WELLNESS: NORMLISING MENOPAUSE

Normalising Menopause

Do you customise treatment plans for your clients going through menopause? Nadine Dilong explains what you need to know.

Do you have many women in their 40s and 50s as part of your client base? Chances are, you do, but have you ever considered that they might be going through (peri-)menopause and might need a treatment plan that reflects this? New research by Flordis Femular has revealed that four out of five Australians don’t actually know what menopause is and how it can impact a woman’s life, and how this is affecting their wellbeing.

Whilst the average age of menopause is around 51 years, the secondary research conducted by Flordis Femular ® has actually shown that nearly half (48%) of Australian women who had been through menopause, experienced symptoms before the age of 45, which admittedly is much younger than people like to think it can occur.

With many misconceptions about menopause, and the fact that symptoms and timelines can vary considerably from person to person, leading Women’s Health and Reproduction Educator Natasha Andreadis believes this is a key reason many Australians are still so ‘menopause ignorant.’ Symptoms of menopause are different for everyone, but the drop in estrogen can be visible on women’s skin.

Symptoms of menopause

“When women enter perimenopause, this is accompanied by a noticeable drop in estrogen levels, which impacts many areas of our bodies including our moods, libido and even our skin. Once estrogen production slows, this can cause your skin (particularly on sensitive areas like the face) to easily dry out and thin. Some women may notice they seemingly look like they’ve aged more during menopause, as collagen production also reduces, leading to more visible signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles. Some women also may notice thinning hair, particularly around their scalp,” says Andreadis.

So what can or should aesthetic professionals do when treating menopausal skin and women’s overall wellbeing? Dr Peter Ryan is a GP and Cosmetic Injector in Sydney’s South, and says many of his female patients confide in him when it comes to menopause.

“I am a middle aged doctor working in the cosmetic industry, helping with concerns about wrinkles and volume loss. My experience has taught me to look beyond why someone says they walk in the door. It’s also taught me to sometimes be direct about exploring those reasons.

Therapies such as remedial massage may be of benefit, as it is deeply relaxing and can help relieve stress, which often exacerbates menopausal symptoms.

So if someone can trust me to poke needles and cannulas in their face, they sometimes trust me with many other fears and concerns they have about health, family and relationships. It’s still true; the most important tool we have in medicine are the ears and eyes. We need to use them wisely, and when a new patient presents in this (menopausal) age range, a good chat and history taking can open a can of worms. Every wrinkle can have a story!” says Dr Ryan.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

For those that confide in him about Menopause symptoms, he isn’t shy to suggest Hormone Replacement Therapy. “Hormone replacement therapy, HRT, is simply administering therapeutic substances to do the job of the declining endogenous hormones, from the age of about 42 onwards, sometimes earlier,” he explains. “With HRT the obvious possible side effects need to be discussed. The most talked about is breast cancer.

There is an increased risk, especially with longterm treatment. Without HRT, there is still a risk. Breast screening is essential. The risks need to be discussed with a patient and balanced with the risk of not using HRT. There are no guarantees. Early detection of breast cancer is available. From the outset family history needs to be considered. Other common side effects are breast pain, and irregular vaginal bleeding.”

Of course, not everyone wants HRT, so what else can aesthetic and wellness professionals offer women experiencing menopause symptoms to alleviate the stress and discomfort?

Spa and wellness therapies

“Body therapy can do so much for women physically and mentally during menopause,” says Andreadis. “Therapies such as remedial massage may be of benefit, as it is deeply relaxing and can help relieve stress, which often exacerbates menopausal symptoms. Some women also benefit from acupressure which helps stimulate the adrenal glands to regulate hormone production. However, other women can be very sensitive to touch during menopause, so I would always encourage women to find the best option for themselves.”

Acupressure may relief menopause symptoms

One of the most known and discussed symptoms of menopause is hot flushes, and sweating. While it may sound counterintuitive, “some women actually benefit from using a sauna to help decrease the severity of their hot flushes, as well as other menopausal symptoms like stress and fatigue,” explains Andreadis. “Using an infrared sauna in particular, helps the immune system to strengthen itself, by allowing nutrients and oxygen to flow more freely. It can also be extremely beneficial for skin, as it can help stimulate collagen production, leading to firmer, plumper skin.”

Supplements to alleviate menopause symptoms

And lastly, think about health and wellbeing from the inside out, with certain supplements showing a relief of menopause symptoms. “Supplements that are designed to reduce stress, balance the mood, and assist with hot flush management are probably the most beneficial to women nervous about experiencing challenges due to menopause. Taking a naturally derived extract, such as Ze- 450 (which can be found in the Flordis Femular range) can help with minimising the effects of menopausal symptoms like hot flushes and mild anxiety. Other ingredients that may prove beneficial to help combat ageing are hyaluronic acid or collagen,” Andreadis concludes.

While there is no quick fix to help women during menopause, there are a lot of things aesthetic and wellness professionals can suggest to their clients in order to alleviate symptoms and the stress associated with menopause. It’s important to stay educated and, most of all, listen to each individual client’s needs.

Treatments that may help with menopause symptoms:

✓ Hormone Replacement Therapy

✓ Remedial massage

✓ Acupressure

✓ Infrared sauna

✓ Dietary supplements