Ask a Medical Aesthetician - How to Stay Looking Youthful After Menopause

Wrinkles, sagging skin and volume loss - are these inevitable once you’ve hit menopause? The answer is no! Prevent collagen loss and combat menopausal skin with advanced treatments like HALO Laser, BBL™ and Laser Genesis. For even more impactful results, make sure you’re using  sun protection and retinol-based skincare for a timeless, youthful appearance.

How to Stay Looking Youthful After Menopause

Studies show that women lose 30% of their collagen during the first five years after menopause. This daunting statistic becomes a stark reality for women when their ovaries gradually reduce the production of estrogen and shut down for good. Unfortunately, estrogen is essential for keeping the skin looking plump, smooth, and wrinkle-free. 

In addition to hot flashes and mood disturbances, other unwanted changes occur during menopause. These include the loss of bone density and the decline of our natural facial fat pads. There’s also less oil produced in the sebaceous glands, resulting in dryness. All these changes happening in rapid fire succession can dramatically accelerate skin aging.

Menopausal women have many reasons to be optimistic, however. Although we cannot stop aging completely, we can slow it down. In fact, recent developments in medical aesthetics have shown that we can boost collagen at all ages, helping women look great well into their 50’s, 60’s and beyond. Below are five proactive measures you can take right now to mitigate the impacts of menopause on skin aging:

1. HALO Laser  

“We recommend starting with HALO when you’re between 35 and 45,” advises Benisha Aujla, Medical Aesthetic Director at Spotless Laser. Even though you’re still producing adequate levels of estrogen at this age, your collagen has been gradually declining since your mid twenties. “It’s much easier to maintain collagen than to restore it once it’s gone,” points out Benisha.  

HALO uses advanced technology that features a hybrid fractional laser system. It emits both ablative and non-ablative laser energy, effectively addressing the multiple skin concerns caused by hormonal changes during menopause. The main benefit of HALO is that it penetrates the skin with precision, stimulating collagen while promoting cellular renewal. 

“Unlike other comparable lasers, HALO has much less downtime,” claims Benisha. Yet it’s just as effective at targeting fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots, helping to revitalize the skin's texture and tone. This makes it an appealing option for women who are busy yet still want to prevent the signs of aging that accompany menopause. 

2. BBL™ BroadBand Light 

According to Benisha “by the time we’ve hit menopause, our skin has been battered by UV rays, pollution and other lifestyle factors that can prematurely age us.” Sciton’s BBL™ is an advanced energy device that can mitigate some of this damage. It uses BroadBand Light technology to target the visible signs of aging, such as sunspots, texture irregularities, and uneven skin tone. 

“Here’s where it gets interesting,” explains Benisha. “Studies show that women who have been undergoing BBL™ for many years have significantly less collagen loss and skin aging compared to their counterparts who never had the treatment.” 

That’s because BBL™ effectively addresses typical skin concerns that women experience during menopause, such as sagging and thinning skin, fine lines, and wrinkles. It works by targeting the mechanisms of aging that occur at the dermis to revitalize old skin cells at the molecular level. Essentially, when skin cells were observed under a microscope they behaved like much younger ones.

“To get the maximum benefit from BBL™ we recommend 4-6 sessions per year to see significant anti-aging results,” says Benisha.

3. Laser Genesis

“Our clients’ favourite ‘lunchtime’ treatments without the downtime is Laser Genesis,” explains Benisha. It’s great for skin rejuvenation ‘on the go,’ helping to address a variety of skin concerns experienced during perimenopause (the transition to menopause). The procedure is relatively comfortable and is suitable for most skin types. 

Laser Genesis emits microsecond pulses of high-energy laser light, targeting the epidermis and upper dermal layers. For skin affected by fluctuating hormone levels, this procedure can be a life-saver. It stimulates collagen production gently, so it’s best for younger women just entering perimenopause whose main objective is to maintain collagen levels and promote a smoother, more even skin tone.

Multiple sessions are typically recommended for optimal results.

4. Sun Protection

“People don’t realize how much skin aging can be prevented with regular sunscreen use,” says Benisha. The number is staggering, it’s 80% in fact. That’s because UV rays penetrate down to where our collagen fibers live, weakening them. The most insidious is long-term, cumulative sun exposure. We don’t even know it’s happening until it’s often too late.

“Once estrogen levels start to plummet, it’s like a snowball effect,” warns Benisha. Our collagen matrix may already be compromised due to a lifetime of UV exposure. Then menopause comes along and our collagen degradation accelerates. “Your skin can age dramatically in just a few short years. We see it all the time here are the clinic”

Wear sun protection, even when it’s overcast! “When women in their 50’s and 60’s walk into the clinic we know right away who has been using sun protection and who hasn’t. It’s that obvious!” says Benisha. She recommends a high quality full-spectrum sunscreen or sunblock to all clients, starting as early as possible. Look for medical-grade products as these are generally higher quality and contain cleaner ingredients.

5. Skincare with Active Ingredients

Active ingredients in skincare are formulated to address specific skin concerns, such as acne or aging. One such ingredient which has proven to be an anti-aging superstar is retinol. Derived from vitamin A and considered a type of retinoid, retinol is a powerful ally in combating skin aging during menopause. 

“We trust retinol because it’s backed by decades of clinical research,” says Benisha. “It’s also the only ingredient that can increase dermal strength and thickness,” she continues. This is important because as estrogen levels decline, retinol can counteract skin aging by keeping collagen levels robust.

It has other benefits in addition to preventing fine lines and wrinkles. Retinol increases cellular turnover and renewal. Once you’ve been using it for 6-12 months, it can help promote smoother skin, fade dark spots and combat the dullness often associated with hormonal shifts. 

“I think incorporating retinol into your skincare routine during menopause can significantly enhance skin resilience and radiance,” says Benisha.

We invite you to book your complimentary consultation at Spotless to learn which targeted treatments and products can help you achieve optimum skin health at menopause.