How to treat menopausal skin
Are you going through the menopause? Janine Corciulo, owner of Lidos Spa in Altrincham, reveals how the menopause can affect skin and how you can treat the symptoms in salon.
Menopause. The word itself makes me feel old. I'm 48 and spend my working days treating the faces of beautiful ladies in their 50s who are dealing with this change in life.
Over the years, I’ve found some don’t notice the signs of menopause while others sadly need medical support. My job is to help these women look and feel amazing during this time. But what actually goes on when the big M strikes?
As our ovarian activity slows down and B-estradiol levels decrease, oestrogen and progesterone hormones lower and can no longer mask testosterone, which is produced by the adrenal glands. This change is why women experience symptoms such as hairy chins, spots and, god forbid, end up talking deeper.
8 ways to address clients’ menopausal skin concerns in salon:
1. Excess hair can be lasered off but you need to do this before it turns grey because, at the moment, laser can’t remove white hairs effectively.
2. Hot flushes, a common side effect, can be extremely uncomfortable. Tell clients to carry a spritzer to cool them down when on the move and don't forget to stock these in your salon.
3. Advise clients to wear a non-chemical sunscreen on their face every day. During the menopause, the melanocytes – mature melanin-forming cells – reduce, making women more prone to sun damage. That’s why many see an increase in age spots and discolouration.
4. If your clients are suffering from age spots and discolouration these can be treated with a laser for general improvement of skin tone. For example, I do this with IPL facials.
5. Dry skin occurs because oestrogen is slowing down the growth of blood capillaries, so nutrients and oxygen are less available to the basal laser in the epidermis. This contributes to thinning of the skin and a reduction in the barrier function, leading to transepidermal water loss. The best thing your clients can do is apply a hyaluronic acid-based serum to the skin, which holds onto water, along with a cream that includes ceramides and fatty acids, which are known to plump.
6. Encourage lymph drainage and cell turnover by advising clients to brush the skin on their body. Those who commit to body brushing early on tend to have good, strong skin later in life.
7. Bathing in salts and using a good body oil can also help combat the signs of dry skin, and coconut and olive oil are fine as long as they are pure. Many of my clients have also found a supplement of omega oils and B vitamins help with dryness.
8. Fat on the stomach is due to oestrogen redistributing fat deposits from the rest of the body, which is why the face, neck, hands and arms lose their supportive fat, giving way to sagging skin. Treatments that focus on stimulating collagen using radiofrequency, laser and skin-needling give good results.