As the estrogen levels in your body drop during menopause, the quality of your hair and skin can decline very quickly. More wrinkles appear, and facial hair grows, but you might also notice that your skin gets sensitive and itchy.
Your oil glands can shrink during menopause, meaning that your skin secrets less sebum, leaving you feeling dry and tired. Estrogen depletion also means less collagen, which is essential for firmness and keeping that youthful glow.
If you’re suffering from sensitivity, check out our top tips for handling the itch:
Hydrate
Moisturizing dry skin is a given, and a good skincare routine will incorporate cleansers and serums as well as creams to keep your skin feeling supple. But you also need to hydrate from the inside out. Your skin is your largest organ, so you need to nourish it like you do the rest of your body.
It’s recommended to drink at least 2 liters of water a day to keep you and your skin hydrated. The more hydrated you are, the less sensitive and itchy your skin will be.
Avoid Abrasion
While exfoliation can be beneficial to avoid stubborn dirt, makeup, and dead skin cells, too much can irritate sensitive skin. Never scrub skin that doesn’t get especially dirty, like your back and chest, and only exfoliate your face and body once a week, even if you suffer from dry skin.
Use gentle cleansers on all areas of your body to preserve your natural oils and not further aggravate itchy skin.
Take Cooler Showers
Sometimes a long steaming hot shower is all you need to wash off the perils of your day, but warm water can be cruel to fragile skin. Your body is already more sensitive to temperature during menopause. If hot flushes weren’t enough to deal with, you don’t want itchiness and irritation to contribute to the redness.
Take cooler showers to calm down inflamed skin and prevent further drying out. You might just find that cold showers also help suppress hot flushes and rosacea flare-ups.
Use Sunscreen
Finding a good SPF moisturizer or sunscreen to wear under your makeup can do wonders for sensitive skin. A few minutes of sun exposure a day can have its benefits, but the sun’s UV rays are damaging, and your skin is already more sensitive during this time. Never skip sunscreen, even on cloudy days, to help keep your skin hydrated and healthy.
Change Your Diet
Make sure you’re giving your body what it needs during menopause and make some changes to your diet to adapt to your changing body. Incorporate naturally rich foods in collagen and fatty acids, like fruit and eggs and salmon and avocado. Omega-3 is great for helping your skin rebuild its natural oil barriers and locking in moisture. Remember that hydrating from the inside out is key to fighting sensitivity.