Postmenopause Symptoms: The Skin, Hair & Holistic Remedies To Try Now

If you are experiencing postmenopause symptoms, such as sallow skin, hair thinning, difficulty concentrating and joint aches, this guide will come in handy. It is packed with top tips from the pros to navigate the post-menopause phase. 

Beauty Daily asks two leading menopause specialists what to expect after menopause and holistic ways to manage your postmenopause symptoms.  

  

What is the difference between menopause and postmenopause?  

“Menopause is a milestone day that marks 12 months from your last menstrual period, and postmenopause are all the days, months and years that follow during which you still may experience menopausal signs and symptoms,” explains Dr Keira Barr, dual-board certified physician, menopause and mind-body medicine specialist and international best-selling author of The Skin Whisperer.  

During this time, many of the symptoms a woman experiences during perimenopause and menopause gradually decrease. This is also when you may regain your energy, although there is a higher risk for certain conditions, such as osteoporosis and heart disease, experts say.   

What are the common postmenopause symptoms?    

Gail Warren, Aesthetician, Nutritional Therapist with a particular interest in menopause health, explains: “Postmenopause symptoms include disrupted and poor sleep, brain fog, anxiety, mood swings, digestive issues like constipation, weight gain, vaginal dryness, dry eyes, dry skin, joint pains, muscle and bone loss.”  

In addition, postmenopausal women often experience dry mouth and lips due to the drop in oestrogen levels. This results in a reduction of saliva in some women. If you’re struggling with postmenopausal dry lips, read How To Get Rid Of Dry Lips, According To Experts    

Dr Barr adds: “Due to the influence of oestrogen on collagen production, hyaluronic acid and hair growth, women in post menopause stage may experience fine lines, wrinkles, skin sagging, thinning hair, dry, irritated and more fragile skin.” The hormone oestrogen helps the skin to stay plump and firm.  

How long do postmenopause symptoms last?   

“The exact duration of postmenopause symptoms is variable as postmenopause is as unique as the person experiencing it,” Dr Barr explains. Adding: “Diet, lifestyle, sleep, mental and emotional stress levels as well as environmental stressors can play a role in improving or worsening symptoms.”    

On average, experts say postmenopause symptoms tend to last for four and a half years. However, once you enter postmenopause, you’re in this stage for the rest of your life.    

How to take care of postmenopausal skin?    

“Postmenopausal skin is when you have stopped experiencing the erratic symptoms of menopause on your skin. Your skin will not be the same as it was in your 40s, and it will not go back to what it was pre-menopause,” Charlotte McHale, Clarins Training Manager, says.  

Adding: “Postmenopausal skin is when the state of your skin has calmed down and become more predictable. You end up with your skin being much thinner because it has lost its collagen content. As a result, your skin will perhaps feel less dense and less resilient. You will also have a slower circulation of nutrients on the skin. So, the skin will look dull and nutrient-depleted, and, in some cases, it will appear sallow.”  

This is when introducing targeted skincare can help address specific skin issues.  

Clarins Nutri-Lumière range is designed to treat postmenopausal skin.  

If you are on the hunt for postmenopause day cream, look no further and give the award-winning Nutri-Lumière Day Cream – All Skin Types, £92, a try.  

“It addresses postmenopausal skin concerns. It improves the circulation of nutrients, and it uses organic horse chestnut flower extract and horse chestnut escin, which revitalises nutrient-depleted skin and restores its full luminosity,” McHale says.  

It also contains an anti-pollution complex to protect your skin from environmental stressors like outdoor and indoor pollution and blue light.  

The Super Restorative range is also perfect for menopausal and postmenopausal skin, formulated to revitalise skin, giving it a youthful radiance.

How to look after your mental health during post menopause  

Once you enter postmenopause, you’re in this stage for the rest of your life. Opening this chapter with doubt and resentment instead of embracing it with hope and enthusiasm – will not only be detrimental to your physical and mental health but will affect the quality of your life and relationships.  

“Menopause is often perceived as the beginning of the ‘end of the good life,’ punctuated by a loss of femininity, cultural irrelevance, lack of sanity, and diminished sexuality. From this lens, it’s easy to understand why so many women feel isolated, alone, and hesitant to share what they are going through.  

But shifting our perspective about postmenopause can be the beginning of your best life when you give yourself the time, space, and permission to be present with what is happening at this moment, but it can be hard to do this on your own,” Dr Barr says.    

Joining communities like Dr Barr’s Embodied Freedom program creates a safe and brave space for open dialogue. It also empowers women with skills, tools, and resources to support their emotional and mental well-being postmenopause.  

Holistic ways to manage your post-menopause symptoms 

Nutritional therapist Warren shares her top tips to manage postmenopause symptoms through a healthy diet and positive lifestyle changes.  

1. Load on calcium-rich foods. The fall in oestrogen impacts the absorption of calcium and the ability of the body to build bone. As a result, osteoporosis is a potential concern for postmenopausal women, and the signs are not always obvious, unlike hot flushes or mood swings. 
2. Eat more high-quality protein. This will help combat the potential loss of muscle mass linked to the decline in oestrogen. 
3. Consume healthy fats. Omega 3 has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes. So, include mackerel, salmon, flaxseeds, and chia seeds in your weekly shop. It’s also heart-protective, anti-inflammatory, and nourishing for the hair and skin.  
4. Be mindful of refined sugar and processed carbs. Balancing blood sugar can help protect against hot flushes and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. 
5. Reduce salt intake. High salt intake is linked to lowered bone density and increased blood pressure.   
6. Hydrate with filtered water and herbal teas. To help with skin and hair health.  
7. Take regular weight-bearing or strength training exercises. This improves bone density, muscle strength, weight management and mood.    

Final word: “Offer yourself grace, compassion, and permission to feel whatever arises as you move through this transformational stage of life. It’s time we normalise and destigmatise this transition from an experience of losing our menstrual cycle to an experience of gaining the freedom to start an entirely new chapter of our lives,” Dr Barr concludes.