Why your skin changes during perimenopause and menopause, what happens to collagen and hydration, and how the right skincare and professional treatments can help.
Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered when your skin started behaving so differently?
Perhaps your favourite moisturiser suddenly doesn’t feel moisturising enough. Your skin feels tighter, looks a little less firm, or seems to have developed fine lines that weren’t there before.
Maybe you’ve noticed changes around your eyes, your neck or the texture of your cheeks.
And the frustrating thing is, you haven’t necessarily changed anything about how you look after your skin!
As an aesthetic nurse and skin health specialist, I love helping women understand what’s happening beneath the surface.
Because once we understand why our skin is changing, we can make much more informed decisions about how to support it.
And during perimenopause and menopause, there’s one particularly important hormone we need to talk about.
1. What does oestrogen have to do with our skin?
Quite a lot, actually!
We often associate oestrogen with our reproductive system, but our skin also contains oestrogen receptors.
Oestrogen helps regulate several processes involved in maintaining healthy skin, including hydration, collagen production, skin thickness and elasticity.
During perimenopause, oestrogen levels fluctuate. After menopause, they generally remain much lower.
These changes can affect how our skin maintains its structure and moisture.
One of the most significant changes involves collagen, the protein that gives our skin much of its strength and support.
Research suggests that skin collagen can decline particularly rapidly during the first few years after menopause, although the amount varies considerably between women.
And to understand why this matters, I’d love to introduce you to one of my favourite little cells.
Meet the fabulous fibroblast!
Deep within our skin, in a layer called the dermis, live cells called fibroblasts.
Their job includes producing and maintaining the extracellular matrix, the supportive network surrounding our skin cells.
Three particularly important components are:
- Collagen: Provides strength, structure and support.
- Elastin: Helps our skin stretch and return to its original shape.
- Hyaluronic acid: Helps bind water within our tissues, supporting hydration and volume.
Or, as I like to say:
Fibroblasts give our skin its fabulousness! ✨
Oestrogen influences fibroblast activity and the processes involved in maintaining these structures.
As oestrogen levels decline, our fibroblasts can become less active, affecting the production and maintenance of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.
And what does that actually look and feel like?
Skin that becomes thinner, drier, wrinklier, a little saggier and sometimes an overreactive, sensitive mess!
Sound familiar?
These changes don’t happen to everyone in the same way, but understanding what’s happening beneath the surface helps us make sense of what we’re seeing in the mirror.
2. Why does menopausal skin feel so different?
Not every woman experiences the same changes, but there are some common patterns.
Dryness and dehydration
Our skin relies on a healthy barrier to retain moisture and protect us from the outside world.
During menopause, changes in skin lipids, hydration (those fibroblasts again) and barrier function can leave skin feeling drier, tighter or less comfortable.
And there’s an important difference between dry and dehydrated skin.
Dry skin lacks sufficient oils or lipids, while dehydrated skin lacks water. It’s possible to experience both.
Loss of firmness and elasticity
As collagen and elastin change over time, our skin may gradually lose some of its structural support.
You might notice this around your eyes, along your jawline or on your neck.
Increased sensitivity
Skin that previously tolerated almost anything may become more reactive.
Products that once felt comfortable might suddenly sting, and over-exfoliation or harsh cleansing can make things worse.
Changes in texture and fine lines
Reduced hydration, collagen changes and accumulated sun exposure can all contribute to more visible lines and changes in skin texture.
And this is something I always explain during consultations: menopause is one part of the picture.
Genetics, sun exposure, lifestyle, health and our existing skincare habits all influence how our skin ages.
Understanding the combination helps us choose the most appropriate support.
3. Supporting your skin at home: where skincare really matters
Before we even think about professional treatments, I always want to understand what’s happening with your everyday skincare routine.
Because healthy skin starts with the basics.
Protect the skin barrier
A gentle cleanser and a well-formulated moisturiser can make an enormous difference to how comfortable our skin feels.
Look for ingredients such as ceramides, glycerin and other humectants and emollients that help support hydration and barrier function.
And please don’t underestimate daily sun protection!
Broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher is one of the most important tools we have for protecting skin against further UV-related damage and premature ageing.
Choose active ingredients with purpose
Once the basics are working well, we can consider ingredients that target particular concerns.
Retinoids, including retinal and retinol, can help improve the appearance of fine lines and uneven texture over time. They work through processes involved in skin-cell turnover and collagen regulation.
Hyaluronic acid and other humectants help attract and retain water, improving the appearance and feel of hydrated skin.
Barrier-supporting ingredients, including ceramides, can help reduce moisture loss and improve comfort.
The important thing is choosing ingredients your skin can tolerate and introducing them appropriately.
More products and stronger formulas don’t automatically mean better results.
Where Tropic’s Ultimate Renew Collection fits in
One of the reasons I’ve been so excited about Tropic’s Ultimate Renew Collection is that it brings together products designed to address several concerns associated with changing skin.
The collection includes:
- Renewing Cleanser
- Youth Potion
- Skin Dream Advanced Night Cream
- Neck Sculpt
- Lip Silk
Each product has a different role, from cleansing and hydration to improving the appearance of firmness, texture and fine lines.
And what I particularly love is that Tropic has shared clinical or laboratory testing behind the products.
It’s worth understanding what those results actually tell us.
For example, independent clinical testing can help us understand how a skincare product performs in real people, looking at measurable outcomes such as skin hydration, alongside visible improvements in the appearance of the skin.
This gives us something more meaningful to consider than marketing promises alone, helping us make informed choices about the products we use.
Good skincare science is about understanding the evidence as well as enjoying the results.
And if you’re unsure which products would suit your skin, I’d much rather help you understand what your skin needs and build a routine that feels right for you, than leave you feeling overwhelmed by choice or unsure where to begin.
4. What about changes happening deeper within the skin?
This is where my work as an aesthetic nurse becomes particularly interesting.
Skincare can do wonderful things for hydration, barrier health and the appearance of our skin.
But some of the changes associated with menopause involve the deeper dermal structures that topical products may not be able to address to the same extent.
That’s where carefully selected professional treatments may have a role.
Microneedling: encouraging the skin’s repair response
Microneedling uses very fine needles to create tiny, controlled micro-injuries in the skin. This stimulates the skin’s natural repair processes, including the release of growth factors, activation of fibroblasts and production and remodelling of collagen.
Over a course of treatments, microneedling may help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, uneven skin texture, enlarged pores, certain types of scarring (particularly acne scars), and some forms of uneven pigmentation. It may also help improve skin firmness, smoothness and overall radiance.
These improvements develop gradually as the skin responds to treatment, and results vary depending on individual skin concerns, skin health and the number of treatments required.
Microneedling isn’t suitable for everyone, and it works best as part of a wider approach to skin health, supported by a consistent skincare routine and daily sun protection.
SuneKOS: helping fibroblasts find their fabulousness again!
Remember those fabulous fibroblasts we met earlier?
Well, SuneKOS is an injectable treatment combining hyaluronic acid with a specific blend of amino acids, designed to support the environment in which our fibroblasts work.
Think of it as giving our fibroblasts some of the building blocks and encouragement they need to get back to doing what they do best!
The aim is to stimulate fibroblast activity and support the production of collagen and elastin, helping to improve skin firmness, elasticity and the appearance of fine lines.
It’s about improving the quality of your own skin, rather than changing the way you look.
So, which is better: skincare or professional treatments?
I don’t think that’s quite the right question!
They have different roles, and I often compare this to how we look after our teeth.
We brush our teeth twice a day to maintain good oral hygiene, but we also visit the dentist and dental hygienist for professional care that goes beyond what we can achieve at home.
However, those occasional appointments don’t replace the importance of brushing our teeth every day.
Our skin is much the same.
A consistent daily skincare routine is the foundation of good skin health, helping to protect, hydrate and maintain our skin every day.
Professional treatments can then offer an additional level of support, helping to address particular concerns or achieve improvements that may be difficult to accomplish through skincare alone.
It’s not about choosing between skincare and professional treatments. It’s about understanding how they can work together.
And just as our dental needs are individual, so are our skin’s. The most appropriate approach depends on your skin, your concerns, your medical history and what you’re hoping to achieve.
5. Feeling confident in your changing skin
There’s something about changes to our skin that can feel surprisingly personal.
Perhaps it’s because our reflection is something we see every single day.
And when our skin starts behaving differently, it can sometimes affect how we feel about ourselves.
I want women to understand that these changes are common, that there are ways to support skin health, and that they have choices.
For some women, that might mean finding a moisturiser that finally makes their skin feel comfortable again.
For others, it’s learning how to introduce a retinoid or building a skincare routine that works with their changing needs.
And for some, it may mean exploring professional treatments to address specific concerns.
My approach always begins with understanding your skin, listening to what’s bothering you and helping you make an informed choice.
Because confidence doesn’t have to mean looking younger.
It can simply mean looking in the mirror and feeling comfortable with the woman looking back.
Let’s talk about your skin
If you’ve noticed changes in your skin during perimenopause or menopause, I’d love to help you understand what’s happening.
Whether you’re looking for personalised skincare advice or considering professional skin treatments, we can explore what might be appropriate for you.
And if you’d like to understand how menopause can affect the rest of your body, from brain fog and sleep to joint discomfort and metabolism, I’ve written a separate guide exploring the bigger picture.
Helping women reconnect with their reflection, their confidence and each other.
Hayley Duncombe
Registered Nurse | Aesthetic Nurse Specialist | Tropic Skincare Executive Leader
This article provides general information about skin health and aesthetic treatments. Individual results vary, and all professional treatments require an appropriate consultation and assessment. No skincare product or aesthetic treatment can stop or reverse menopause.