Carrie asks: I'm 52, postmenopause and I have one question: Why is EVERYTHING suddenly so DRY? ( and I don't mean my plants!)
My reply: I suspect I know exactly what you're referring to with your question about dryness! I hope you find value in my response…and that you share this info with all your friends!
Dryness--in areas that never used to be dry--can be the result of MANY things--from lifestyle (are you dehydrated?) to medications, other health conditions, or from the two things I'm going to focus on in this edition of Dear Menopause Chicks:
hyaluronic acid
estrogen
Hyaluronic acid: is a naturally occurring, super-strong molecule that our body makes on its own to support the moisture in our eyes, mouth, skin, joints and vulvas & vaginas. But it starts to decline in our 30s and 40s and more significantly postmenopause. This is a the reason why you see hyaluronic acid as a recommended key ingredient in eye drops, skin care, injections in knee, hip & shoulder treatments, and in vulva & vaginal moisturizers.
Estrogen: is the hormone produced in the first half our cycle, when cycles are regular. It has many jobs (i.e. developing an egg follicle!) and one of estrogen's roles is to serve as our “juicy” hormone. That's right, estrogen helps to keep all our skin, hair, eyes, mouth, joints, vulvas, vaginas and urethras healthy. During perimenopause, estrogen fluctuates, and then after we reach menopause, it declines (often quite dramatically!) It's often this steep decline that can lead us to noticing new dry areas or that the skin & hair care routine we always used, no longer performs like it used to.
Things to consider if noticing new dryness:
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! More water helps everything… from our skin, hair & digestion to preventing constipation.
Shop for products that contain hyaluronic acid
Moisturize your vulva and vagina
Have a conversation with your health care provider about:
the potential benefits of systemic hormone therapy for you
the benefits of vaginal estrogen or DHEA therapy for vulva & vaginal dryness, the prevention of re-occurring urinary tract infections (UTIs) and overall genitourinary/pelvic health for your next 3-5 decades!
anything you might be missing nutritionally, such as omegas
+ be sure to mention any new skin or hair changes that could be a sign of an underlying health condition. For example: hair loss, acne, rosacea, itchiness, “pins and needles” are all invitations from our body to get curious and investigate the root cause.