AFNO: Perimenopausal & Post Menopausal Skin

I feel like the majority of people reading my posts probably fall into this category in one way or another. Perimenopause can begin years before the menopause itself, sometimes up to a decade earlier, which means a lot of us may be experiencing symptoms without even realising they are connected to our hormones.

When it comes to the skin during perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause, there can be a lot of changes.

The main ones I tend to see in clinic are:

• Feeling like your usual skincare products have suddenly stopped working

• Unexpected dryness and dehydration

• Sensitivity or irritation from products you have used for years

• Sagging and jowls becoming more noticeable

• Loss of firmness, bounce and glow

The list goes on, but I am sure you get the drift. Everything can suddenly start to look and feel a little bit... meh.

Hormones really can make significant changes to the skin, so no, it is not all in your imagination. The way your skin looks, feels and behaves can suddenly become very different. I have noticed it myself, and clients say the same thing to me all the time.

So what happens to our skin during perimenopause?

I think most of us know by now that oestrogen does a hell of a lot more than regulate our periods. It also helps support collagen production, skin thickness, hydration, oil production, elasticity, barrier function and, very importantly, the skin’s ability to heal and repair itself.

So, when our oestrogen levels start fluctuating, the skin can become rather unpredictable. What will it decide to do this morning? Spin the wheel and find out for yourself. Dryness? Sensitivity? A random breakout at forty? Honestly, hormones are such a joy aren't they!

Does it get better after menopause though?

Well, unfortunately, once oestrogen levels remain lower, the skin can become drier, thinner and less resilient. Fine lines may look more visible, firmness and elasticity can reduce, healing may slow down and the barrier can become weaker. This can lead to more sensitivity, dullness and sagging.

Oh, what a joy!

Please remember though, as depressing as this can all sound, it is also part of normal ageing. Ageing is not a disease and it does not necessarily need to be “fixed”. This has always been my argument.

There is so much more to looking older than having a few fine lines. I have said for years that poor sleep, chronic stress and unhappiness (this is a big one) can make someone look far older than the odd wrinkle ever will. My job is not to try to turn you back into your twenty-year-old self. It is to support you and your skin as you age, help you maintain that glow and keep the skin functioning as well as possible.

I also want to help you look at the wider picture, including sleep, stress, hormones and lifestyle, so that you feel more like yourself too. There are plenty of people with barely a wrinkle in sight who still look exhausted and much older than they are because they are stressed, unhappy and running on fumes.

So, how should we treat the skin now?

The answer is not always more active ingredients, harsher scrubs or another five products layered on top of each other.

We have to meet the skin where it is.

The first priority is usually supporting the barrier and keeping it as healthy and intact as possible. Sometimes the skin needs more nourishment, repair and protection, not necesarily another aggressive active ingredient thrown at it. It really depends on how your skin is behaving right now.

Which brings me to something I am very excited about...

Let me introduce Nimue MenoDermo Cream

I am delighted to be one of the first clinics in the country to stock this, as I have managed to get my little paws on it before its official release. You know me, forever the trendsetter ha ha!

MenoDermo Cream has been specifically developed for skin experiencing the changes associated with perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause. Think dryness, dehydration, loss of firmness, fine lines, dullness, sensitivity and a weaker skin barrier. It is designed for daily use on the face and neck, morning and evening.

What makes it different?

MenoDermo contains plant-derived exosome technology, but what does that actually mean?

Exosomes are tiny delivery parcels that carry messages between cells. Depending on what they contain, those messages can encourage the skin to repair, renew and behave in a healthier way.

And before anyone disappears down a TikTok rabbit hole, there are no living stem cells multiplying inside the cream, so don't suddenly get freaked out.

The formula uses plant-derived exosome technology from Centella asiatica, alongside a vegan skin-identical collagen peptide complex and flaxseed oil.

The collagen peptide complex is designed to support the skin’s structure and encourage collagen synthesis, while the plant exosomes help deliver signalling compounds associated with regeneration and skin longevity.

The flaxseed oil then helps support the barrier, soothe irritation and improve hydration, elasticity and suppleness.

So rather than being another active-heavy anti-ageing cream, this is much more about supporting menopausal skin where it actually needs help. Voila! Just what you were looking for!

It is particularly suited to skin experiencing:

• Dryness and dehydration

• Sensitivity caused by hormonal changes

• Poor barrier function

• Fine lines and wrinkles

• Loss of firmness and elasticity

• Sagging

• Dull, rough or lifeless skin

I am genuinely excited about this product release because it fills a gap on my skincare shelf that I think a lot of women need.

I see so many clients struggling with the effects of fluctuating and declining oestrogen, particularly dryness, sensitivity and slower barrier repair. They often assume they need stronger retinoids, more exfoliation or another aggressive treatment, when their skin is actually crying out for nourishment and support. This feels like a much more intelligent way to approach menopausal skin and I am totally here for it.

If this sounds like something your skin might benefit from, you can order Nimue MenoDermo Cream here or fill out my free Skin Check-In Form. We can look at how your skin is behaving now and work out the best products to support it through this stage.

Thank you so much for reading,

Emmaline