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The menopause usually occurs between between 45 and 55 years of age. Menopause symptoms include hot flushes, insomnia and weight gain, loss of sex drive, mood swings, depression and changes to the appearance of the skin. 

Declining oestrogen levels mean skin becomes thinner with more pronouced wrinkles such as those upper lip. Some women might experience stubborn breakouts or acne due to declining of certain hormones such as oestrogen which help regulate the sebaceous glands. This is furthur aggraved by the slowing down of the skins cell renewal process and results in loss of collagen and elastin combined with reduced volume (sebaceous fat) and bone skrinkage. 

The severity of these symptoms will depend of UV exposure from childhood, generics, lifestyle as well as medication which will each have impact on the quality of skin.

We have 6 Useful Tips For Coping With The Menopause

1. Balance from Within & Get Physical!

Oestrogen deficiency during menapose causes a change in body composition with an increase in abdominal fat. This contributes to metabolic syndrome which increases the risk of cardiac disease and diabetes. Facial fat becomes thinner resulting in loss of volume. Balance your blood sugar levels with a combination of vegetables, wholegrains with lean protein foods including meat, fish, eggs, nuts, lentils and fibre. Cut down on caffein, sugar and alcohol and no smoking! 

 

Keep moving! The decrease of hormonal levels means increased risk of osteoporosis. Daily exercise e.g. walking for at least 30 mins. Building in weight bearing exercise is essential to help strengthen bones. Exercise is also a great for beating depression and anxiety and boosting your libido.

Supplement your diet with a good core multivitamin e.g. Skin Vitality 1 to ensure appropiate levels of Magnesium, Vitamin D to channel Calcium to the core of the bones ensure daily essential Omega 3 to help with dry skin, low mood and depression.

2. Supplement with Vitamin A & C Orally & Topically!

Wrinkles becomes prominent as your skin begins to sag and lose its elasticity. The skin will start to appear dull as already skin cell turover will be slowing down.

Supplement Vitamin A and C orally such as Skin Complete and topically e.g. Environ Youth Essentia Range, along with antioxidants to ensure firmer, younger looking skin. Having regular Vitamin A based treatments and gradually increasing the dosage can help encourage healthy skin cell production. Vitamin A thickens the skin, whilst stimulating natural mositurising factors. Vitamin C will suppost collagen production and help generate healthy skin cells. 

3. Protect your skin with SPF with antioxidants!

Melanocytes, which are the cells that manufacture the pigment melanin, are also controlled by oestrogens. As menopause kicks in, melanocytes levels decline. As melanin decreases, areas of the skin become lighter and therefore more susceptible to sun damage. Years of sun exposure can result in solar lentigines. These brown "age spots" may start to appear on the face, neck, hands, arms and chest. Age spots can look flat with a black, brown or even grey colour.

Start using Vitamin A and Vitamin C cream topically to help skin looking healthy and protect your skin from the sun at all times and use Environ SPF RAD 15 cream with antioxidants. Antixodiants help protect your skin against the damaging effects of free radicals.

Notes: If you are concerned with very dark spots and spots that looks blotchy or are increasing in size, it is best to advise to visit your GP.

5. Use a Hydrating Oil Based Cleanser & Omega!

Dry skin happens as your skin ages because it fails to product natural oils partly due to decrease in hormone production. However, some might experience oily skin with the decline in oestrogen. Eliminate scrubs, harsh cleansers and facial brushes which strip the natural oils and discrupt the top layer (stratum corneum) of your skin which promoting transepidermal water loss.

Use Environ Hydrating Oil Cleanser that removes environmental pollutants from the skin whilst maintaining the natural acid balance of the skin.

 

Supplement Skin Omega+ which contains a good quality of omega 3 and 6 supplement with VItamin A to compensate for the decline in oils and nutrients.

 6. Supplement with bio-identical hormone

Supplement with bio-identical hormone will reduce or eliminate the symptoms of menopause. Bio-identical hormones minic the structure of your own hormones. They are natural purified from plants and have not been manipulated for the purposes of patent applications.

 

Cleanmarine Menomin packed with super absorbing Omega 3 Phospholipids, plus Folate, Biotin, B Vitamins and Soy Isoflavones which will help to balance hormonal activity, maintain normal mucous membrane, as well as reduce tiredness and fatigue.

Combined with lifestyle and dietary changes, this can mean staying vital, strong and healthy (physically and mentally) as we go through the menapause and beyond.

 Emi Wong MPSI