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Charleston Dermatology Blog

Caring for Your Skin During Menopause

  • skin-conditions
  • skincare-tips

Menopause. A topic most women are not too excited to talk about but, nonetheless, it’s an important one! Menopause brings with it several changes to the body, including changes to the skin. As your hormones begin changing, you may notice your skin becoming dry and discolored. You may also notice unwanted hair growth on other areas of the skin, such as the face.

Here are some common skin changes that occur during menopause and some tips on how to manage them!

Hyperpigmentation or dark spots

As you age, you may begin to notice an increase in areas of hyperpigmentation or “age spots”. Oftentimes, “age spots” are due to prolonged sun exposure over time.

To prevent or treat these spots you can:

  • Wear sunscreen daily! Wearing daily sunscreen can decrease the appearance of the dark spots on your skin and prevent future ones from forming. We recommend at least SPF 30 or higher to your face, neck, chest, and backs of hands daily!
  • Make an appointment with one of our providers to discuss other options for treating and preventing hyperpigmentation or “age spots”!

Dry skin

The ability for your skin to retain water decreases as you age, therefore you may notice your skin being drier!

To help combat dryness you can:

  • Moisturize! Moisturizing daily, or even multiple times per day, can be helpful if you’re experiencing dry skin. We recommend choosing a cream over a lotion and applying it right after bathing!
  • Avoid harsh soaps. Reach for gentle cleansers or soaps designed for sensitive skin to avoid worsening your dry skin.
  • When in doubt, call us and make an appointment to discuss options for your dry skin!

Facial hair

As we mature, women’s hormones can change leading to hair growth in unwanted places such as the chin, jaw and upper lip.

To treat this you can:

  • Remove the hair! You can have the hair removed through several methods, however, waxing is often a good option.
  • Make an appointment! We can discuss different options for unwanted hair growth including laser hair removal and even prescription creams!

As always, if you ever have any questions about your skin, feel free to give us a call or book an appointment online! We are happy to help you!

Author: Sarah P. Fender, PA-C

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