The skin changes in three stages during menopause
Drier skin
Sebum production (sebum production) can increase up to the age of fifty, but decreases thereafter.
Sebum production is important for the skin's build-up of an effective hydrolipidic structure, which helps preserve the skin's moisture. When sebum production decreases, the water content in the skin also decreases and the skin becomes drier.
Thinner skin and enlarged pores
Thinner skin is another age-related change that can lead to wrinkles and enlarged pores. Thinner skin is due to keratinocytes not renewing themselves at the same rate as before. This causes the epidermis to become thinner by approximately 6.4 percent per decade.
Thinner skin makes us more sensitive to the sun, as it is easier for the sun to penetrate. The dermis also thins with age. With fewer fibroblasts forming collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, the network of these substances is reduced, contributing to reduced skin firmness. You can test this on yourself by pinching your skin and noting how long it takes for the skin to find its original position. The longer it takes, the further the aging has progressed. The thinner skin also makes the blood vessels more visible and can look like a spider web of vessels. The reduced elasticity of the skin also often leads to enlarged pores.
Uneven pigmentation
Another age-related change that affects the skin is uneven pigmentation. This is due to a decrease in pigment-producing melanocytes in the epidermis by 10 to 20 percent for each decade after the age of thirty. Overactive melanocytes can also cause age spots, which are brown spots on the skin.
In summary, aging can lead to drier, thinner and more unevenly pigmented skin. It is important to protect the skin from the sun and to use moisturizing products to reduce age-related changes in the skin.