What happens to the skin with menopause

Naomi Watts has demonstrated that menopause can be a successful business in addition to being viewed as a happy and positive stage in a woman's life. Menopause is not just a stage to claim. Due to this, she developed Stripes a few months ago, a line of skincare products in the most authentic Gyneth Paltrow Goop fashion, for women who, like her, are beginning to experience the first signs of menopause on their skin.

She sells a variety of probiotic supplements as well as a hydrating vaginal gel, a cooling facial mist, and other products. Beyond its ingredients, however (which include a blend of ectoin and squalane to retain moisture), the Watts brand can boast of standing out from the competition for another reason: amplifying a topic that has previously been shrouded in taboo in order to foster community and remove the stigma attached to it.

As Watts has recalled on social media and in numerous interviews, menopause is a stage of life that is so shrouded in secrecy that Watts, who was only 36 years old when she first experienced symptoms, was unaware of its impending arrival. The skin on her face caught my attention first.

Hypersensitive, irritated, dry, and prone to outbreaks. At the time, the actress believed she had found the right partner and was ready to start a family: "I didn't know that I was probably in perimenopause and while I was preparing to have children I had no idea what to do," she said. Because of this, she assures her, her brand is more than just what you put on your skin; it's also about starting a conversation and creating a community where anyone can find support and information.

She claims that her strategy is to gather all available information and conduct research before sharing what she discovers. The timing for a brand like Stripes seems rather precarious given the statistics (according to the most recent INE census, only in Spain, about 300,000 women reach the average age of perimenopause each year, which is 45 years; by 2025, there will be about one billion menopausal women worldwide).

"I wanted to design a space that served as both an aspirational destination and a support network for women going through menopause. There are numerous individuals going through this who ought to be represented, according to the actress.

In New York, Naomi Watts organized the first menopause symposium to coincide with the launch of her company. For $150, attendees could hear from authors, scientists, and medical professionals about the most recent findings in the field. At Stripes, everything is done with a clear business goal in mind: to help women embrace menopause through beautifully photographed products that have an air of aspiration.

Others have focused their attention on this market, like Watts. A discussion about wellness would be incomplete without Gwyneth Paltrow, who is renowned for her distinctive and opulent approach.

In this podcast, she discusses her relationship with menopause (and its effects on the skin). There is no denying that she is using this platform to spread awareness about women's health issues, despite the fact that controversy always surrounds the products she sells on Goop.

The menopause melon was recently cracked open by Paltrow in an interview with Vogue USA: "I think menopause has a very bad rap and needs a bit of rebranding," she said, adding, "I don't think we have a great example of a menopausal woman in our society. " aspirational".

Thus, Madame Ovary, a set of vitamins and supplements that Goop claims can help women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s regulate their hormones, has been released. In collaboration with Dr. Dominique Fradin-Read, an expert in anti-aging and preventative medicine, the formula combines nutrients from essential vitamins and phytonutrients, the calming adaptogen rhodiola rosea, omega-3 fatty acids, and supportive herbs like motherwort, which is said to target menopausal symptoms, and black cohosh, which is said to modulate mood. Iodine, selenium, zinc, and copper are also included because they support thyroid function.

A project specifically created for women going through the menopause is being funded by celebrities including Paltrow. Along with her, Drew Barrymore (who received a "menopausal facial massage" from Naomi Watts on her TV show in October of last year), Cameron Diaz, Glennon Doyle, and Abby Wambach assisted in raising $28.5 million for Evernow, a business that offers telemedicine for medical consultations pertaining to this subject.

Second, the Whole Foods retail chain carries Judy Greer's Wile brand of herbal supplements to treat perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Wile was backed by Serena Ventures, the venture capital firm Serena Williams founded when she was still a top tennis player. View this post on Instagram Menopause and its effects on the skin Menopause is a normal biological process in which a woman's ovaries stop producing eggs and produce less estrogen and progesterone than they do when they are more than 12 months old and have not had a period.

According to the Clinica Universitaria de Navarra, the average age at which it manifests itself in developed nations is between 51 and 52 years old. Menopause symptoms can be categorized as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, episodes of anxiety, depression, irritability, and irritability, memory loss and insomnia, decreased libido, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. Menopause symptoms are varied and affect each woman differently.

Like the other symptoms, one of the first signs of this significant hormonal change is visible on the skin, and it can start to manifest as early as the perimenopause, which occurs around the age of 45. One of the organs that experiences the most damage when menopause occurs is the skin because it serves as a barometer of our hormonal health and a window into how well our body is achieving that balance.

The 40s are referred to as the perimenopausal years, and during this time, estrogen levels gradually start to decline. Estrogen is a hormone that directly affects the function of important skin-protecting cells, including those that produce collagen and elastin. If you haven't already, it's time to start taking your skin care seriously because during these years you notice a loss of even tone, an increase in wrinkles, and possibly even skin growths (sebaceous hyperplasia and actinic keratosis).

What I was doing. Around the age of 50, menopause sets in, accompanied by a sharp decline in estrogen, a hormone that naturally reduces inflammation.

This implies that the skin may become more reactive and sensitive over time. The retention of water in the dermis by estrogen also contributes to the plump appearance of the skin; consequently, when estrogen levels drop, wrinkles become more obvious.

In his book Una piel para toda la vida (ESPASA), dermatologist Pedro Jaén writes the following about the relationship between estrogens and collagen and elastin synthesis. The appearance of wrinkles, the loss of all muscle, and the floppy nature of tissues are all impacted by its reduction.

87 percent of women notice changes in their skin during this time, according to the Spanish Association of Dermatology and Venerealogy (AEDV), which also notes that menopause causes dry, dehydrated, and wrinkled skin because the first five years of menopause are when 5 percent of collagen is lost. Dermatologist Mara José Alonso, a dermatologist at the Torrecárdenas Hospital in Almera, speaks about the cellular slowdown that happens during menopause: "The ability to repair tissues decreases, skin laxity increases, especially in women who do not follow hormone replacement therapy and those who receive a significant amount of ultraviolet radiation throughout their lives.

Skin is less elastic when there is less collagen present; 5% of that collagen is lost in the first five years. On the face, arms, and thighs in particular, there is a loss of elasticity and the development of flaccidity.

Itching and dryness of the skin are frequent during this stage. A condition known as "formication" is one of the less common but still potential effects of skin changes.

This condition "is about a topical hallucination or the sensation that there are insects walking through the skin," gynecologist Susanna Unsworth, an expert at Intimina (a Swedish brand founded in 2009 that offers a range of care products for women's gynecological health), explains via email. The most effective treatments for this symptom typically include antihistamines, HRT, and emollient creams.

View this post on Instagram Although each person's response is unique, Roco Escalante, owner of Arbosana Farmacia and a pharmaceutical specialist in cosmetics, outlines via email six key points that characterize the effects of menopause on the skin: - The skin is more dehydrated, loses elasticity, and has a drier appearance and a rougher texture. - Deeper wrinkles develop as a result of the degradation of collagen and elastin fibers.

– Greater flaccidity. Along with wrinkles, the dreaded loss of firmness appears, also associated with the degradation of collagen and elastin.

- Because the skin is thinner and more delicate, it is more prone to injury. – Loss of luminosity: an uneven tone is appreciated, the result of spots that can be enhanced in this time of hormonal changes.

In addition to looking duller and less luminous, the skin loses its youthful freshness and plumpness. – Acne breakouts may appear in oily skin due to hormonal changes.

What can you do about it? “Hydration is essential. You have to hydrate inside by drinking water, eating fruit, but also on the outside with creams and lotions.

The whole body tends to be drier, so it is advisable to moisturize the skin of the body on a daily basis, with special emphasis on sensitive areas such as elbows, heels, knees…”, says Rocío Escalante. And he continues: “On the face, in addition to hydration, with creams that contain hyaluronic acid, lipids and ceramides, we will need creamier anti-aging creams that help combat loss of firmness, fill in wrinkles, and even out skin tone.

and provide light. It's a good idea, Also, use creams with calming ingredients like white tea, green tea, licorice extract, and chamomile.

Cleaning is also essential: “Of course, you have to have a daily facial hygiene routine in the morning and at night. Sun protection is always essential, and more so at this stage in which skin pigmentation, due to the passage of time and hormonal changes, is more common”, adds this pharmacist.

At night, the skin will also appreciate specific care: "Depending on the condition of the skin, we recommend using transforming and depigmenting active ingredients: retinol, alpha-hydroxy acids, etc. ", she says.

In fact, at this stage, the skin especially benefits from exfoliation, which can be increased to two or three times a week, with a mild exfoliant: alcohol-free glycolic acid, used at night, it can be a good ally. “It is also important to pay special attention to more sensitive areas such as the eye contour, neck and décolleté, hands and lips that also suffer from dehydration and are often forgotten.

To treat acne breakouts, it is advisable to consult a dermatologist so that he can personally assess the problem and prescribe the best solution ”, he recommends. Diet also plays an important role in skin care, and foods high in healthy fats like almonds, salmon, and avocados can help keep skin hydrated, supple, and glowing.

It is important to remember that in the same way that no two bodies are the same, each person will respond differently to hormonal activity, so the ideal is to consult with an expert dermatologist to find the balance that each skin needs. "The skin also presents a series of changes associated with estrogen deficiency that, mainly, causes what we call a cascade in the breakdown of collagen and elastin, losing a lot of firmness and giving rise to the appearance of wrinkles and deep folds", explains via email Raquel González, cosmetologist and director of training at Perricone MD. “Let's keep in mind that the skin is regulated by estrogens that influence its thickness, hydration levels, pigmentation and lipid production.

In addition, they are also responsible for the natural renewal of the skin, something that is reduced in this period”, comments Estefanía Nieto, technical director of Omorovicza. Although there are numerous cosmetic brands on the market that focus their formulations on anti-aging theory, not all of them hit the target of the problems directly associated with menopause.

One of those cases is that of the formulas with Glutathione or Glutathione, “considered the main antioxidant of our body and which declines with menopause. The same happens with vitamin F, rich in Omegas 3, 6 and 9 and essential to balance the hydrolipidic barrier of the skin, which is compromised by the absence of estrogen, producing declines in nutrients and moisture, thus causing sudden aging ”, adds the expert from Perricone MD, a firm that has designed a complete line with this spotlight.

The “menopause-wellness” space is ready for its moment: according to a recent trends report from the Global Wellness Summit, The menopause business is projected to be a $600 billion market by 2025. Brands like No7, Clarins, Elemis and Lancôme, for example, have put perimenopause in their scientific crosshairs.

Other firms that are reaping success with their cosmetic pack and community on social networks such as Instagram or TikTok are State Of, led by Hollywood stylist Stacey London, or Pause Well, a skin care line that aims to eliminate stigma of the aging process founded by Rochelle Weitzner, a beauty industry veteran and C-suite executive who has led brands like Erno Laszlo, Laura Mercier and RéVive Skincare. In theory, menopause (and menopause skincare) is a huge market, but it takes a willing consumer.

One celebrity alone isn't going to change the outlook on menopause and whether or not the Watts brand was necessary is something for the women who buy it to decide, but what can't be denied is that its launch is drawing attention. attention and normalizing the conversation.

And that is progress.

The same happens with vitamin F, rich in Omegas 3, 6 and 9 and essential to balance the hydrolipidic barrier of the skin, which is compromised by the absence of estrogen, producing declines in nutrients and moisture, thus causing sudden aging ”, adds the expert from Perricone MD, a firm that has designed a complete line with this spotlight.