Post-Menopausal Collagen Loss

As we age, our wisdom and confidence may grow, but the same cannot be said of our hormone levels. Many of us are not aware of the impact that menopause has on our hormone levels, and in turn, our skin.

During menopause, the ovaries begin to stop producing the hormone estrogen, which causes collagen levels to decrease. Estrogen naturally stimulates and boosts collagen production. Collagen promotes skin thickness and elasticity and gives the skin its firmness, fullness, and structure. In the first five years after menopause, the skin loses up to 30% of its collagen.

Decreasing collagen levels lead to diminished skin strength and elasticity.

The body’s ability to repair and replace collagen diminishes as estrogen levels decrease. This causes accentuated wrinkles to develop, particularly on the forehead, eyes, and mouth. You lose some fat under your skin and your skin’s elasticity decreases. That combined with dryness causes sagging that is particularly visible around the cheeks, jawline, and neck. Hyaluronic acid and oil production also drops, which causes dryness.

What Can Be Done to Combat Waning Estrogen Levels?

Experts believe that the effects menopause has on the skin can be minimized if we act in advance by beginning a comprehensive maintenance program in our early thirties. Following a strict skincare regimen can keep our skin hydrated and younger-looking for longer by boosting collagen and increasing skin cell turnover.

There are many things you can do to minimize the effect of hormonal aging during and after menopause.

1. Healthy Diet that includes Tofu and Primrose Oil

Why Tofu?

Tofu, which is produced from fermented soybeans, is a well accepted primary food choice for vegetarians, serving as a substitute for meat.  Indeed, it is often theorized that one of main reasons Japanese and Korean ladies suffer less from post-menopause symptoms than those of us in the West is their diet rich with tofu. 

As we enter menopause, our body undergoes many significant changes.  Our ovaries begin to produce lower amounts of key hormones, which results in wild swings in the production of estrogen and progesterone.  It is when our estrogen level declines and our hormones fluctuate that we experience many of the unpleasant menopause symptoms.  Eating tofu, which is rich with plant-derived compounds known as 'isoflavones' that act and behave just like estrogen in our body, can help to normalize our estrogen levels and reduce these symptoms.  

An additional plus from eating tofu comes from the fact that because these isoflavones behave in a similar way to estrogen in our body, our hormones don't vary up and down as severely.  Regular consumption of tofu leads to more balanced levels of estrogen, which in turn results in less frequent fluctuations of our key hormones.  

Adding tofu to their meal plan has helped many women manage and improve their menopausal symptoms.  For many, this means fewer and shorter hot flashes.  And if that's not enough motivation to give tofu a try, here's one more:  it's very high in protein, and low in calories, which can help with weight management concerns, along with dry and aging skin, that are so common for menopausal women.

The Benefits of Primrose Oil

For centuries, evening primrose oil has been used by healers and health practitioners for a variety of indications, among them relieving the suffering that women experience from hot flashes before and during the course of menopause. While research into the effectiveness of evening primrose oil for hot flashes has shown mixed benefits, a recent study (November 2013) published in "Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics" reported that, in a group of 56 menopausal women who for six weeks took either evening primrose oil or a placebo, the women in the active group reported less severe hot flashes when compared with the women in the placebo group.  

Supplementing a healthy diet that includes Tofu and Primrose Oil can help prevent the early and post menopause symptoms, which includes better skin.

2. Prevent More Skin Aging Activities That Destroy Skin Collagen

Avoid anything that decreases collagen levels or destroying skin collagen fiber, such as smoking, poor nutrition, stress, and poor hydration. Wear sunscreen with minimum SPF 30 daily to protect your skin and help prevent new wrinkles from forming.

Cleansing your skin is an important part of your skincare routine, but your skin gets drier as you age, so it’s important to use a hydrating cleanser that doesn’t strip moisture away, as dry skin is one of the common symptom. After you wash your face, apply a rich moisturizer while your skin is still damp to boost hydration. In addition, apply a collagen mask two to three times per week to deeply hydrate your skin and brighten your complexion. Eat antioxidant- and water-rich fruits and vegetables. A nutritious diet high in anti-oxidants can fight the breakdown and weakening of collagen.

Avoid taking long, hot showers to prevent your skin from drying out. You should also aim to get plenty of sleep and to exercise on a regular basis in order to combat the effects of hormonal aging.

3. Restore and Prevent More Skin Collagen Loss With The Right Supplements

Using a high potency and premium collagen supplement products can help replenish lost collagen, slow down and reduce the signs of aging caused by diminishing level of estrogen.

Drink a collagen beauty drink on a regular basis can make your skin stronger from the inside out. The benefits of collagen drinks include the following:

• Increased skin elasticity and hydration
• Firmer and fuller skin
• Smoothing of fine lines and wrinkles
• Stronger hair and nails

Prevent Post-Menopausal Aging with LAC Taut Premium Collagen Replenishment Advanced Formula, now with Grape Seed Extract.