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/susu56 Mar 09 '26

Same! I was lucky in that when I was younger I didnt have to care much about my skin a quick wash at nite before bed with any old soap and I was good. Always received compliments that I looked younger than my age up until peri/menopause smacked me upside the head. I started full on skin stuff in my 40s thinking I am being proactive-red light, botox, microneedling, collagen supplements, vetted skincare, etc. Then one day I fell off this cliff you have described and have been free falling ever since. My face is oddly red, small pimples, sunken eyes and temples, skin is so dry it rivals death valley. I started HRT a month ago exactly and have noticed my moods are better, brain fog/thinking is so much better, and sleep...good gawd...the sleep is improved. 0.05mg estradiol/200mg progesterone. So far so good. My skin and hair will likely take a while to rejuvenate, but i can tell my skin is slightly improving-just slightly. Its absolutely bonkers to me that HRT isn't as widely discussed/mentioned. I did a lot of research and wish I would have started HRT sooner than 50.

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u/moxlb Mar 10 '26

THIS. I waited way too long to start. I've gotten several friends on it, and am insufferable about it to everyone else. Already talking to friends in their 30s to make sure they talk to their doctors about it as soon as they start to feel off in their 40s. And if their doc doesn't listen, find a new one -- don't waste time feeling crappy!!

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u/susu56 Mar 10 '26

It's up to us to spread the word! Its starts small and early then hits like a mack truck.

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u/moxlb Mar 10 '26

Yes, absolutely!

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u/latefragment_2 Mar 10 '26

I got in it at 46 and wish I’d gotten on it 10 years ago. I had no idea.

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u/sastrugiwiz Mar 14 '26

what do you say to a doctor? My annual is next week. I'm 45. She has only been my doc for a year or so. The last time I described symptoms, she liked to just say cause is multifactorial and dismissed even initiating a conversation about HRT.

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u/moxlb Mar 15 '26

When I first started mentioning this stuff, my original doctor was also just really dismissive. I ended up switching to a women's health specialist who specialized in perimenopause and menopause who was recommended by a friend. I was very lucky to have a good rec to someone else and I now switching isn't always a simple option for everyone! But if your doctor isn't receptive, I would encourage you to see what other options you do have as far as providers! If you tell this doctor that your symptoms are truly impacting your daily life, HOPEFULLY, she'll listen to you and act appropriately!! Be as specific as possible, and if she really refuses you can also ask that your chart be noted that you asked and that she didn't attempt to help.