Menopausal Skin

Understanding and Addressing Menopausal Skin Changes
This period, encompassing perimenopause (the transition phase) and postmenopause (after cessation of periods), requires a targeted approach to skincare and aesthetic treatments to maintain skin health and vitality. Understanding these changes is the first step towards effectively managing them. Skin is highly responsive to hormonal fluctuations, particularly the decline in estrogen that characterises menopause. Addressing these concerns goes beyond simple anti-ageing; it involves counteracting specific physiological shifts occurring beneath the surface.

What Causes the Shift? The Hormonal Impact on Skin
The primary driver behind the changes seen in menopausal skin is the significant drop in estrogen levels. Estrogen is crucial in maintaining skin structure, hydration, and overall function. It influences:

Collagen Production: Estrogen receptors are present on fibroblasts, the skin cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin – the proteins that provide skin with its firmness, structure, and elasticity. Reduced estrogen leads to decreased fibroblast activity and, consequently, less collagen production.
Hydration Levels: Estrogen supports the production of hyaluronic acid (HA), a natural molecule in the skin that binds to water, keeping it plump and hydrated. Lower estrogen levels contribute to reduced HA synthesis, leading to increased dryness.
Skin Barrier Function: Estrogen helps maintain a healthy skin barrier, which protects against environmental aggressors and prevents excessive water loss. A decline in estrogen can weaken this barrier, making the skin more vulnerable.
Sebum Production: Oil (sebum) production also tends to decrease with lower estrogen, further contributing to dryness and a less luminous complexion.
Blood Flow: Estrogen influences blood vessel dilation and blood flow within the skin, contributing to nutrient delivery and a healthy glow. Reduced estrogen can affect microcirculation.

The impact of these hormonal shifts is not trivial. Studies indicate that women can lose up to 30% of their dermal collagen within the first five years after menopause. This rapid decline underscores why skin changes can often seem sudden and dramatic during this life stage.

Physiological Changes and Visible Signs of Menopausal Skin
The underlying hormonal and structural changes manifest in several distinct ways on the skin's surface. Recognising these signs is key to seeking appropriate care:

Loss of Collagen & Elasticity
This is perhaps the most defining characteristic. The reduction in collagen and elastin leads to:

Increased Sagging: Skin loses its structural support, particularly noticeable along the jawline (jowls), under the eyes, and on the neck.
Fine Lines & Wrinkles: Existing lines deepen, and new ones form more easily as the skin's "scaffolding" weakens. The texture can become more 'crepey'.
Thinner Skin: The dermal layer becomes thinner, making the skin appear less plump and more fragile.

Increased Dryness & Dehydration
Due to reduced HA and sebum production, the skin struggles to retain moisture. This manifests as:
Rough Texture: Skin feels less smooth and may appear dull.
Flakiness or Scaliness: Particularly common on the face and body.
Tightness & Discomfort: A persistent feeling of dryness, even after moisturising.

More Pronounced Pigmentation
Hormonal fluctuations, combined with cumulative sun exposure over the years, can lead to changes in melanin production and distribution:

Age Spots (Lentigines): Darker spots become more apparent, especially on sun-exposed areas like the face, hands, and décolletage.
Uneven Skin Tone: General blotchiness or areas of hyperpigmentation can develop.
Melasma: While often associated with pregnancy hormones, melasma can sometimes appear or worsen during perimenopause due to hormonal shifts.

Increased Sensitivity & Irritation
The weakening of the skin barrier function makes the skin more susceptible to external factors:

Redness & Flushing: May become more frequent or persistent. Conditions like rosacea can be exacerbated.
Itchiness (Pruritus): Dryness and barrier impairment often lead to itching.
Reactions to Products: Skin may become newly sensitive to skincare ingredients that were previously well-tolerated.

Slower Healing & Repair
Reduced cellular turnover and impaired regenerative processes mean that:

Wounds Heal More Slowly: Cuts, scratches, or blemishes take longer to resolve.
Bruising Is More Common: Thinner skin and potentially more fragile blood vessels can lead to easier bruising.
Reduced 'Bounce Back': The skin recovers less quickly from inflammation or minor injuries.

Beyond these common signs, some women may also experience changes like increased facial hair (due to the relative increase in androgens compared to estrogen) or menopausal acne.

Targeted Treatments for Menopausal Skin Concerns
Addressing the complex changes of menopausal skin requires a multi-faceted approach beyond topical creams. Aesthetic medicine offers advanced solutions designed to counteract the specific physiological shifts occurring during perimenopause and postmenopause. At our clinic in Bondi Junction, Sydney, we utilise state-of-the-art technologies and techniques to rejuvenate and support menopausal skin:

Restoring Volume and Structural Support with Cosmetic Injectables (Addressing Collagen & Bone Loss):

Biostimulators
As we age, we lose not only collagen but also fat and even bone density in the facial structure, contributing significantly to sagging and volume loss. Biostimulatory injections work differently from traditional fillers; they stimulate the body's own natural collagen production over time, leading to gradual, natural-looking rejuvenation and structural reinforcement. Here are three examples:

Sculptra (Poly-L-Lactic Acid - PLLA): Works deep within the dermis to replace lost collagen and rebuild structural support over several months. Ideal for addressing widespread volume loss and improving skin quality.

Gouri (Liquid Polycaprolactone - PCL): A fully liquid PCL injectable designed for pan-facial collagen stimulation to improve skin elasticity and provide a subtle lifting effect.

Lenisna (PDLLA + HA): Used to combat volume loss and hollowness under the eyes, Lensisa (called Juvelook overseas) combines the immediate plumping effect of Hyaluronic Acid (HA) with the long-term collagen stimulation of Poly D,L-Lactic Acid (PDLLA) for both instant and sustained results.

Dermal Fillers (Hyaluronic Acid)
While biostimulators rebuild collagen, HA fillers are expertly placed to immediately restore lost volume in specific areas like the cheeks, temples, under-eyes, and jawline. This provides instant structural support and contour, counteracting the effects of fat pad deflation and bone resorption that accelerate during menopause.

Stimulating Collagen, Tightening Skin & Improving Texture

UltraClear™ Laser: A novel cold fibre laser technology offering precise epidermal ablation with minimal thermal damage. It effectively addresses pigmentation, fine lines, texture, and dullness with significantly reduced downtime compared to traditional ablative lasers, making it suitable for busy lifestyles. The Laser Coring modality of this device can provide surgical-like skin tightening results.

Morpheus8 (Radiofrequency Microneedling): This advanced treatment combines microneedling with fractional radiofrequency energy delivered deep into the dermis. The microneedles create controlled micro-injuries, triggering a healing response, while the RF energy heats the tissue, causing collagen contraction and stimulating significant new collagen and elastin production. It's highly effective for skin tightening, improving texture, reducing wrinkles, and remodelling subdermal fat.

Thread Lifting: Medical-grade threads, such as PDO and Elasticum, are inserted under the skin to provide an immediate mechanical lift to sagging tissues. More importantly, these threads dissolve over time (or partially dissolve in the case of Elasticum), stimulating a robust collagen response along their path, leading to longer-term skin tightening and improved firmness.

Addressing Surface Concerns - Pigmentation, Redness & Dullness

Q-Switch Laser: Excellent for targeting specific pigmented lesions like age and sun spots, breaking down the excess melanin.

AdvaTx Vascular Laser: Specifically targets redness, broken capillaries (telangiectasias), and vascular flushing often exacerbated during menopause or associated with conditions like rosacea.

LED Light Therapy: Uses specific wavelengths of light (e.g., red for collagen stimulation and inflammation reduction, near-infrared for deeper tissue repair and healing) to promote cellular health and accelerate recovery from other procedures. Non-invasive and beneficial for overall skin rejuvenation and reducing sensitivity.

Chemical Peels: Tailored peels can exfoliate dead skin cells, improve cell turnover, reduce pigmentation, and stimulate collagen, revealing brighter, smoother skin. The type and depth of the peel are chosen based on specific skin concerns and tolerance.

Supporting Skin Health from Within and Topically

Regenerative and Hormone-Supportive Skincare: Medical-grade skincare is crucial. Products containing growth factors, peptides, potent antioxidants (like Vitamin C), retinoids (adjusted for potentially more sensitive skin), and barrier-repairing ingredients (ceramides, niacinamide) are vital. Specific formulations may help counteract hormonal effects topically. For example, under doctor's supervision, a patient could use prescription topical Estriol to the face and neck, to help with collagen stimulation, general skin quality and glow

Supplements: While aesthetic treatments target the skin directly, supporting underlying health is important. For instance, ensuring adequate Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 intake is crucial for bone health. Preventing bone loss, particularly in the facial skeleton, helps maintain the underlying structure that supports the skin, indirectly reducing the appearance of sagging.

Supporting Cellular Energy with NMN
Alongside structural support like Vitamin D3/K2 for bone health, maintaining fundamental cellular processes is key during aging. Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) is a researched molecule that acts as a direct precursor to NAD+.

NAD+ is vital for cellular energy production and activates important proteins called sirtuins, which regulate mitochondrial function (our cells' powerhouses). As we age, NAD+ levels naturally decline, which can negatively impact cellular energy, DNA repair, inflammation control, and other processes related to aging.

Supplementing with NMN provides the body with the building blocks needed to potentially increase NAD+ availability, thereby supporting these essential cellular energy and repair mechanisms that are crucial for vitality.

Always consult a medical professional before starting new supplements.

The Role of CALECIM® Professional Serum in Managing Menopausal Skin
Advanced topical treatments play a significant role in supporting skin health during menopause and enhancing the results of clinical procedures. CALECIM Professional Serum, derived from umbilical cord lining stem cells, contains a potent mix of growth factors, proteins, and cytokines known as PTT-6®. This technology offers unique benefits for addressing menopausal skin concerns:

Boosting Collagen & Elasticity: The growth factors and proteins in PTT-6® directly signal fibroblasts to increase collagen and elastin production. Studies associated with the technology have shown significant increases in elastin production, helping combat sagging and improving skin firmness. This directly counteracts the estrogen-related decline in these structural proteins.
Enhancing Hydration & Barrier Function: PTT-6® has been demonstrated to significantly increase the skin's own Hyaluronic Acid production (by a reported 83% in associated studies). This boosts hydration from within, alleviating the characteristic dryness of menopausal skin and strengthening the skin's protective barrier, reducing sensitivity.
Promoting Skin Regeneration & Radiance: By reintroducing youthful cellular signals, PTT-6® encourages faster cell turnover (reportedly by up to 42% in related studies) and promotes overall skin regeneration. This helps to shed dull surface cells, revealing healthier, more radiant skin underneath and counteracts the slower healing typical of this life stage.
Reducing Inflammation & Redness: Menopausal skin can be prone to inflammation and sensitivity. PTT-6® possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties, as shown in studies, to reduce inflammatory markers (like TNF-alpha) significantly. This calming effect helps soothe irritation, reduce redness, and is an invaluable adjunct post-procedure to minimise downtime and enhance healing after treatments like lasers or Morpheus8.

Integrating CALECIM with Clinic Treatments
CALECIM Professional Serum is often recommended as an essential component of a treatment plan for menopausal skin. It can be used:

Post-Procedure: Applied immediately after treatments like Morpheus8, UltraClear, lasers, or peels, it dramatically reduces redness, swelling, and discomfort, accelerating the healing process.
As Daily Skincare: Used regularly, it continuously supports collagen production, hydration, and barrier function, complementing the results achieved with in-clinic procedures and addressing underlying menopausal skin changes on a daily basis.

For instance:
Following a Morpheus8 or UltraClear session aimed at significant collagen remodelling and resurfacing, CALECIM® application helps manage the immediate inflammatory response and supports the regenerative processes initiated by the treatment.
For patients focusing on volume restoration with Biostimulators (Sculptra, Gouri, Lenisna) or Fillers, using CALECIM® daily helps improve the overall quality, hydration, and resilience of the overlying skin, enhancing structural improvements.

Navigating Menopause with Confidence: Your Partner in Skin Health
Menopause is a natural biological process, but the changes it brings to the skin don't have to be passively accepted. Understanding the 'why' and 'what' of menopausal skin allows for targeted, effective interventions.

At Beauty by Doctor, led by Medical Director Dr Phoebe Jones, we have extensive experience in diagnosing and treating the specific concerns associated with hormonal ageing in the skin. Located conveniently in Bondi Junction, Sydney, we serve clients across Sydney and beyond, offering a comprehensive suite of advanced aesthetic treatments tailored to the unique needs of peri and post-menopausal skin.

Our approach combines sophisticated technologies like biostimulators, advanced lasers, RF microneedling, and regenerative topicals such as CALECIM® with a deep understanding of facial anatomy and the physiological changes of menopause. We believe in personalised treatment plans, recognising that each woman's experience and skin goals are unique. Choosing Beauty by Doctor means partnering with a medically led team dedicated to achieving natural-looking, confidence-boosting results grounded in science.

Ready to address the changes you see in your skin? Take control of your skin's health during this transition.

Contact us today to schedule a comprehensive consultation with our experienced team at our Bondi Junction clinic. Let us help you navigate menopause with more youthful, healthy skin.