Navigating Menopause & Your Skin, How to Restore Balance and Glow.
As a 57-year-old licensed esthetician, I know firsthand how menopause changes everything including your skin. Perimenopause and postmenopause bring a lot of hormonal changes that can affect texture, elasticity, hydration, and even how our skin heals. While this stage of life is a natural transition, the changes can feel frustrating when you start noticing drier skin, fine lines, loss of collagen, and a dull complexion. But these changes don’t happen overnight, skin can start changing as early as your late 30s to early 40s in perimenopause, when estrogen levels begin to shift. The good news? You don’t have to just accept it, targeted treatments and advanced skincare can make a big difference.
How Menopause Affects the Skin
The decline in estrogen and collagen production leads to:
Increased Dryness & Dehydration – Skin loses its ability to retain moisture, making it feel rough or tight.
Loss of Elasticity & Sagging – Reduced collagen and elastin result in less firm, plump skin.
Thinner, More Fragile Skin – Slower cell turnover and a weakened skin barrier make skin more prone to irritation.
More Pronounced Wrinkles & Fine Lines – Without estrogen to support hydration and volume, lines appear deeper.
Increased Sensitivity & Redness – A compromised barrier function can lead to inflammation and irritation.
So what can we do?
1. Microneedling for Collagen & Firmness
Microneedling is one of the most effective professional treatments for menopausal skin. By creating controlled micro-injuries, microneedling stimulates collagen and elastin production, improving firmness, texture, and overall resilience. It also enhances product absorption, making your skincare work harder for you. Over time, microneedling can help with:
Smoother, plumper skin
Improved hydration and barrier function
Reduction in fine lines and wrinkles
Better skin tone and elasticity
Hydration & Barrier Support
Dryness is one of the most noticeable changes in menopausal skin. I focus on products that deeply hydrate while strengthening the skin barrier. Some of my favorites include:
Hydrinity for its medical-grade hyaluronic acid, which deeply hydrates and soothes.
Environ & SkinBetter for their vitamin A and peptide-based formulas that support healthy cell turnover and firmness.
DMK for its unique enzyme therapy, which helps oxygenate and strengthen the skin from within.
Don’t forget your body, The Body Kit from Environ. Perfect for keeping body skin soft and supple as estrogen levels drop.
Retinoids, Growth Factors & Antioxidants
Menopausal skin benefits from ingredients that encourage renewal while being gentle enough for increased sensitivity. Retinoids (like those in SkinBetter and Environ) help maintain firmness and smooth texture. Growth factors support repair, and antioxidants protect against environmental stressors that accelerate aging skin.
Sun Protection: Non-Negotiable
With estrogen levels dropping, the skin becomes more prone to sun damage and pigmentation. A high-quality mineral SPF (like SkinBetter’s sun protection line) is essential every day, even when it’s cloudy.
Menopause is a big transition, but your skin doesn’t have to suffer through it. With a combination of in-office treatments and a well-chosen skincare routine, you can keep your skin healthy, strong, and radiant at any age.