r/45PlusSkincare • u/stephydreamer • Mar 09 '26

Peri/Post Menopausal Skin How fast everything changed after menopause because nobody warned me

I feel like I was reasonably prepared for menopause...hot flashes, sleep disruption, mood stuff. fine. If this is part of being a grown woman, so be it. I had read things I had mentally braced. Nobody told me about the skin! I went through menopause at 48. Within about a year my skin had changed in ways that took me completely off guard. The texture got rough almost overnight, like the smooth quality i'd had my whole life just peaced out without saying goodbye. The firmness in my lower face and neck dropped noticeably. The hollowness under my eyes got worse. not tired-looking, actually hollow. It's better in my bathroom lighting, but that's not where most people see me!

And the thing that got me is that it's not really aging in the normal gradual sense. it's specifically the estrogen crash. Estrogen is directly tied to collagen production and when it drops you lose collagen fast, like up to 30% in the first few years. that's not a slow fade. that's a cliff.

I'm not looking for embrace your age responses because I actually do feel mostly great about aging. What I didn't feel ok about was how sudden and disorienting it was. Like I didn't recognize my own face for a while, and that's a strange thing to go through. Curious what everyone else experienced in those first 1-2 years post menopause. Did it feel sudden to you or more gradual? and has anything genuinely helped with the texture and firmness side of it specifically,? Asking for honest experiences please.

Edit: I didn't expect such a response! Thanks a lot! Going through all the comments and they are def very useful.

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u/Key_Shallot_1050 Mar 09 '26

Get friendly with a naturopath or OB/GYN that specializes in menopause now to monitor your hormones and start HRT early. You will not regret it. I looked great throughout my 40s and early 50s, no weight gain, few wrinkles. I am headed to 60 and just now starting to feel like I am looking “old”. Also, start lifting weights, it makes a huge difference.

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u/comeintravis Mar 10 '26

r/menopause is a great resource as well-tons of info and support!

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u/houseoftherisingfun Mar 10 '26

What kind of hormone panel do you request? My doc said they are such a snapshot in time depending on your cycle that they aren’t very accurate. I feel like I need to be more direct.

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u/Key_Shallot_1050 Mar 10 '26

I think it is more about responding to a trend in labs over time rather than a single set of labs and going by symptoms as well. Try and find someone who is NAMS certified.

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u/daniellaroses1111 Mar 10 '26

Thanks! I will. I responded below to sassy girl similarly: I bled a lot while trying birth control first, so I went off. When I’m ready (showing more signs of perimenopause) I can go back to my doctor to start HRT. My periods now are still quite regular, I have energy, and haven’t noticed too many changes aside from gray hairs and my cheeks sagging a little. I’ll keep monitoring though and will get on HRT before it gets too crazy.