Menopause comes with liberating upsides (no more monthly periods) and well-documented downsides (hot flashes and fatigue), but few women are prepared for the ways this natural stage of life impacts their skin. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists defines menopause as the twelve months after ovaries stop producing estrogen (the hormone that helps regulate the menstrual cycle). It can be a problematic time for your skin because estrogen is manna for your complexion: When levels of the hormone decrease, issues like dullness, dryness, and increased sensitivity to damaging UV rays can arise.
This leaves many middle-aged women asking themselves: “WTF is going on with my skin?” To answer that question, we tapped experts to explain how menopause affects your complexion, and how you can deal with it.