The document discusses skin changes that occur during menopause. It notes that menopause begins around age 45 and can last until age 60, bringing dryness, roughness, redness and other issues. Choosing natural skin care products with anti-inflammatory ingredients can help. Maintaining overall health through diet, exercise, sleep and reducing stress is important for skin during this time. While skin will change, taking care of mind and body can help women feel beautiful throughout menopause.

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2. O
ur skin changes in menopause just like during puberty
(what fun huh?). In fact, the skin goes through normal,
hormonal shifts every seven years, and clients should be
ready to change up their skin care routine along with those
shifts. Along with these changes, the expectation and pressure to feel
and look beautiful can be overwhelming and cause the kind of stress
that produces more skin problems. Change is inevitable, and all things
in life temporal, but does that really mean these are negative occur-
rences? No. That is just how we have been taught – whether it be the
media, the perfectly photo-shopped and weirdly-pulled actresses (come
on, they look crazy!) – to think about ourselves. It is actually possible
to mature healthfully and in fact, beautifully! Is it possible to evolve into
our true selves and embrace our character and the experiences that
show on our radiant faces, bodies, hearts, and stubbornly-wise minds?
Identifying and
Understanding
Menopausal Skinby Suki Kramer
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3. But, it is important to treat and maintain the most
radiant skin and strongest bodies we can! That starts with
identifying skin issues and rescuing clients out of any “cri-
sis” they may be in, working on the underlying causes of
skin problems, and ensuring the skin comes back into a
state of balance. Then, and only then, can we get into a
regimen of active daily care, continuing to promote that
harmony and adding any amplification products to sup-
port our client’s best selves or prevent unhealthy or early
signs of aging.
The most common skin crises during menopause
are dryness, rough patches, itching and redness. Rosacea
growing in numbers each year, as well as adult acne. Of
course our greatest concerns – wrinkles and fine lines,
reduced skin elasticity, and sagging – are very real as well.
As fatty deposits under the first layers of skin go away, the
skin’s ability to rebuild elastin and collagen slows. Smooth-
ness is replaced by a sort of bumpy roughness, and hair
pops up where no hair was before! As they say, growing
older is not for the faint of heart! But it can truly be that
time where we come into our own… At least I and many
of my contemporaries, who have chosen lives of challenge
and not so much of safety, have found themselves. It is a
wonder to witness beautiful, radiant women evolve to be
fearless and not afraid to touch and be touched.
Menopause, Perimenopause and
Premature Menopause
Menopause usually begins around age 45 and can
last up to age 60, although many more women are now
experiencing early menopause at stunningly early ages
of 33 to37, just like many preteens are beginning pu-
berty at the age of 10 to 12. Could this be the reproduc-
tive toxins, synthetics, plasticizers, and plethora of other
such nonsense in foods and skin care? Of course! There-
fore, doing what we can to reduce our toxic load is a very
good starting place when we think about our client’s
overall health.
When a woman’s ovaries stop producing eggs, men-
struation ends and many bodily changes begin, which can
often make us feel (and appear) crazy! Changes include
altering sleep patterns, fluctuating menstruation cycles,
mood swings, and estrogen reduction. Also, the supple-
ness women are used to seeing in their skin disappears.
Bring on the hot flashes along with sweats, which makes
it a little confusing to have dry, itchy skin (and this is the
most common, most profound complaint in menopause).
But our client’s testosterone production levels reduce as
well, making sexual overtures unwanted at times, and
leave feelings of being unwomanly for some time… This
is yet another fun situation to deal with for any woman,
much less any couple! Mood swings (caused by hormonal
imbalance, as well as exhaustion), fluctuations in weight
along with bloating, and joint pain are all in the mix too.
Perimenopause, the early stages of menopause, is
when the fun begins. This is where symptoms begin to oc-
cur – we begin to see changes in the menstrual cycles and
we begin to feel profound, yet here and there, changes
leading into menopause, both physically and physiologi-
cally. Like being pregnant or having a health crisis for
example, this can be a time when we learn the most and
make big changes in lifestyle for the better, externally and
internally. “Knowing your beauty” here is so impor-
tant, and taking on your own healthcare, education,
and sense of self. Focusing on the overall health,
including mental, physical, stress management and
other emotional aspects will help make life seem like
a woman’s own and less like the “will of the gods.”
Skin Issues: Treatment,
Prevention, and Maintenance
When choosing a skin care
product for menopausal skin, start
by looking at the ingredients. I
believe ingredients to look for
should include: anti-inflam-
matories (like natural salicylic
acid), calming colloidal oat,
and nourishing oils that most
closely match the skin’s own
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4. sebum (this is so they balance the overall chemistry and
do not clog and overproduce or dry out the skin). On
the science side, look for hard core naturals that do not
produce the VSA (volatile synthetic irritating inflamma-
tory) response, but produce refined, real ingredients
like resveratrol and other antioxidants like vitamin C,
green tea, and powerful retinoids from botanicals. Also,
clients should choose makeup that is not going to undo
all the good being done! It is harder with makeup as per-
formance does matter. It is important to stick to natural
oxides and micas, especially with the foundation, tinted
moisturizer, and concealer. They will not cause cancers
and or hurt the body in the long run. Make sure your
client washes them off at the end of each day because
they are sunscreens meant to physically block the sun and
environmental aggressors. They will clog the pores if left
on the skin.
The key to treating any skin issue is looking at it from
a whole person view, not just a superficial one, and treat-
ing the overall cause of the challenge, which can include
systemic immunity issues, oil and bacterial production
imbalances and allergies. This is a time when women’s
systems are thrown completely out of whack. Hormones
affect literally everything we do, so looking at underlying
cause and effect is key.
Vitamin D is essential and even more necessary the
darker the skin tone… and the only way to get the right
kind of vitamin D is from the sun – early morning or late
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5. Aesthetics International Association has a variety of books and DVDs in our library
that can be a resource in your professional archive. Here is a featured video that
is on special this month.
The Art & Practice of Stone Massage
by Meade Steadman, L.M.T.
In this video, licensed massage therapist Mead Steadman illustrates how
to incorporate the use of hot and cold stones during a full-body massage.
He discusses the history, selection of stones, placement of chakra stones,
equipment, client comfort levels, the physiological effects of thermal and
cryo therapy, and more.
AIA Library
For a complete listing of resources, visit www.aiaprofessional.com or call 877-968-7539.
Reader Reply No. 252
afternoon sun. So please, do not buy into the claim of
needing to apply sunscreen every time you step into a
sun’s ray! Clients should get 10 to 20 minutes of healthy
doses of sun every day if possible. They will feel great,
look great and their body will be strong and healthy.
That chronic fatique will somehow disappear too! At the
beach? There are other ways to protect the skin from
the sun. Ultraviolet protective (long-sleeved is good too)
shirts, pants, and swimwear are everywhere now. Wide
brim hats and sunglasses also provide great protection.
Internally, clients should beef up their immune sys-
tem with whole food vitamins – at least a good one every
day, a probiotic, some good DHEA, CoQ10, resveratrol,
and some fish oil is a start to a great “mature year” supple-
ment cabinet, but the best medicine of all is daily exercise
and positivity.
Of course, things happen that clients are not too
happy about as they age, like redness, brown spots, acne
scars, and other issues. And, there are dermabrasions, la-
ser treatments, oxygen facials, and all sorts of things that
can be done, (including yoga, good food, indulging your-
self, sleeping, and meditation – which I find the best!)
for all these little annoyances… But no one is perfect.
Clients should do what makes them actually feel good,
and quelch the dark thoughts with a hammer!
While skin care during menopause can change as
quickly as the weather, having plans in place for care dur-
ing each season is a step in the right direction toward be-
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6. ing prepared for all the changes that come during
menopause. Winter skin is often dry, itchy, and
flaky. Worrying about menopausal dryness
during this season is understandable. Cli-
ents can stay moisturized by using exfoli-
ates and richer balms and salves. Protect-
ing the hands and face from the elements
are essential. During spring, when weath-
er is warming up, oily skin can begin. Cli-
ents should begin trying a facial oil here
rather than the typical heavier cream. In
the fall, skin will begin to get dry again, so
staying well-hydrated is key. During every
season, staying well-hydrated internally will
not only help keep skin healthy, but it will
help keep the whole body processing and re-
ducing toxins, which will inevitably affect the skin.
Diet, Rest, and Bathing
Other steps for self-care during menopause include
eating a healthy diet full of organics, non-GMOs, healthy
fats, essential oils and omega 3s found in fish, nuts, seeds,
and eggs. A reduction in eating carbohydrates can be
beneficial if replaced with fresh fruits, vegetables, and
foods high in vitamins and minerals. If a client drinks a
lot of water, actually increasing their salt intake may be
necessary for energy. Smoking can have adverse effects
on client’s health, as we know, but smoking can also ac-
celerate the effects of menopause earlier than for non-
smokers. Smoking also attributes to faster collagen de-
cline (you know what “smoker’s mouth” looks like right?)
and can have ill-effects, especially when the body is trying
to adjust through many other changes. Quitting smoking
is imperative to reduce toxic chemicals running through
the bloodstream that will damage collagen skin cells, and
quitting can help return oxygen back to cells.
Resting, especially between the hours of 10 p.m. and
2 a.m. is especially essential to promote enhancement of
cell growth. These hours are also known as the peak times
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7. for rest because during this time the body produces the
most melatonin, a natural sleep enhancement hormone
which assists in regulating circadian rhythm sleep pat-
terns. It is important to bed in bed by 9 p.m. to allow the
body time to relax into a restful slumber and be asleep by
10 p.m. Melatonin also decreases as a person ages, so get-
ting rest at the proper times can be beneficial to health
and to cell regeneration.
Inform clients that taking cooler showers or baths will
help prevent their skin from drying out. Using Epsom salt
in the bath can help detoxify and de-stress. Encourage
them to add some clay to pull out the toxins from their
body. Exfoliation of the skin to remove dead and dry skin
cells is an absolute necessity for radiant skin, and it in-
creases oxygen levels as well. Applying toner, serum, and
correct facial oil or cream while the skin is damp (after
bathing) is important to retain moisture and also helps
boost collagen production.
Every person is different and menopausal symptoms
and steps for skin care will differ from person to person.
It is crucial to understand that what is put into the body is
equally as important as what is put onto the body.
Mostly, all women should enjoy this time; it is actually
a woman’s prime of life. We are living longer and looking
fabulous longer than ever before! The most important
thing in the world is how a client feels about themselves
and how they feel inside their own body, and the great
thing is, there is so much more to do!
Suki Kramer is the founder, formulator, and president
of suki®
skincare, strong safe solutions for your skin
problems and sensitivities™, and is a progressive,
independent natural skin care pioneer committed to
challenging beauty industry assumptions and advo-
cating for women’s empowerment. Kramer uses writ-
ing as a platform for her advocacy, informing others
about ingredients, label reading, and how to question authority. Her
line offers 100 percent pure, toxin-free treatments utilizing patented TLC
technology™, clinically proven to target underlying causes of problem
skin without the caustic side effects of VSAs. Her brand’s core philosophy,
know your beauty®
, reflects this commitment to integrity, authenticity,
and ethics.
While skin care during
menopause can change
as quickly as the
weather, having plans
in place for care during
each season is a step
in the right direction
toward being prepared
for all the changes that
come during menopause.
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