Beauty
Menopause: How to Get your Hair, Skin and Nails Through the Transition
Photography: iStockPhoto/E.
Beauty
Menopause: How to Get your Hair, Skin and Nails Through the Transition
Transitioning into menopause can be a difficult time of ups and downs, with unexpected symptoms. Our reproductive system and hormones go through major changes—we all know this. But those changes can affect our skin, hair and nail health, too. Here’s how to get through it.
Perimenopause comes with its share of symptoms, usually for women between the ages of 45 and 55 years old. “It's a real roller coaster ride,” explains Nathalie Pelletier, director, research & development for scientifc affairs for the Quebec brands Functionalab and Jouviance. “Some women find going through perimenopause more difficult than menopause itself.” Our hormones, specifically estrogen and progesterone, will fluctuate for anywhere from two to eight years.
While we’re well aware of the effects of menopause on the reproductive system, the impact of these hormonal changes on our physical appearance is very real, too, although it’s not as frequently discussed. “With age, not only does hormone secretion decrease, but the quality of your homones decreases as well,” says Pelletier. And although each part of the body reacts differently to these upheavals, they have a definite effect on the quality of the skin, hair and nails.
Hair
Thinning of the hair or hair loss is extremely common during perimenopause. Losing your hair can be alarming, especially when it falls out in handfuls and doesn't grow back as quickly as it used to. To top it off, your hair may also lose shine and strength—becoming more brittle and difficult to comb and style. These are the consequences of hormonal imbalances and a lack of nutrients and oxygenation at the roots—a perfect cocktail for a bad hair day!
Treatment
If you’re concerned about perimenopausal hair loss or thinning, use a silicone-free shampoo and conditioner, as silicone can clog the hair follicles, says hair stylist and colourist Marie-France Goyette, the owner of Montreal-based Hair Shop salon. You should aim to reactivate blood circulation, as well as stimulate and nourish weakened follicles, she says. And don't skimp on scalp treatments, which can help mitigate the loss of density. “During this period, it’s a good idea to invest a little less in colouring and more in care,” she adds, noting that bleaches, in particular, should be avoided if possible, since they will damage already delicate hair.
Care for your hair by regularly using moisturizing treatments that smooth the cuticles to enhance shine. Other great tips for limiting breakage: Use a boar bristle brush and reduce the use of hot tools to the bare minimum (plus, always apply a heat protectant first).
Our Product Picks
Skin
“When it comes to perimenopause, there’s a whole range of things going on in our body due to hormonal fluctuations,” says Rachelle Séguin, chemist and co-founder of the cosmetics brand Omy. First, the texture of the skin is bound to change: “Concerns are usually with dryness, thinning, dehydration, lack of radiance and loss of firmness,” she says. The skin is also more fragile, sometimes presenting more redness and itching. And it all happens due to a deficiency in estrogen that causes a slowdown in the skin’s production of hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin.
Some women may complain of oily skin and large pores in addition to seeing blemishes and even suffering from acne. These skin conditions can be attributed to the imbalance and decline of our hormones. Also, an excess of androgens may result in the appearance of hair on the chin and upper lip in some women.
Treatment
Whether you suffer from dry skin or, conversely, if your skin has suddenly gone from normal to oily, a targeted skincare regimen will make all the difference. “When it comes to mature skin, comfort is paramount,” says Pelletier. If you find that your usual products no longer suit you, swap them out for a range that targets your new concerns. No matter what you experience, the essentials of your beauty kit should include a gentle exfoliant—used to stimulate cell renewal, unclog pores and reduce blemishes—and a sunblock. “I can’t stress enough how important it is to protect the skin from the sun,” adds Pelletier. This is especially true if you use a retinol-based anti-aging product, which works wonders for evening out skin tone, but has a notorious photosensitizing effect.
If you have very dry skin on your body and face, avoid taking hot baths. To reduce the pulling effect and itchiness of dry skin, moisturize immediately after showering while the dermis is still a little damp, and use products rich in essential fatty acids (omega 3, 6 and 9), hyaluronic acid or nourishing botanical extracts such as shea butter.
Our Product Picks
Nails
During perimenopause, both fingernails and toenails can weaken and become streaky. “These streaks, caused by reduced keratin production, could be compared to wrinkles on the nails,” says Pelletier, adding that this is one of the visible effects of aging. Once again, the hormonal drop is the culprit. In the same way as the skin, the nails will tend to become more dehydrated and, as a result, also more brittle.
Treatment
With age, it’s inevitable that nails become brittle and can break easily. Regularly applying hand cream and strengthening treatments helps, but we should also be protecting hands and feet from the drying effect of water, for example by wearing gloves when washing dishes.
Our Product Picks
Go the Extra Mile
ELECTROLYSIS
To remove hair that has appeared on the chin or the upper lip, permanent hair removal is a convenient choice. For a few hairs here and there, electrolysis can be an effective solution. You can expect about 10 short sessions to do the trick.
PEELS
To illuminate and even out the complexion, there’s nothing like
a peel. This treatment, which consists of a chemical exfoliation, with glycolic acid, for example, helps to stimulate the production of collagen. Peels are also effective in fighting acne and tightening large pores.
MOISTURIZING TREATMENTS
Creams are great, but to deeply hydrate, you might opt for a spa treatment. Marilyne Gagné, president of Dermapure, suggests the new Bela MD skin health platform. “In addition to hydrating the skin,
it tones and plumps it up for weeks.” By exfoliating the surface layer of the skin using a diamond point, the device promotes the penetration and absorption of a serum selected for your skin type (in addition to dehydration, the treatment also targets acne, large pores and wrinkles). There are several options for mature, dehydrated or problem skin.
Comments