How to look younger after menopause

There are many changes that occur in a women who goes through menopause. One of them is that you age faster. Yes according to research menopause increases our aging processes by as much as 6 percent. Therefore it is important that we understand this process and try to find a solution to this aging process. This will help us to look younger in our late forties and early fifties as that is the time for menopause.

Before finding solutions it is important for us to define what menopause is and find the causes behind this process.

What is menopause?

All women go through the process of menstruation. Most women have their first period after ten years. Some may even have it as late as sixteen. This is a natural process. Menopause is the name given to the last menstruation, which usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, marking the end of the reproductive phase of a woman's life. This happens as a women has exhausted her supply of eggs. This is a very natural process and all women will have to go through it.

Though most people mix the term menopause with climacteric they are quite different. Menopause is specific event after which a woman won’t have periods again. On the other hand climacteric is a name given to the troubled period of female life, which begins around the age of 40 and extends to post-menopause. Its main characteristics are the physical and emotional changes a woman begins to experience due to imbalance in production of female hormones.

What causes menopause?

Women have a fixed number of eggs that she will produce throughout her life. These eggs have their origin in the follicles in the ovaries that are present when a girl is born. These eggs will be used from the first period to the last period. Now theses follicles can’t be replaced as a rule of nature.

When the last of the follicles die the ovaries fail and the amount of female hormones namely estrogen and progesterone comes down in a woman’s body. This is the most important reason for menopause to occur. Therefore it is a natural process which every woman will have to face.

There is another reason why menopause can also occur. This will happen if you have done gynaecological surgeries that include removal of ovaries. This is done to prevent pregnancy.

Impact of menopause on skin

Now that we know what is menopause and what are its causes it is time to look for how menopause effects skin aging.  As mentioned above the production of estrogen comes down when a woman undergoes menopause. Now estrogen is known to keep the skin hydrated and moisturized. It also helps in maintaining the elasticity of the skin.

As far as hydration is concerned it keeps the skin from getting dry. Now dry skin is known to cause wrinkles which will make you look older.

By losing elasticity your skin will become saggy. This two features that is wrinkles and saggy skin will make you look older.

Menopause also results in the decreased production of the protein collagen. This protein is needed to strengthen your skin. It also prevents formation of wrinkles and fine lines. Therefore menopause will result in the increase of signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines.

How to look younger after menopause

Now that we know how menopause affects skin aging it is important to answer the main question which is “how to look younger after menopause”? We can’t stop menopause as this is a natural occurring condition. But we can prevent the harm it causes to your skin by taking precautionary measures which are mentioned below.

Use a good facial cleanser

Cleansing your face is an important part of any skin care routine at any age. But it becomes more important as you enter menopause. As mentioned above menopause will cause skin dryness. Thus it becomes important to clean your face as your skin can benefit from the extra moisture.

Use a formula rich in moisturizing agent. Go for creamy formula which can hydrate your skin instead of foams and gels.  But if you have oily skin then you won’t need that amount of hydration and you can opt for foams and gels.

Drink lots of water

We have always mentioned in our writings to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. But when you enter menopause you must drink more than 8 glasses of water. This is needed to address the problem of skin dryness that you start to experience. Hydrating your skin is important as it will keep your skin moisturized and prevent formation of fine lines and wrinkles.

You can opt for foods that are high in water content. Go for watermelons, pineapples and cucumbers. You can also opt for foods high in omega-3 fatty acids which can help you to retain moisture in your skin. Fish like salmon and mackerels and fruit like avocado can help you to look younger after menopause. Read more about hydration and aging.

Moisturize your skin

You must always moisturize your skin after cleansing it. This is more important after menopause as your skin glands are not very active. Use a heavier moisturizer to give your skin the extra moisture needed. Again as we have mentioned above if you have oily skin then you won’t need extra moisture for your skin. Read more about how to choose a moisturizer?

Use an anti-wrinkle cream

After menopause due to the decreased production of collagen in your body you will start to get face wrinkles. You will have to address this problems. There are many home based remedies that you can try, to avoid this problem.

You can even opt for a good anti-wrinkle cream. Many are available in the market or online. You can ask your skin specialist to help you to choose one.

Use sun protection

It is important to use sun protection even in your late forties or early fifties when you hit menopause. Though most of the skin damage from the sun occurs in your twenties and thirties. You still need to protect your skin from the collagen damaging sun’s UV rays. This is needed as your skin may have less natural sun protection compared to when you were young.

So use a good sunscreen of SPF of above 30. Wear it every day even during the winters. If you can don’t move out of your house in the afternoons as maximum UV radiation takes place at that time. Read more about sun and skin care.

Boost your collagen levels

As mentioned above the amount of collagen produced gets reduced after menopause. Therefore you must find ways to increase the amount of collagen in your skin. You can do this in two ways.

First is by consuming foods rich in collagen. Now collagen is a protein and by consuming certain protein based foods you can improve collagen levels in your skin. Go for egg whites and chicken meat. Both have high amounts of collagen. You can drink bone broth which is another good source of collagen.

Secondly you can consume foods rich in antioxidants which are known to rid the body of collagen damaging free radicals. Broccoli, spinach, potatoes, sweet potatoes, avocadoes, berries all are rich in anti-oxidants. Also cook your food in olive oil as it is also rich in anti-oxidants. Read more about collagen and skin aging.

In conclusion

Though going through menopause will accelerate signs of aging by at least 6 percent, you can still take evasive actions to prevent them. Knowing what causes this signs and finding solutions for these symptoms can make you look younger.