Signs That Your Skin Is Affected By The Perimenopause

Signs That Your Skin Is Affected By The Perimenopause

Skin issues are usually missed off the list of symptoms related to the perimenopause yet scientific research shows us that the hormones most affected by the cessation of ovulation are also play a part in how our skin ages.  This is why the question of whether our skin is already naturally aging or whether it is due to the onset of perimenopause is still debated; the front running thoughts now are that skin aging is exasperated by hormonal imbalances during the perimenopause and that we can help retain healthy, youthful looking skin with the right care and nutrition.  Here we delve into current scientific research that relates to our skin and the perimenopause and look at how our skin is often overlooked as a hormone messenger and that the balance of extracellular matrix components that nourish our skin from inside rapidly declines during the perimenopause leading to what we consider aging skin. We look at the hormonal imbalances that effect your skin during the perimenopause and recommend 6 ways to help your skin through this stage of your life.

Are Your Skin Issues Due To Natural Aging Or Are They A Perimenopause Symptom? 

The symptom most associated with menopause are hot flashes, and now a ‘foggy brain’ is becoming more notable as ladies begin to talk about what menopause symptoms they are experiencing.  Currently, symptoms relating to the skin caused by hormone imbalance during the perimenopause are often overlooked and just put down to typical aging, because you’re classed as ‘getting old’.  As more research is carried out it is becoming apparent that there is a strong correlation with the perimenopause and changes to skin which does give the appearance of aging skin this can have a significant negative effect on the quality of life because it can cause discomfort and/or self-consciousness as a time in life that we should be comfortable in our own skin; crikey didn’t we leave the oily teenage skin issue behind us and now it comes back but with added skin complaints of dryness, itchiness, sagging, wrinkling, age spots (1) (2). 

When you look at the fluctuations in hormones during the perimenopause it’s more erratic than the teenage years and can go on for longer so it’s no wonder our skin is dry and itchy one week and breaking out in spots the next then throw in a bit of rosacea for good measure.  Changes to the skin are in part due to natural aging but this is exasperated with the onset of the perimenopause and it is a symptom that affects our lives as it is what we present to the world each day, yet skin symptoms alone are not a reason to be prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) due to the risk-benefit balance. We therefore often seek solutions to our perimenopausal skin issues from the cosmetic industry and some of us through nutritional sources, both of which are greatly adept at solving skin complaints.  What is often overlooked is that these remedies need to take into account that our bodies are going through a hormonal change and that a balance needs to exist to help our skin, reaching for teenage spot treatments may help oily skin for a few days but it would be too harsh for skin that is experiencing a reduction in moisture and beginning the decline of collagen content. 

The Skin As A Hormone Messenger

It is no wonder that our skin is affected by the hormonal imbalances especially as it is itself part of the peripheral endocrine system, meaning it is part of the network of hormone messaging system where hormones are released and received by other glands.  Skin being part of the endocrine system was only discovered in the last 20 years (and that is considered recent) but at least it’s good to know that research is still ongoing about how our bodies actually work.    The hormones and substances with hormone-like activity currently known to be produced by the skin are Vitamin D (yes, it is called vitamin D but it’s considered a hormone), sex steroids (estrogens, progestins, and androgens), retinoids and opioids - not of the illegal drug kind but that act as our natural pain relief and interact with the nervous system.  (3)  The skin also has estrogen receptors (ER’s) which is why there is a strong correlation with the perimenopause and changes to skin whereby skin begins to show signs of aging with the appearance of wrinkles.

Studies have shown that the ECM deteriorates in postmenopausal women and this deterioration is linked with estrogen deficiency more than it is with just the natural aging process (4) (5). When estrogen levels

decrease the ER’s (ER-α and ER-β) present in the cells that make up our skin do not receive as much estrogen and so cannot signal or pass messages along to secrete components linked to estrogen production.  Normally the interaction of estrogen with these ER’s signal to skin cells to produce what are considered youth enhancing components such as antioxidants, collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid which exist in the extracellular matrix (ECM).

The Extracellular Matrix – Rumours At A Cocktail Party

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is what surrounds a cell, it is like a cocktail of proteins, signalling molecules and chemicals that cells secrete as they grow. In skin the epithelial cells themselves will secrete components to create the ECM and also the cells beneath them which are fibroblasts secrete their ECM to support their growth.  Cells then share these nutrients and signals through the ECM, like sharing a giant cocktail with straws, to allow the healthy growth and function of skin cells to protect the body from the external environment.

When working in a laboratory to grow healthy functional epithelial cells we needed healthy fibroblasts to secrete their ECM first to support the growth of the epithelial cells on top of them and allow the epithelial cells to function as skin.

Without the 2 layers of cells, healthy ECM and the correct nutrient source to feed all of the cells it just didn’t work and the cells either died or didn’t knit together properly in order to form functional healthy skin, which is why it is seems so important to have the correct nutrients present in our body to allow healthy skin from the inside. 

With a decrease in estrogen the ECM doesn’t produce as much collagen, elastin or hyaluronic acid and the skin begins to lose its elasticity, leading to wrinkling and thinner skin (6).

Collagen Depletion in Perimenopause and Aging Skin

Just to cheer you up; In early perimenopause, skin collagen levels decrease fairly rapidly with a collagen reduction of approximately 30% in the first 5 years, which is why we begin to look older and the symptoms of wrinkles and sagging skin appear. 

Collagen continues to steadily deplete at a rate of 2% per year for the next 15 years for women not on HRT (7) (8) (9) (10). Collagen is an important component

of the ECM as it helps synthesise elastin which as the name suggests helps the elasticity of your skin so with reduced collagen you inevitably have reduced elastin.  The ECM also produces hyaluronic acid, and this decrease leads to less hydrated skin, loss of plumpness so winkles appear. (11)

A Balancing Act: Estrogen Decline and Increased Skin Aging

The main hormone associated with perimenopausal hormones is estrogen as it is a female sex hormone and we’ve just mentioned that estrogen levels decline during the menopause and cause a decline in youth enhancing ECM components. It’s true that estrogen levels decline and settle at a reduced level during menopause (cessation of menstruation) but estrogen doesn’t just head straight downhill on a steady decline during perimenopause it fluctuates as it moves towards and settles at a reduced level. 

The fluctuations of estrogen along with fluctuations of other hormones such as progesterone and androgens such as testosterone can throw our bodies into a bit of chaos and affect the skin in several ways meaning that you experience a variety of skin issues due to the imbalance of hormones and the nutrients they are or are not secreting into the ECM. When reading about the menopause there is a lot of focus upon these fluctuating estrogen levels, but androgens affect our bodies too and their effect shouldn’t be overlooked in females even though it is considered a ‘male’ hormone group as they include testosterone.

Androgen Levels During the Perimenopause

Androgens are the main hormones for sebum production so when out of balance results in oily skin and hair; if you remember back to puberty or have teenage children it is the androgens that stimulate sebum production resulting in spots or acne and it does this in both sexes. When progesterone and estrogen levels are fluctuating at low levels it can mean that androgens become the predominant hormones and result in breakouts to our middle aged skin, they are also responsible for those stubborn, persistent hairs that appear on your face (12) (13), you know those one that are plucked out one day and the very next it’s there waving back at you, only thicker darker and stronger. 

Later in menopause the ratio of estrogen:androgen becomes low and can result in hair thinning  (12) (14)  In the initial stages of perimenopause there appears to be a balancing act with our hormones, with the high levels of androgen production, that can lead to increased sebum production being balanced by initially high estrogen levels that reduces sebum production and so that’s great

for decreasing breakouts but can create dry and itchy skin; unfortunately this balancing act of sebum production doesn’t last forever and we may experience the other extreme where we have low estrogen and high androgen production leading to uncontrolled increased sebum production, oily skin and breakouts (15).  These fluctuations mean that skin care becomes difficult as treatments used for acne breakouts typically used for teenage skin, such as salicylic acid, are not suitable for more mature, sensitive skin that isn’t normally oily, in fact it could be dry but experiencing breakouts.  All of this requires a careful blend of ingredients suitable for dry skin yet capable of treating acne

breakouts, which is how and why REMY’s Rebalance My Skin was formulated with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, known for being a gentle moisturiser so perfect for sensitive skin that is prone to breakouts (16).

All of these described symptoms of fluctuations in estrogen and androgens are

what results in the symptoms associated with skin during the perimenopause and ultimately what lead to the perceived visible signs of skin ageing: dryness, wrinkles and sagging – unfortunately this is most prevalent on the face mainly because it is the part of our body most exposed to the elements (17). 

As we then look in the mirror and are feeling rather low due to hormone levels fluctuating and wreaking havoc with our vascular system causing hot flushes, we also notice we are looking older and feel a bit glum about this too.  In a society where healthy radiant skin is associated with health and well-being the feelings of looking and feeling old can cause a great

psychological burden (18) and should certainly not be overlooked in the realms of the perimenopause. 

What Can You Do About Dealing with Perimenopause and Aging Skin?

Your skin is naturally aging, and you are transitioning through the perimenopause which can increase the rate of visible skin aging.  Making a few lifestyle changes can help you retain radiant and healthy skin through the perimenopause.  It is important to seek medical advice for any problematic skin issues – do talk to a doctor if your skin is causing irritation or there are any concerning skin changes. If all is okay and we are dealing with the combination of perimenopause and aging, then there are a few lifestyle changes that can keep you looking fabulous:

1. Photoprotection

Your skin is going to become more sensitive and prone to damage from UV radiation, age spots can appear, and wound healing from sunburn or other injury can take longer.  This is because decreased estrogen levels decrease antioxidant function so the antioxidants in skin can’t mop up any UV damage as well as they used to (19) (20) increasing the intake of antioxidants by dietary or skincare methods can increase their bioavailability in skincare and assist in this transition with and any bioavailable antioxidants that are present may assist repair. It is therefore important to do what Baz Lurman says and ‘Wear Sunscreen’ or if you are wearing makeup wear foundation with sunscreen as part of that product.

2. Skincare

Re-evaluate your skincare products. During the perimenopause your skin needs to have a balanced approach, at times you may be caring for dry skin that has patches of itchiness and areas of spotty outbreaks or increased oiliness. REMY’s highly absorbent Rebalance My Skin night-time repair serum is perfect for soothing into your delicate perimenopausal skin and allowing the highly absorbent serum to deliver the nutrients needed to help replenish and rebalance your skin from the outside at a time of life when your skin may be experiencing varying levels of the nutrients needed to maintain youthful looking skin.

3. Healthy Nutrition

Re-evaluating your diet is also going to help you transition through the perimenopause, to give your body the right nutrients that it is lacking when your hormones are going haywire and having a knock-on effect with the vitamins, minerals and other components that help to keep your body functioning in a healthy manner; this is easier said than done.  It would be extreme to ditch everything in your cupboards and replace them with wholesome, clean foods!  Sometimes it is difficult to ensure that you are eating all of the nutrients needed to help ensure your skin has what it needs when you are rushing out of the house to the next activity, sports club or social event (yours or children’s). Some days you will eat a wonderfully balanced diet rich in all the right vitamins, minerals to support your body through the perimenopause and some days you’ll reach for that, croissant, crisps, chocolate bar and pour a glass of wine and that’ll okay, your hormones do actually make you crave such foods. To ensure that there is a constant source of these nutrients to help rebalance and replenish your skin’s youth enhancing components during the perimenopause, REMY has formulated a menopause supplement Rebalance My Skin: food supplement to help out and ensure that these key nutrients supplement your normal healthy diet, and their bioavailability is secure.

4. Reduce Stress

This is certainly easier said than done! As soon as someone says don’t stress about things that mean you’ll stress about it.  The perimenopause is a phase of your life when there are huge changes to hormones and our emotions are running high, we have to adapt and accept that there are going to be changes to the way our skin looks and feels and the way our bodies in general look and feels.  The perimenopause is an adjustment phase of your life and its tricky to not stress over the fact that you are changing.  It comes at a time of life when you may have a fabulous family and wonderful career and you were comfortable with life, then the curveball comes and rocks that boat.  REMY’s menopausal skincare can certainly ease away the stresses of providing your skin with the perfect nutrition from inside and out to keep you looking fabulous and retain your youthful looking skin, but your mindset and relaxation is dependent upon you taking the time to relax and doing the things you enjoy.

5. Physical Exercise

To deliver the nutrients around your body, your blood has to flow; obviously it naturally does but to really get that healthy glowing skin getting your blood circulating around your body with a bit of exercise really helps.  Taking time to exercise is also a great way to reduce stress, the ‘happy’ hormones are triggered to be released when you exercise.  Physical exercise doesn’t have to mean pounding the streets on a 20-mile run each day but just getting out into the fresh air will lift spirits and help you rebalance your mind.  If it’s a horrible rainy day and you’re not a gym fan or exercise classes aren’t your thing then online workouts are available or just cleaning the house, stretching in anyway including stretching those legs at the shopping mall!

6. Quit Smoking

You’ll have heard this one before if you are a smoker, that it does make you look older more quickly as the toxins in cigarettes affect collagen and elastin production in your skin.  Smoking deprives your body of the normal amount of oxygen it needs and yes it does pollute your own body with your lungs taking the brunt of the smoke inhalation, the oxygen exchange in your lungs is then not as effective and not as much oxygen can pass into your bloodstream, this knock on effect of this is that not as much oxygen is delivered to your skin and your blood vessels narrow making it more difficult for wounds to heal.  Quitting smoking during the perimenopause is going to be tricky but it won’t just help your skin, it will help your body as a whole.  Good Luck!!

We aim to provide well researched blogs alongside our scientifically backed products so we include a bibliography to support our work.

Bibliography

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