What is menopausal acne & how long does it last?

Irregular periods, hot flashes, mood swings and fatigue… the list of common menopausal symptoms goes on. As if you didn’t have enough to contend with when nearing the menopause, your skin also suffers the consequences of this unavoidable transition.

Menopausal acne affects 26% of women in their 40s and 15% of over 50s. As well as being an uncomfortable and often unsightly symptom to be faced with from day to day, it’s particularly challenging to reduce or eliminate. Standard acne treatments often don’t touch the stubborn spots and blemishes linked with menopausal acne.

As with any skincare challenge, you first have to understand menopausal acne to overcome it. Here we answer the key questions on every perimenopausal or menopausal woman’s lips to get to the root of effective menopausal acne treatment.

What exactly is menopausal acne?

Menopausal acne is a type of hormonal acne that specifically targets women in the perimenopausal, menopausal or post-menopausal phases.

Like the acne experienced as a teenager, menopausal acne shows itself as red, often painful spots, pimples and comedones. Menopausal women are also particularly susceptible to cysts during this period of transition.

Menopausal acne is most prevalent on the T-zones of the face, namely around the mouth, on the chin and along the jawline.

What causes the onset of menopausal acne?

Menopausal symptoms, including acne, are triggered by the natural fluctuation and eventual decline of reproductive hormones. The sharp decrease of estrogen within the body and the increase of testosterone has been directly linked to the onset of menopausal acne in women aged between 40 and 55.

These hormonal fluctuations actively stimulate the production of oil within the skin, which causes and exacerbates acne symptoms. As MDacne explains, there are a number of other factors triggered by the menopause that cause this type of hormonal acne to worsen:

“According to a different study, other critical possible causes or aggravating factors of menopausal acne are stress, diet, obesity, smoking, certain cosmetics or medications, endocrine deficiency disorders, genetic predisposition, and excessive skin washing. These factors may play a role in the increase in sebum, follicular hyperkeratinization (when skin cells don’t shed naturally, which may clog pores and create comedones), and inflammation to acne breakouts.”

During, before and after the menopause, the strength of the skin barrier is also depleted, and with this extreme dryness becomes a common complaint.

This dryness along with the sudden drop in collagen production causes the skin barrier to weaken, making it more vulnerable to issues like menopausal acne.

How long does menopausal acne last?

Despite the menopause lasting just 4 to 5 years, the combined perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause stages can see symptoms last up to 15 years in some women. Yet the onset of menopausal acne doesn’t mean it’s here to stay.

With the right self-care routine and a gentle yet deep acting skincare regime, you can treat menopausal acne and enjoy flawless, glowing skin even as your body continues to change.

Can I treat menopausal acne symptoms at home?

In short, yes you can! With our range of menopausal acne treatments, you can fine-tune your skincare regime with your new menopausal skincare needs in mind.

Whether menopausal acne symptoms show themselves before, during or after the menopause, you can cleanse, nourish, heal and hydrate the skin with our Total Detox Facial kit.

This three-step facial routine contains our detox face mask, organic facial cleanser and organic face moisturizer. When combined, these all-natural products clear the skin, detox the body and treat menopausal acne naturally so you can feel confident and comfortable in your own skin.

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