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What Menopause Really Does to Your Skin

alasdairsutton

11 minutes ago

2 min read

SKIN IN MENOPAUSE · ISSUE 01

You're not imagining it.

One of the things I hear most in clinic from women in their late 40s and 50s goes something like this:

My skin's just changed. Same routine, same products, and it's like they've all stopped working.

They haven't stopped working. Your skin has changed the rules.

Menopause skin is one of the most misunderstood things I see. So let's clear it up: what's happening, what helps, what's a waste of your money, and when I'll talk you out of a treatment altogether.

01 THE SCIENCE

What's actually going on

Oestrogen does far more for your skin than most people realise. It keeps collagen production ticking over, helps your skin hold on to water, keeps your barrier strong and supports blood flow to the skin.

When oestrogen drops through perimenopause and menopause, all of that slows down at once. And it doesn't happen gently.

30% of your skin's collagen is lost in the first five years after menopause. After that, it keeps falling by roughly 2% a year. Source: British Skin Foundation.

Think of collagen as the scaffolding under your skin. Through your 30s and early 40s you lose a pole here and there. Menopause is when someone starts taking down whole sections at once.

02 THE SIGNS

What you'll probably notice

03 THE PLAN

The 3-step approach that actually helps

This is how I approach it with patients. The order matters.

Step 1, protect what you've still got: SPF 30 to 50 every day all year round, gentle cleansers, barrier-repair ingredients like ceramides, glycerin and squalane, and stopping smoking.

Step 2: Rebuild at home

DM me for product recommendations

Step 3, rebuild in clinic: skin boosters like BabyGLOW by Teoxane, polynucleotides and microneedling, spaced out because menopausal skin heals more slowly.

04 WHERE I DRAW THE LINE

When I'll tell you no

Filler adds volume but doesn't thicken skin. Skin quality first, structure second, and only if you actually need it.

05 BEYOND THE CLINIC

The bits that happen outside my clinic

Outside the clinic: HRT is a conversation for your GP or a menopause specialist; the evidence for collagen supplements is mixed; sleep, protein and strength training matter.

Not everything is menopause. A new or changing mole, a patch that won't heal, or itching that won't settle needs your GP, not a new serum.

06 THE BOTTOM LINE

Your skin's changed. You haven't lost the game.

With the right protection, the right routine and the right treatments in the right order, your skin can look healthy, fresh and like you. Just a well-rested version.

Not sure what your skin needs? If you're in Liverpool or the North West, come and see me for an honest consultation.

Book a skin consultation

Want to keep it? Download the full guide as a PDF.

Skin in Menopause, Issue 01.pdf

Download PDF

Reading this for your wife, mum or sister? Send it her way.

Sources: British Skin Foundation, The impact of the menopause on your skin, with Dr Anjali Mahto (2022). Myung SK, Park Y. Effects of collagen supplements on skin aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Med. 2025;138(9):1264-1277.

This guide is general information, not personal medical advice. Treatments are only offered after a face-to-face consultation.