Think you’re too young to be perimenopausal? Think again...
Let’s speak woman to woman. No sugar-coating it. From the age of 35, our anti-ageing hormones start to decline, which means that the topic of perimenopause and menopause is no longer reserved for your mother, aunt, or grandmother’s get-togethers; it’s likely to crop up at one of yours… soon.
As the years add up, the production of Pregnenolone and DHEA (the mother of hormones) slows, signalling a slowdown on the oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone fronts. In our formative and younger years, these three hormones play crucial roles in maintaining various bodily functions and overall well-being, as well as skin health and bone density.
Add to this “closer to 60 than 30” biological dance the fact that our ovaries start heading into retirement, too, and you get the symptoms most “blamed” on menopause: anxiety, mood swings, sleep disturbances, decreased bone density, weight gain and the unpredictable ebbs and flows (and no shows) of a once just-like-clockwork menstrual cycle.
How do changing hormones change your skin?
Hormonal changes and skin texture go hand in hand. As once-balanced hormones lose their youthful balance, sebum production, collagen levels, hydration, and skin thickness are affected. Things that weren’t an issue before (for example, dryness, acne, wrinkles, fine lines, skin tags, slower wound healing, and redness) can become top of mind when you look in the mirror.
Oestrogen plays a crucial role in maintaining skin thickness, collagen production, and moisture levels. Less oestrogen equals thinner, drier, and less elastic skin, making skin more susceptible to hyperpigmentation, bruising and damage. In the cases of testosterone and progesterone, an imbalance/influx of these hormones can stimulate sebum production, causing oily skin, acne breakouts, skin sensitivity, and compromising the skin’s protective barrier.
TIP: During perimenopause, adjust our skincare routine to include products with ceramides and peptides and focus on hydration to maintain skin health and combat the effects of oestrogen deficiency.
Treat(ment) yourself to age-defying skin
From dry, crépe-like skin, dark patches and pigmentation to loss of the elasticity that once put a spring in our complexion’s step, perimenopause can affect our skin's integrity. The good news is that, at Skin Renewal, we offer an extensive array of world-class, industry-leading treatments that address hormonal pigmentation, tighten the skin, give the complexion a much-needed anti-ageing boost and deliver on the “gosh, you look great!” front,
Keen to keep crépe-like texture where it should be…
On a plate with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar? We hear you—and agree—which is why we offer a range of treatments to target this concern. From Laser Genesis and Pico Toning to micro-needling, CO2 laser, and superficial chemical peels (azelaic, glycolic, and beta), whatever your budget and allowance for downtime, we have options that get results.
Looking to tighten?
Allow us to introduce you to the Titan®. Sure, it’s pricey due to the laser heads, which need to be purchased by you, the client, for your treatment, but they’re worth every penny. The Titan® Skin Tightening Treatment delivers infrared light deep into the dermis, the inner layer of skin where collagen resides, prompting collagen to repair itself.
On the more budget-friendly (but still an investment in your skin) front, our ND Yag skin tightening effectively targets skin laxity, too, using light energy that transforms into thermal energy deep within the dermis, resulting in a naturally rejuvenated appearance – smoother, firmer, and more toned skin – within the recommended 2 to 6 treatments. And, if skin tightening is on your monthly ‘to-do’ list, don’t forget to keep RF (radiofrequency) treatments in the perimenopause mix.
TIP: Want to turn your collagen production off of aeroplane mode? Our collagen induction therapies (including RF needling) do just that, creating controlled micro-injuries that reach the dermis and stimulate collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid production.
Done with the discolouration?
Chat with us about combining strategic Pico toning and Pico Fractional sessions with regular light (azelaic, glycolic or beta) peels to tackle hormone-triggered pigmentation. And, if you’re really ready to kick the “leopard print” complexion to the curb, make a session or two of our Mesobrite treatment part of your plan of action.
TIP: Don’t sleep on inflammation. For best results from pigmentation treatments, make sure that you’re treating the discolouration from the inside out with our IV therapies and supplementation. Think Vitamin C, MSM and Meriva.
The pillars of perimenopausal health
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that they’re the same as the pillars of health, period.
Sleep, stress management, oestrogen and liver detoxification, insulin management, gut repair, inflammation, and the Omega 3:6 ratio play a crucial role in balancing hormones and addressing hormonal dysregulation.
- Adequate sleep supports hormone regulation and production.
- Stress management helps reduce cortisol levels which can disrupt hormonal balance.
- Oestrogen and liver detoxification support oestrogen metabolism and clearance.
- Insulin management affects blood sugar levels and hormone signalling.
- Gut repair impacts nutrient absorption and gut-brain communication.
- Inflammation influences hormone production and immune function.
- Balancing the Omega 3:6 ratio can reduce inflammation and support hormone synthesis.
By optimising these pillars of health, you can positively impact your hormonal balance, alleviate symptoms of conditions like PCOS and perimenopause, and promote overall well-being and hormonal health.
Do you have a hormonal imbalance?
It’s a good question—one worth asking and figuring out the answer to because hormones play a vital role in regulating processes like appetite, metabolism, sleep cycles, reproductive cycles, and mood. When there is too much or too little of a hormone, an imbalance occurs. And, with it, all sorts of symptoms that are as unwelcome by you as they are by those around you, your nearest and dearest, aka those in the mood swing firing line.
Common signs you may have a hormonal imbalance include fatigue, low mood, weight gain, itchy skin and fertility problems in women after the age of 35. It’s important not to ignore symptoms of hormonal imbalance and seek appropriate treatment from qualified health professionals to restore balance and promote good health.
TIP: While we can’t stop the tick of our biological clocks indefinitely, we can – and really should – be aware of and try to manage the things that bring on perimenopause prematurely and fast-track menopause, namely stress, poor diet, inadequate sleep, and lack of exercise.
Like everything in life, being prepared makes all the difference
While getting older is indeed a privilege and menopause is the inevitable book-end to adolescence, you’d be hard-pressed to find a woman as excited about being labelled “perimenopausal” as she was to be labelled a pre-teen back in the day. We get it – and the irony that menopause has nothing to do with men, too – but, on a serious note, we’re here to help. Not just to navigate perimenopause and menopause healthily but beautifully, too. Because you truly can love the skin you’re in – at every age and stage – including this one.