1-page guide · 4 min read
Estrogen & Your Skin
Why your skin changes in midlife, and the treatments with real evidence behind them.
By Julie Murphy, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, MSCP
Estrogen supports collagen, skin thickness, hydration, and elasticity. When it declines, skin changes quickly. By one widely cited estimate, women lose about 30 percent of their skin collagen in the first five years after menopause.
That is why skin changes often arrive at the same time as brain fog, sleep problems, and weight shifts. Same root, different symptom.
Common changes
- Dryness, itchiness, and a duller tone
- Thinner skin and more visible fine lines
- Slower healing
- Adult acne along the jaw and chin
- Hair thinning on the scalp
What has real evidence
- Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher
- Topical retinoids, especially prescription tretinoin, which have the strongest evidence for supporting collagen
- Gentle cleansing and a ceramide-based moisturizer
- Vitamin C serums, which have some supporting evidence
- Protein, sleep, and not smoking
Systemic hormone therapy can improve skin thickness and hydration, but it is not prescribed for skin alone.
Questions to ask your clinician
- Is my acne or hair thinning hormonal?
- Is prescription tretinoin right for my skin?
- Should we check my thyroid and iron for hair loss?
Julie offers prescription skincare for New Mexico residents.
In the free Healing in NM app
Browse skincare in the Virtual Dispensary
Recalibrate
Want this treated as one picture?
Recalibrate is Julie's private 6-month program for high-achieving women, treating brain, mood, metabolism, and skin together. By application, with limited seats each season.