perimenopauseThe stages of reproductive change in cisgender women that occur in the years leading up to full menopause may appear even earlier than expected and, as we now know, manifest in many surprising and confusing ways.
Most women are well aware that at some point they will have to contend with hot flashes, night sweats, and weight gain due to decreased estrogen production in their bodies, but the real shock comes when perimenopausal women (often in their 30s or early 40s) see these symptoms, along with thinning hair and sagging skin, before they hit that big 5-0 number.
If you’re already noticing other changes during perimenopause, such as irregular menstrual cycles, difficulty falling or falling asleep, or feeling extremely tired after a normal day, a mirror may provide further evidence that your body is starting to undergo so-called “changes.”
hair changes
In perimenopausal women, the scalp and hair are often the first to suffer damage. Although hair loss is the most talked about topic, there are underlying reasons and multiple symptoms that you’ve probably never heard of, at least before middle age.
Differences in hair type
During perimenopause, you begin to see signs of how your hair texture will change as you age toward menopause and seniority.
Older women don’t run around with hair that looks frizzy, frizzy, or unkempt because it takes less effort to style. These old short-haired babes with angel hair are just dealing with what Mother Nature has to offer as the clock ticks down.
When estrogen in the body decreases, many women experience a complete change in the texture of their hair. Women often describe their aging “new” hair as dry and straw-like, or quite the opposite, describing their new hair as thinner, lighter, and wispier. Some people also notice that their previously straight hair grows curly, or vice versa.
significant hair loss
Aside from the lucky winners of the aging genetic lottery, many women also experience severe hair loss during menopause, and this hair loss often begins during perimenopause. Women who are 36 years old or even younger! – Both online and in hair salons, she speaks out about hair loss problems and solutions, proving that you don’t have to be “old” to experience serious hair thinning.
female pattern hair loss This is a common diagnosis in perimenopausal women, and hair loss is often caused by overproduction of androgens. DHT.
Other types of hair loss may also occur during this time, including: Telogen effluviumis a type of hair loss associated with stress or significant and unpleasant life events. While TE is usually temporary, telogen effluvium “masks” a woman’s genetic predisposition to hair loss and, if untreated, can lead to permanent hair loss.
Depending on your genetic predisposition to hair loss, as well as your body’s response to varying levels of testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen, you can expect to see different types of hair thinning and hair loss, including diffuse hair loss that affects the thickness of hair throughout the scalp. Enlargement of part. Loss is mainly seen in the parting of the hair. Or your hairline will recede and your temples will be the worst.
Miniaturization of hair follicles
Not only will your hair fall out more when you shower or brush your hair, but your hair may grow thinner and grow back. This is called miniaturization, and it happens when the hair follicles shrink, producing less hair from each follicle, and each hair coming back thinner than before.
Miniaturization is a symptom of female pattern baldness and unfortunately promotes both an increased amount of hair loss on a daily basis and a change in texture over time as hair thickness decreases due to hair follicle shrinkage.
skin changes
We already know that you’ll eventually get wrinkles, but menopause can cause many other skin changes that you might have thought were relegated to older age. Hormonal fluctuations in the years leading up to menopause can cause your skin’s texture, moisture levels, and elasticity to change seemingly overnight.
“Crepie” skin
Remember when you looked at your grandma’s skin and it looked paper-thin, like crepe paper party decorations?
These small, usually horizontal, sagging lines on the skin can appear anywhere on the body, and although this type of skin texture is usually associated with women over 60, so-called “crepy” skin can begin to appear as soon as perimenopause begins.
Loss of estrogen also causes the following symptoms: Loss of collagen and elastin in the skinremoves the rich, hydrated, “bouncy” feeling you once had when your skin was younger. A lack of estrogen makes it difficult for your skin to retain moisture, which only accentuates its “creepy” texture.
“turkey” neck
Many women first notice that “crepy” skin appears on the front of the neck. It is often referred to by knowledgeable women as “turkey neck” because the skin becomes thinner, saggy, and begins to take on an unevenly lined texture similar to a turkey’s waddle.
As soon as your hormones begin to change towards the onset of menopause, you will begin to see the skin on your neck begin to change shape. “Turkey neck” is a common topic among women over 45, but depending on when you reach perimenopause, these skin changes can occur even earlier.
You can see that the skin on your neck is starting to sag, with or without a “creepy” texture. This may be similar to what your skin looks like after rapid weight loss. It’s like a balloon that inflates and then deflates and loses its elasticity.
Enlarged pores, uneven skin, acne
As if having wrinkled skin and turning it into a kid’s party decoration wasn’t enough, a drop in estrogen turns previously smooth skin into acne zones, on top of which enlarged pores, pockmarks, small bumps, and other newly raised textures appear.
In fact, skin smoothness is primarily due to estrogen, and without it, most of what women consider skin “imperfections”, such as pores and blemishes, would either become more noticeable or develop overnight. Just like in your teenage years, hormonal fluctuations can also cause symptoms such as: Acne during menopause.
facial changes
Loss of facial muscle tone, aka “melting face” or jaw
Loss of muscle tone is a factor, but so is loss of skin tone, with many women half-jokingly exclaiming that their face is melting into their neck.
What’s really happening is that you’re going through the part of aging that all women love (sarcasm, of course). chinThis refers to the sagging, excess skin that makes your cheeks appear as if they are melting straight down your face and neck.
Jaws are not a health hazard, but you get the idea. Going from having a firm, pronounced jawline and cheeks to sagging skin, the type usually only associated with older people, can take a toll on your confidence, especially if you’re just approaching your 50s.
Severely dry skin and thinning lips
Loss of estrogen, collagen, and elastin causes your lips to become “puckered” and your skin to dry out, leaving you constantly reaching for lip balm and applying lotion, which may seem like a waste of time.
Perimenopausal and menopausal women often say that increasing their water intake has little effect, leaving their lips and newly wrinkled skin looking like wrinkled, dry raisins. Dry skin causes constant itching on the skin all over the body. This is a common symptom in women who have entered menopause. (And oddly enough, one of the most itchy places for women during their cycle or menopause is the inside of their ears.)
Some women have noticed an increase in the plumpness and hydration of their skin while using it. hormone replacement therapy or from use estrogen skin creamHowever, these treatments do not seem to be effective for everyone.
Our conclusion?
Stay in touch with your doctor to maintain a healthy body and mind through perimenopause
It may sound obvious, but it takes an MD to properly track the effects of aging and perimenopause to maintain optimal health. Only a doctor who fully understands how perimenopause and menopause change a woman’s body and brain can properly address your concerns through laboratory tests, blood tests, and possibly scalp/skin biopsies, and the safest medications based on your medical background and genetics.
Common courses of action often include: Hormone replacement therapyHRT, or regular hormonal birth control methods such as the pill or hormonal IUD to replace the hormones your body no longer produces.
no one have Menopause requires seeing a doctor or taking medication, but if you feel like your symptoms are ruining your life, a doctor with expertise in women’s health can help you find a solution.
