5 Ways Perimenopause Impacts Your Skin

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If you’ve noticed your skin acting different since hitting your 40s, you’re not making it up. Perimenopause brings major hormonal shifts that can affect everything from your energy levels to your mood - and yes, your also your skin.

Have you noticed any of these skin issues that you didn’t have before (or maybe they have gotten worse)?

• Acne

• Rosacea

• Redness

• Eczema

• Over-sensitive skin 

• Dry skin

• Saggy skin & wrinkles

You have probably tried a ton of different moisturizers, cleansers and treatments and yet you are still looking for solutions? And whilst a solid skin care routine is a great base for, what if I told you that the reason for these skin issues actually comes from within your own body?! 

Let’s break down five key ways perimenopause impacts your skin and what you can do to keep it healthy, resilient, and glowing.

1. Collagen Breakdown = More Wrinkles & Less Elasticity

Estrogen is one of the biggest players in skin health - it helps maintain collagen, the protein that keeps your skin plump and firm. But during perimenopause, estrogen levels start to decline, leading to:

• Fine lines and wrinkles appearing faster than before

• Skin feeling thinner and more fragile

• Sagging skin, especially around the jawline and cheeks

As you've learnt last week in my article about allergies, an estrogen:progesterone imbalance can also lead to excess histamine which in turn can lead to rashes, urticaria or other skin breakouts.

What to do:

• Eat collagen-boosting foods like bone broth/collagen powder, protein and vitamin C

• Use peptides and vitamin C in your skincare to stimulate collagen production.

• Consider red light therapy to boost collagen naturally.

• Consider a low histmanine diet and look into gut healing or genetic testing to optimally support histamine clearance

• Consider bioidentical hormone therapy to rebalance your hormones

2. Increased Sensitivity & Redness

Ever feel like your skin suddenly reacts to everything? That’s because declining estrogen can weaken your skin barrier, making it more prone to inflammation, irritation, and conditions like rosacea and eczema.

• Redness and blotchiness become more noticeable

• Skin feels easily irritated by products that were once fine

• Increased sensitivity to weather changes, heat, and certain foods

• Your gut can also play a role here: if you are also having digestive issues, the reason may be food sensitivities - in this case, you absolutely need to do a food sensitivity test and heal your gut lining to get back to normal. You can read more about this here.

What to do:

• Use barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides and niacinamide.

• Ditch harsh exfoliants (goodbye, scrubs and strong acids).

• Reduce alcohol, spicy foods, and caffeine, which can trigger flare-ups.

• Consider bioidentical hormone therapy to rebalance your hormones

• Investigate internal sources of inflammation and calm those inflammation herds for a beautiful skin inside and out

3. Surprise! Adult Acne Returns

Yes, perimenopausal acne is a real thing. Even if you thought you were done with breakouts, hormonal fluctuations - especially an increase in androgens (male hormones like testosterone) or just a poor detoxification of them - can cause:

• Painful cystic acne, often on the jawline and chin

• Increased oiliness, even if your skin is dry elsewhere

• Slow-healing breakouts that leave dark marks behind

What to do:

• Use gentle exfoliation with salicylic acid to keep pores clear.

• Add zinc and omega-3s to your diet to reduce inflammation.

• Avoid harsh drying treatments, which can make skin more irritated.

• Consider bioidentical hormone therapy to rebalance your hormones

• Investigate internal sources of inflammation or toxic load and calm those inflammation herds for a beautiful skin inside and out

4. Your Skin Feels Drier Than Ever

Estrogen helps maintain hydration by stimulating oil production and retaining moisture. When levels drop, your skin may feel:

• Tight, flaky, and rough

• More prone to irritation

• Less able to “bounce back” after exposure to dry air or harsh products

What to do:

• Switch to a cream-based cleanser or cleansing oil to avoid stripping natural oils.

• Layer a hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid under your moisturizer.

• Use a humidifier in dry environments to prevent moisture loss.

• Consider bioidentical hormone therapy to increase your estrogen

5. Healing Slows Down (Including Dark Spots & Bruises)

Noticing that cuts, bruises, or even breakouts take forever to heal? Estrogen plays a role in wound healing and skin repair, so as levels decline, you might experience:

• More visible sun damage, hyperpigmentation, and age spots

• Dark marks from acne that linger for weeks or months

• Skin that looks dull and uneven

  
  

The Bottom Line? Your Skin Needs More Support in Perimenopause

Perimenopause can bring on many weird or unpleasant symptoms and skin changes are one of them. With the right nutrition, skincare, and lifestyle adjustments, you can help your skin stay balanced, resilient, and glowing.

If you’re struggling with breakouts, redness, or dryness and don’t know where to start, our SOS Skin Solutions Workshop is designed to help! We’ll cover how to nourish your skin from the inside out, which products to use (and avoid!), and the best steps for YOUR unique skin.

✨ Includes a complimentary 30-minute private session ✨ to put together a plan for a targeted approach for you.

In this transformative 90-minute masterclass, you’ll learn how to identify the root causes of your skin problems and discover how to achieve clear, calm, and radiant skin. Together, we’ll dive into the right nutrition and skincare for your unique needs, while also exploring how your microbiome, hormone balance, and toxic load impact your skin.

What you’ll get:

• A simple, effective skincare routine you can stick to

• Nutrition advice to support your skin from within

• Deeper understanding of root cause therapy to heal your skin long term 

• Price 50€