What diet and lifestyle changes help menopause itchy skin?
Skin loses about 30% of its collagen during the first five years of menopause and dermatological studies have shown that women tend to lose about 2% of their collagen every year for the next 20 years, this alongside diminishing oestrogen can cause skin irritation and itchiness in menopause.
The loss of moisture and collagen in menopause alters your outer skin layers. The dermal texture can be improved naturally through changes to your diet, lifestyle and skincare as it treats the itchiness at the underlying cause.
You don’t need to spend a huge amount of money on supplements, potions, creams and lotions to fight your menopausal dry, itchy skin, when simple alterations to your shopping list can make a healthier intervention.
What types of food help menopause itchy skin?
Omega-3 fatty acids: Oily fish is packed with Omega-3, DHA and EPA, natural moisturisers that revive dry skin. Eat more: walnuts, fortified eggs, salmon, sardines, milled linseed and all those dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale and cabbage.
B vitamins contain the nutrient, biotin, which forms the basis of nails, skin, and hair cells. Eat more:
(B2) Eggs, dark green vegetables, fish, grains, lean meat, mushrooms
(B3) Sunflower seeds, tuna, chicken, potato, cottage cheese,
(B5) Avocados, broccoli and mushrooms
(B6) Green beans, whole grains, spinach, fish and bananas
Vitamin C, an anti-oxidant, is key to the production of collagen. Eat more: strawberries, oranges, kiwis and limes.
Vitamin E is another antioxidant which protects and repairs your skin. Eat more: almonds, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds
The golden rule for menopause is stay hydrated. We can’t repeat often enough how important it is to drink plenty of water to keep your menopausal skin supple and moisturised, it will also help many other symptoms of dryness you may be experiencing elsewhere in your body.
Taking care of itchy menopause skin
As you enter midlife the pH level of your skin changes. Around 50, skin becomes more sensitive, and it’s more likely to develop rashes and skin can become easily irritated.
If you have an existing skin condition, such as eczema or rosacea, this could worsen so your skincare in menopause is especially important.
Long, hot showers not only wash away your cares but also essential oils. To avoid aggravating your formication, turn down the thermostat and take a shorter shower for a more forgiving skin experience.
Oats with their lubricating fats and sugars help to combat dry and itchy skin. Proteins in oats help cool and calm itchy skin. Grind oats to a fine powder (whole flakes will sink to the bottom of the bath) or put whole flakes in a muslin bag and add to slightly cooling, rather than hot, bathwater; you’re not looking to make porridge! Aveeno does a range of products using natural active ingredients formulated for dry sensitive skin.
Lavender and rosemary oils added to a lukewarm bath may calm the skin and reduce stress and irritability.
Keep it simple with shower gels and soaps. Fragranced and anti-bacterial products strip skin of essential oils aggravating that itch.
If ever a moisturiser was needed, it’s now. After a bath or shower, apply lashings of a moisturiser loaded with hyaluronic acid, a moisture-retaining ingredient that keeps skin hydrated and firm. Make sure you get the loofah out regularly removing thousands of dead skin cells so that the rich creams penetrate.
Sunscreen to protect dry and itchy perimenopause skin
Use a high quality sunscreen to protect skin from further damage, and a facial or tinted moisturiser that contains at least SPF 30 or 50+, to protect your skin from the ageing effects of UVA rays even on cloudy days.
Does exercise help?
Regular exercise can also help perimenopause itchy skin by boosting the endocrine (hormonal) system. It increases blood flow, helping nutrients to reach the skin more efficiently. Exercise - especially Pilates and yoga - also helps in stress relief.
