Your Skin after 40
As we age, our skin undergoes changes that are inevitable. While we cannot expect to retain the skin of a 20-year-old forever, many are not aware that that skin ageing is accelerated during perimenopause and menopause.
So, what exactly happens in the natural ageing process of our skin?
As we grow older, the skin on our face, neck, and body loses muscle tone and becomes thinner, leading to a sagging appearance and the formation of wrinkles. Additionally, the sebaceous glands produce less oil, causing the skin to dry out. The underlying layer of fat also diminishes, resulting in a loss of plumpness and smoothness in the face. Moreover, the number and size of dark spots and blemishes on the face can increase.
The question is, why does menopause accelerate skin ageing?
One of the primary factors is the reduction in collagen levels. Research indicates that women lose around 30% of their collagen in the initial five years of menopause. Collagen provides the skin with strength and flexibility, while elastin provides elasticity. A decrease in collagen production is due to lower levels of oestrogen. Oestrogen binds to fibroblasts, receptors in the skin that support collagen production.
Other factors that contribute to skin aging include sun exposure, smoking, genetics, nutrition, and environmental pollution. However, the primary driver of skin aging during menopause is the decline in collagen.
What about hormones, do they impact skin?
Yes they do. As we go through perimenopause our 2 main sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone go through some big changes that we can generally describe in 2 phases.
Phase 1 - Progesterone is the first hormone to decline. It is a natural skin and mood stabiliser that promotes better sleep and helps control cravings. When progesterone levels are low, the skin can become oilier, breakout-prone, sensitive, and flushed. In this phase, the relative balance of oestrogen increases, causing water retention, puffiness, and increased pigmentation.
Phase 2 - This phase typically occurs in later years when oestrogen levels start to decrease as well. Oestrogen is responsible for keeping us sharp, feminine, calm, and focused, while also protecting our bones, heart, gut, and brain. For the skin, it regulates hydration and collagen production. As oestrogen declines, visible wrinkles, broken veins, dryness, and loss of firmness, elasticity, and radiance may become more apparent. Additionally, fat distribution changes, depleting in certain areas (such as the eyes) and expanding in others (such as the jowls). Bone density decreases, leading to flatter and shorter facial bones, which contribute to an aged appearance.
In addition, testosterone (yes us ladies have testosterone too, just like men have some oestrogen) starts to drop which reduces muscle tone and skin firmness, an increase in cortisol, which causes inflammation, and a sluggish thyroid, which can result in dry skin.
Caring for the skin during menopause can be challenging since hormonal imbalances can cause multiple issues that may seem contradictory. For instance, it is not uncommon for women to experience dry skin, acne breakouts, or a worsening of psoriasis simultaneously.
If you’re over 40, you will already have noticed many changes in your skin and you might be feeling a little depressed after learning all this, but I want you to know there are things you can do support your skin health, slow ageing and improve skin appearance.
So what can you do to address these changes so you can look the best you can as you age?
To support your skin and health as progesterone declines:
Reduce or manage sources of stress because stress further depletes progesterone through a process called "cortisol steal."
Limit or avoid caffeine because it increases the stress response and forces your body to excrete important minerals necessary for healthy hormone production.
Get sufficient quantity and quality of sleep. This alone can make a significant difference.
Consume more foods rich in Vitamin C, B6, Magnesium, and Zinc, which are critical for progesterone production, skin repair, and inflammation reduction. These foods include spinach, leafy greens, walnuts, lean red meat (for zinc), seafood, fish, beans, pumpkin seeds, bananas, dark chocolate, watermelon, and chickpeas.
Take a multivitamin + multi mineral supplement, especially if you have a hectic or stressful lifestyle or are aware that you are not obtaining enough nutrients from your diet. I usually recommend taking an additional Vitamin C 1000mg/day.
Consider a magnesium supplement. Magnesium can help relieve PMS, calm nerves, and improve sleep.
Consider an omega 3 supplement, which has been shown to reduce cortisol (minimum 1000mg/day; increase to 2000mg/day if you have a busy lifestyle).
To counter drying, sensitive skin of phase 2, where more lines and broken veins are visible, focus on hydration and supporting collagen:
Manage stress levels because high cortisol can break down collagen faster.
Get enough sleep, as the skin repairs itself during sleep.
Eat healthy fats, such as avocado, nuts, oily fish, and olive oil, to help maintain skin hydration and strengthen skin cell walls.
Consume enough protein to provide building blocks for collagen formation. Foods high in protein include chicken, eggs, lean meats, beans, quinoa, and low-mercury fish. Aim for 70-90g of protein per day, or more if exercising regularly.
Maintain optimal copper intake via diet, an essential element for optimal collagen formation. The recommended daily allowance is 2mg/day. Foods rich in copper include liver, oysters, dark chocolate, and sesame seeds.
To combat dryness and itching caused by an altered skin barrier and trans-epidermal water loss (xerosis), focus on consuming essential fatty acids found in walnuts, oily fish such as salmon and sardines, Klamath blue green algae oils, and flaxseed.
Consider taking an omega 3 supplements, at least 2000mg/day, to reduce inflammation and support skin hydration.
Boost intake of vitamins C, E, D, and A to help produce collagen, maintain skin elasticity, hydrate the skin, and reduce signs of ageing.
Consider a collagen supplement or make your own bone broth.
Additional considerations
Topical application of retinol and retinoic acid can strengthen the epidermis, aid in the loss of epidermal water, protect against collagen decline, decrease inflammation, and stimulate angiogenesis, resulting in improved skin texture, depigmentation, reduced dryness, and fine lines.
Cocoa flavanols have been shown to improve facial wrinkles and elasticity.
Astaxanthin supplementation can protect against damage caused by ROS, inflammatory responses, and UV radiation, all of which contribute to photoaging.
Sirtuins, a family of signaling proteins, can aid in DNA repair and play a significant role in skin protection and age reversal. Foods that contain the most sirtuin activators include black currants, green tea, kale, parsley, onions, olives, fermented tofu and other soy products, turmeric, and dark chocolate.
Supplementation with NAD+ or IV injection can aid in DNA repair, detoxification, improve cell metabolism and cell regeneration.
Supplementing with Resveratrol, a phytoestrogen found in grapes, can protect against UV radiation, oxidative stress, and inhibition of melanogenesis.
Need support getting on the right track to support your skin health, get in touch.
We have an hour long webinar in Reset & Thrive Membership delivered by a skin health doctor if you want to lean more! :-)
