Skin ageing

• Many women notice that their skin becomes drier, thinner, looser, and more wrinkled during menopause. The skin may also itch or tingle, and wounds may take longer to heal.
• In addition to these changes, other skin issues such as irritation, eczema, or acne may occur.
• In the early years of menopause, collagen levels in the skin decrease. This also reduces the skin's elasticity and thickness.
• As the years progress, the skin continues to age. This decline accelerates after menopause, with the skin becoming thinner and looser at roughly the same rate as bone density decreases.
• In the years following menopause, skin thickness decreases by about 1.13% annually, while collagen decreases by approximately 2.1% per year.

When it comes to skin condition, the decline in oestrogen and collagen plays a significant role. Oestrogen stimulates the production of collagen, an essential protein for healthy, firm skin (as well as for muscles, joints, and bones, which also rely on collagen to function properly).

Collagen keeps tissues throughout the body strong and resilient. When oestrogen levels drop, collagen in the skin also decreases. The result? The skin becomes thinner, wrinkles form, and external factors affect the skin more easily. Collagen also helps the skin retain water, so less collagen means less hydrated skin.

Additionally, oestrogen helps regulate the enzymes that break down collagen. When there is less oestrogen in the body, these enzymes can become more active, causing collagen in the skin to break down more quickly.

Moreover, the sebaceous glands (which keep the skin supple and protect it from drying out) produce less oil as you age. While men experience minimal decline, oil production in women gradually decreases after menopause, making the skin drier and prone to itching.

In addition to hormonal changes, age plays a major role in skin problems and ageing (the ageing process begins around the age of 25). Furthermore, it has been shown that smoking, alcohol, sun exposure, and lack of sleep impair collagen production and can damage and age the skin.

Research shows that about 80% of visible skin ageing is caused by sun exposure. Always protect your skin with SPF30 or higher if you are in the sun for more than 20 minutes.

Stress (to which you are more sensitive during menopause) is also a trigger for skin problems such as eczema, acne, and skin ageing. The stress hormone cortisol breaks down collagen, accelerating the ageing process.

In addition to ageing skin, you may also experience other symptoms during menopause, such as hair loss, poor sleep, and urinary tract infections.

The skin consists of three layers: the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous connective tissue. You may not think about it often, but all these layers of your skin perform various important functions every day:

• It protects against injuries, pathogens, and harmful substances.
• It shields against UV radiation from the sun.
• It plays a role in the production of vitamin D.
• It regulates your body's moisture levels.
• It acts as a sensory organ (allowing you to feel).
• It helps regulate body temperature.

There are various ways to effectively address skin ageing. You can naturally support your body with healthy nutrition, sufficient exercise, and rest. Additionally, supplements, medications, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help.

Hormonal changes can affect your energy levels, sleep, digestion, and metabolism. Healthy nutrition, sufficient exercise, and rest can help prevent or alleviate symptoms. Small adjustments can already make a difference in how you feel.

If you use medications or supplements, a healthy lifestyle supports your body in absorbing nutrients and processing medications, enhancing the effectiveness of supplements and medication. Experts recommend the following for skin ageing:

• Eat a healthy, varied diet with plenty of essential fatty acids. Scientific studies on the human body show that your diet significantly influences skin health. Eat fruits and vegetables in all colours of the rainbow and foods rich in omega-3, such as walnuts, chia seeds, and oily fish. Supplements like algae or fish oil can complement a healthy diet.
• Quit smoking and minimise alcohol consumption. Numerous studies show a clear link between smoking, alcohol, and skin ageing. The more and longer you smoke, the faster your skin ages. The same applies to excessive alcohol consumption: it dehydrates the skin and inhibits collagen production.
• Promote good digestion. Skin health is largely determined by gut health. Support your digestion by eating plenty of fibre (30 grams per day), fermented products, and leafy green vegetables. Tip: the fibre meter from the Dutch Digestive Foundation provides insight into the most fibre-rich foods.
• Always protect your skin from the sun. Sun damage is one of the biggest factors in skin ageing for many people. Dermatologists recommend always protecting your skin with sunscreen of at least SPF30 when exposed to the sun.
• Choose skincare products suited to your skin type. Avoid skincare products with fragrances and irritating alcohols (which only dry out your skin further) and opt for products with proven effective ingredients such as retinol (vitamin A), collagen, squalane, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C, and/or vitamin E.

During menopause, the hormones oestrogen and progesterone in your body fluctuate and largely disappear once your periods have completely stopped. This can cause symptoms such as hot flushes, vaginal dryness, or skin ageing. For bothersome symptoms, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most effective treatment. By replenishing the hormone deficiency, symptoms decrease. This helps restore balance in your body, giving you more energy and calm in your daily life.

Hormone therapy is always prescribed by a doctor and carefully tailored to your situation to ensure the treatment is safe and effective.

During menopause, changes occur in how your body generates energy, builds muscle, and repairs skin. You can naturally support these processes with high-quality supplements. Magnesium, vitamin D, and omega-3 are recommended for every woman going through menopause. Supplements can also target specific symptoms such as hot flushes, poor sleep, and skin ageing.

The effectiveness of supplements can vary from person to person. This depends on factors such as your lifestyle and health. The quality of the product also determines how well it works. Therefore, choose high-quality supplements without unnecessary fillers.