Menopause skin in your 50s

How does the skin change during menopause?
These phenomena correlate to the decrease in estrogen production. These hormones allow for the production of the following in the dermis, the layer that is the skin's water reserve :
-collagen, a structural protein of the skin that provides resistance to stretching.
-elastin, another skin structural protein that gives it its elastic properties.
-hyaluronic acid, a molecule that traps large amounts of water in the dermis to ensure proper hydration of the skin.
It is the decrease in collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid content in the skin that explains these changes with the menopause. For example, there is a 30% loss of skin collagen five years after the onset of the menopause.
Also the hormones fluctuations can make you breakout.
As an esthetician I recommend switching to a gentle cleanser (milk or oil), using AHA serums at night such as mandelic acid or azelaic acid (they are antibacterial, will stimulate cell renewal but also keep the skin exfoliated, thus reducing clogging and breakouts).
-Helene