The menopause revolution is here and finally giving this transformative time the attention it deserves. But what comes next? As your body transitions into the post-menopause stage, your skin’s needs change—and your routine should, too. Ahead, we’re breaking down the essentials of post-menopause skin care with expert insights from board-certified dermatologists.
Featured Experts
- Doris Day, MD is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York
- Monica Grover, DO is a gynecologist and chief medical officer at VSPOT medspa
- Jack Jia is the founder of Musely, a telemedicine service offering prescription skin-care products
- Kally Papantoniou, MD is a board-certified dermatologist based in Melville, NY
- Janine Hopkins, MD is a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Southlake, TX and Monroe, LA
What Happens to Skin During Menopause
Menopause brings significant changes, often accompanied by a variety of symptoms. “The most common are irregular periods or heavy bleeding, fatigue, mood swings, anxiety or depression,” says New York gynecologist and chief medical officer of VSPOT medspa Dr. Monica Grover. “Other indicators include acne, skin changes, changes in sex drive, weight loss or gain, hot flashes, night sweats, hair loss, vaginal dryness and urinary incontinence.”
For many, it’s the skin changes that feel particularly challenging. “When we performed patient studies, a vast majority identified skin and hair changes as their areas of largest concern,” says Jack Jia, founder of Musely. “And low-dose estrogen treatment is very successful in treating those symptoms.”
What Is Post-Menopause?
“You can actually be in peri-menopause (the transitional state before menopause where estrogen production gradually slows down) for up to a decade,” explains New York dermatologist Doris Day, MD. “And menopause is actually just one day, the day you realize you have not had a period for 12 months. After that, you’re post-menopause.”
In post-menopause, not only will your periods be officially over, but the hormonal turmoil you were in during peri-menopause is mostly settled. In this stage, your hormones will remain constant but low. You may still experience some symptoms from menopause, like hot flashes and night sweats. If you already experienced issues with skin dryness during menopause, it’s likely this will continue to be an issue in your post-menopause skin.
While options like hormone replacement therapy (usually topical estrogen) are great for those who are still in peri-menopause, it may not be the best option for women post-menopause. These therapies replace the hormones that decline during peri-menopause, like estrogen. This provides relief from symptoms like hot flashes, skin problems and even vaginal dryness.
“A lot of doctors recommend waiting until post-menopause to start HRT,” Dr. Day notes. “But that’s a mistake. Hormone replacement therapy should be started early in peri-menopause to help treat symptoms. There’s no reason to wait to treat these symptoms, particularly when they cause so much distress in patients.”
Studies also show that your risk of complications from HRT rise when you wait more than ten years after menopause to begin treatment.
How to Care for Post-Menopause Skin
“Estrogen deficient skin syndrome is the term we use to explain these symptoms that start occurring during peri-menopause,” says Monroe, LA dermatologist Janine Hopkins, MD explains. “When the ovaries shut down, those visible signs of aging really start to appear. And the underlying reason is that the estrogen receptors in our skin shut down and that accelerates aging.”
Melville, NY dermatologist Kally Papantoniou adds, “Post-menopausal skin is significantly influenced by the drop in estrogen levels, which leads to a loss of collagen, hydration, and elasticity. These changes can result in skin that feels thinner, drier, and more prone to fine lines and wrinkles. While these changes are natural, there are many ways to help skin stay healthy, radiant, and resilient.” We’re breaking down some of the ways ahead.
Hydration, Hydration, Hydration
“Dry skin is usually the first symptom of post-menopause,” Dr. Hopkins says, “which is followed by thinning and loss of elasticity.”
“To counteract these effects, hydration should be a top priority,” Dr. Papantoniou says. “Look for moisturizers that include humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to deeply hydrate, along with occlusive ingredients like ceramides or squalane to lock in moisture. Serums containing peptides and antioxidants can also help rebuild collagen and reduce the appearance of fine lines over time. Our Simply Serum® CE + Ferulic ($160) is a popular choice among our patients as it combines powerful antioxidants to protect against environmental damage while stimulating collagen production.”
Cosmetic chemist Krupa Koestline agrees. “Use ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, squalene, collagen, elastin, rosehip seed oil and sea buckthorn oil to help stimulate collagen and elastin,” she advises. “Keeping skin moisturized is the key.”
“Products like Emepelle ($175) address these skin concerns without hormonal therapy,” Dr. Hopkins says. “That makes them safe for those who can’t use HRT.”
Sun-Safe Skin
“You lose more collagen per year if you have sun damage,” Dr. Hopkins explains. “So you can already be collagen deficient by the time menopause starts. And that leads to more aged-looking skin.”
“Sun protection is especially critical,” Papantoniou adds. “Post-menopausal skin is more vulnerable to sun damage. A daily broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher is non-negotiable.”
“Post-menopause, it’s important that you don’t add more insult to injury,” Dr. Hopkins says. “You don’t want to miss the boat on sun protection, but if you didn’t protect by the time you’re at menopause, you probably have significantly sun-damaged skin.”
Options like vitamin C and other proven antioxidants are excellent choices to help reduce environmental damage and help sun-damaged skin. Additional in-office options like lasers and microneedling are also effective in renewing skin, removing sun spots and texture and helping to even skin tone.
