Doctor warns of two things to avoid that 'exacerbate' signs of wrinkles and ageing during menopause

Dr Aarthi Sinha from Church Crescent Aesthetics said there are two things that can make menopausal skin worse - too much sun and too much alcohol.

Avoiding these things during menopause could help reduce the accelerated signs of dryness and wrinkles.

Dr Sinha stated: “There is often an accumulation of skin damage accrued over the years, due to sun exposure, not enough use of sunscreen and excessive alcohol consumption.

"These factors can exacerbate menopausal skin changes.” It's good to start protecting from the sun with a good SPF as early as possible.

The expert explained another reason why our skin starts to change during this time of life.

She added: "Declining oestrogen is a key factor for marked skin changes during the menopause. This is because oestrogen is necessary for the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid in the skin.

“Collagen is a protein that gives skin its firmness and tightness, so declining collagen levels leads to the formation of fine lines, wrinkles, and laxity of the skin on the face and body."

Collagen and hyaluronic acid help keep the skin looking plump and hydrated, but natural supplies of this drop over time.

Dr Sinha continued: "Hyaluronic acid is a substance in the skin that is responsible for hydration - each hyaluronic acid molecule can retain up to 1,000 times its weight in water.

"Declining hyaluronic acid levels cause dry, itchy and scaly skin that can make it appear dull and cause tightness and discomfort.

“As we age, there is also a general shrinking of the bones of the face and the fat pads drop as they are no longer held firmly in place.

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“This can appear as flattening of the cheeks, hollowing of the mid-face and sagging of the chin and jowl area. These changes can be exacerbated during the peri and post menopause phase due to the lack of oestrogen.”

Some products and supplements contain collagen and hyaluronic acid and can help to give your skin a boost, although it is worth doing your research before using these.

This comes as Dr Sinha shared more advice on how to treat an "ageing" hormone that appears more during menopause.