fault. 

In actuality, menopause is closely tied to skin aging due to the reduced levels of estrogen and collagen that occur in women during this time. The good news is that there are solutions available to empower women to take more control over their skin through all stages of menopause. 

Estrogen Deficiency and Your Skin

Estrogen is a vital component to maintaining skin health. However, during menopause (and in the years leading up to menopause), estrogen levels naturally decline.1,2,3 This leads to a condition known as Estrogen Deficient Skin, which can cause a number of skin changes in women, including:

  • Increased dryness
  • Laxity and sagging skin
  • Fine lines and wrinkles
  • Thinner skin
  • Dullness and loss of luminosity

Even before menopause, women can notice changes in the appearance of their skin as estrogen levels begin to decline in the perimenopause stage. That said, estrogen levels drop more dramatically as women reach menopause—defined as the point at which women’s menstrual periods permanently stop. After menopause, women are more likely to notice the rapid signs of skin aging associated with estrogen deficiency. 

How Estrogen Helps Maintain Skin Health

Estrogen maintains skin health by stimulating and activating estrogen receptors in two key skin cells: fibroblasts and keratinocytes. The process encourages fibroblasts to produce collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid while keratinocytes produce new skin cells, maintaining healthy, vibrant and younger-looking skin.1,2,3

During the first five years of menopause, the decline in estrogen leads to a 30% decrease in dermal collagen. This is the fastest breakdown in collagen and acceleration of intrinsic skin aging that a woman will experience during any stage of her life—for comparison, only 1-2% of collagen is lost every year due to chronological aging.2,3 

This reduction in estrogen and collagen can cause dramatic changes in a woman’s facial appearance—often over a short period of time. 

What Women Need to Know About Menopause and Skincare

Women want to feel their best at every stage of life, so the rapid skin changes that come along with menopause can be frustrating. 

There is often a lack of education and support for women going through menopause. While they may be able to get help from their general practitioner to tackle other symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes or vaginal dryness, many women do not seek treatment for Estrogen Deficient Skin because they don’t realize the connection between menopause and aging skin. 

It’s important for women to understand that estrogen deficiency in the skin caused by menopause is a completely normal occurrence. Even if you are following skincare best practices for your age, you may still experience signs of skin aging brought on by menopause. Dr. Diane Berson, a New York-based dermatologist, explains, “A woman could be doing everything right. She could be using her antioxidants every day, using the appropriate skin care, using daily sun protection, eating a healthy diet, drinking enough water, and she’s still not going to look her best because she’s missing that one factor after menopause. She’s missing that estrogen factor.”

To combat the root cause of skin aging associated with menopause, women should consider turning to treatments designed specifically for women before, during and after menopause. Previously, there were no solutions for women experiencing Estrogen Deficient Skin that were non-hormonal and clinically proven to be safe and effective, but this has changed thanks to Emepelle® and MEP Technology®.

Introducing Emepelle

Emepelle is clinically proven to significantly help improve the visible signs of skin aging brought on by Estrogen Deficient Skin, which occurs during perimenopause and menopause4. In fact, Emepelle is the only cosmeceutical to feature breakthrough MEP Technology, a unique ingredient clinically proven to safely and effectively address the root cause of Estrogen Deficient Skin. 

MEP Technology is a new class of cosmeceutical ingredient for mature skin that is innovative and unique, proven to improve dryness, laxity and dullness5. Studies have shown that results can be seen in as little as eight weeks.

Emepelle with MEP Technology is available in a serum and night cream and can easily be incorporated into a daily regimen. Emepelle Serum contains MEP, antioxidants and niacinamide for daytime use, while Emepelle Night Cream contains MEP, retinol, and peptides for powerful nighttime rejuvenation. Emepelle Eye Cream also contains MEP and peptides, along with caffeine to smooth and tone the eye area. When used regularly, Emepelle Serum, Night Cream and Eye Cream help reduce skin’s dryness, dullness, thinning, fine lines, and wrinkles.

Sources

  1. Hall G, Phillips TJ. Estrogen and skin: the effects of estrogen, menopause, and hormone replacement therapy on the skin. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2005;53:555-68.
  2. Svoboda RM, DelRosso JQ, Zeichner JA, Draelos ZD. Revisiting the beneficial effects of estrogen on the skin: a comprehensive review of the literature and a look to the future. Skin. 2018;2:308-16.
  3. Archer DF. Postmenopausal skin and estrogen. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2012;28 (suppl 2):2-6. Doi:10.3109/09513590.2012.705392.
  4. Rzepecki AK, Murase JE, Rupal J, Fabi SG, McLellan BN. Estrogen-deficient skin: The role of topical therapy. Intl. J. Women’s Dermatol. 2019;5:85-90
  5. Draelos ZD. A double-blind randomized pilot study evaluating the safety and efficacy of topical MEP in the facial appearance improvement of estrogen deficient females. J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17(11):1032-1035.