Galderma commits to including menopausal status in all injectable aesthetics clinical trials following global study of over 4,300 women.
A global survey of more than 4,300 peri- and post-menopausal women across nine countries has revealed significant knowledge gaps regarding the impact of menopause on skin health, with over 50% of women learning about these effects only after experiencing them firsthand.
The survey, conducted by Galderma and presented at the International Master Course on Aging Science 2026 World Congress in Paris, found that women experience an average of three skin changes during menopause, with most discovering these effects in their 40s despite over 30% wishing they had learned about them in their 30s.
“This survey is an important step forward in understanding the impact of menopause-related skin changes and the role that aesthetic solutions can play for both prevention and treatment,” says Dr Doris Day, board-certified dermatologist in the United States, in a release.
Survey Findings Highlight Unmet Educational Needs
The study included women aged 45-60 from the United States, Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, China, and Thailand who have had or would be open to aesthetic treatments. Results showed that over 50% of participants are at best neutral or dissatisfied with their knowledge on menopause-related skin changes.
The most common skin changes reported were lines and wrinkles (experienced by 59% of women on the face and 33% on the body), loss of firmness and elasticity (58% on the face and 54% on the body), increased dryness (56% on the face and 58% on the body), and duller skin tone (40% on the face and 30% on the body).
Women rated the overall impact of these skin changes at six out of 10 in severity. The survey found that these changes significantly affected quality of life, with participants reporting feeling less attractive (60%), anxious (57%), less confident (55%), and wanting to socialize less (46%).
Clinical Trial Protocol Changes
In response to these findings, Galderma announced it will include menopausal status in all its injectable aesthetics clinical trials moving forward. This decision addresses the fact that approximately 85% of aesthetic patients are female, making it essential to understand how treatments can support women throughout different life stages.
“Through this global survey, close collaboration with our network of experts and ensuring that menopausal status is included in all our clinical trials moving forward, we aim to elevate awareness and advance aesthetic solutions, backed by robust evidence, for women navigating this important life stage,” says Bill Andriopoulos, PhD, head of global medical affairs at Galderma, in a release.
Treatment Preferences and Satisfaction
The survey revealed that aesthetic treatments had the highest level of satisfaction among all interventions for menopause-related effects, compared to cognitive behavioral therapy, exercise changes, food supplements, and traditional medicine.
Currently, 49% of women use aesthetics as treatment for menopause-related skin changes rather than for prevention (26%), likely because many learned about the skin impact only when experiencing menopause. However, over 60% of women indicated they would have acted differently if they had known earlier about menopause’s impact on skin health.
Looking forward, many participants expressed interest in future aesthetic treatments: 47% would consider anti-wrinkle treatment, 41% hyaluronic acid treatment, 39% hyaluronic acid skin quality treatment, and 30% biostimulators.
The physiological basis for these skin changes stems from declining estrogen levels during menopause, which leads to a 30% reduction in collagen within the first five years post-menopause and decreased hyaluronic acid levels, resulting in dehydration, dryness, and itchiness, according to a release from the company.
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