How to Manage Atopic Dermatitis During Menopause

Menopause comes with a lot of symptoms — hot flashes and night sweats among the more well-known. But there are many other ways the hormonal changes of menopause affect your body, including your skin.

There are a couple things that your skin may need during this time: more moisturizing products and possibly a change in products you’re using. “A common complaint I hear from patients is that they’ve been using a particular product for 20 years and their skin is reacting to it, but [they think] they can’t possibly have a problem with it now. I explain that their body has developed a sensitivity to it,” says Aleksandra Brown, DO, board certified dermatologist at River Ridge Dermatology in Blacksburg, Virginia. If that sounds like you, here’s how to start making skin-healthy changes.

Step 1: Change Your Cleanser (Maybe)

If you use a foaming cleanser, switch to more hydrating cream or oil-based body and face washes, says Dr. Brown. In addition, avoid products, including laundry detergent, that contain fragrance, a common irritant. Look for those labeled “fragrance-free” and rinse with lukewarm, not hot, water, Matthews adds.

Step 2: Barrier Protection

Apply thick moisturizers to damp skin twice a day, recommends Brown. For example, moisturize within a few minutes of getting out of the shower, she says. That may mean upgrading from a lotion to a cream or ointment, as well as choosing products that contain hydrating, barrier-repair ingredients like ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol, recommends Monique Chheda, MD, a board certified dermatologist in McLean, Virginia.

Step 3: Examine Your Actives

Similarly, if you’ve been using glycolic acid for exfoliation, you might switch to a more gentle lactic acid or use it every other week, Brown says. “We want to exfoliate, but we need to be gentle about it,” she says. Finally, remember that less is more. Using multiple products that encourage skin cell turnover can cause more flares of irritation and redness.

Matthews recommends seeing a dermatologist in these instances:

• Your skin continues to flare, worsen, or not improve despite the gentle skin-care tips above.
• Your skin is painful, cracked, or infected.
• Your eczema rash is persistent, worsening, or widespread.

But says Chheda, MHT is indicated for treating menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. “Hormone therapy is not prescribed solely for skin changes or symptoms. Any skin benefit is considered secondary,” she says. Speak to a menopause-educated clinician about MHT if you’re interested in this treatment.

If your skin is rashy and itchy, there are various adjustments you can make to your clothing, temperature, and stress.

• Let your clothes give your skin TLC. Wear soft, breathable fabrics, and avoid rough materials, says Matthews.
• Keep the air moist. If the air in your home is dry, consider a humidifier, says Chheda.
• Don’t leave sweat on your skin. Sweat may trigger flares, so rinse off after sweating, says Chheda.
• Manage stress. “Stress does not cause eczema, but it can worsen flares,” says Matthews. While some stress is inevitable, finding management strategies (like yoga, quiet reading, running, or a weekly painting class) can help your mental state.
• Eat a balanced diet. “An overall anti-inflammatory eating pattern rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids may help support skin barrier function and immune balance,” says Chheda.

• Skin undergoes significant changes during the menopausal transition.
• A decline in the hormone estrogen leads to a loss of collagen and elastin, as well as a weakened skin barrier that leads to inflammation, irritation, and itch.
• You can reduce irritation by using thicker moisturizers with ingredients like ceramides, changing how you use active ingredients like retinoids, avoiding fragrances in skin-care and laundry products, and making lifestyle changes like wearing soft, breathable clothing.
• If skin does not improve, see a dermatologist who can evaluate you and possibly prescribe topical, oral, or injectable medications that treat atopic dermatitis.