A recent survey revealed a link between menopause and the exacerbation of the symptoms of eczema or its appearance for the first time in women.
This poll included more than 700 British women, 25% of them reported that they suffered from eczema for the first time during this age, while 32% of them stated that hormonal changes accompanying menopause caused dry skin in the face.
This poll was conducted in cooperation with the British Association of eczema, and its results published the British newspaper “Daily Mail”, where the results indicate the importance of increasing awareness about the stimulating factors of eczema, especially among middle -aged women, and the role of hormonal changes in exacerbating skin problems such as dryness and allergies.
What is menopause?
Menopause (or menopause), according to the World Health Organization, is known as the stage in which the menstrual cycle ends permanently due to the stopping of the ovaries’ function from the production of eggs, and menopause is normal after 12 consecutive months without the menstrual cycle without the presence of satisfactory causes or influential medical intervention.
Natural menopause usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 years, but some women suffer from early interruption (before the age of forty) due to various factors such as genetic or immune disorders, and menopause can occur due to surgical interventions (such as ovarian removal) or due to treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation.
Eczema
Eczema is defined, according to the website MID, as a common chronic inflammatory skin condition that affects the lives of millions around the world. Symptoms usually begin in childhood in the form of dryness, itching and redness of the skin, and improve with age, but some cases may continue to suffer until puberty.
Studies indicate that 10% of adults suffer from frequent attacks due to factors such as climatic changes and tension or in contact with allergens such as soap and perfumes, and recent research has revealed that hormonal changes, especially menopause, may play a role in stimulating the appearance of eczema symptoms.
This is due to the significant decline in estrogen levels during the menopause period, which leads to dry skin and weak elasticity, and the decrease in collagen responsible for enhancing the elasticity and freshness of the skin contributes to exacerbation of dryness and increased skin sensitivity during this stage and beyond, in addition to that the ability of the skin decreases to retain moisture, which increases the feeling of dryness and irritation.
Women can alleviate these symptoms through daily skin care such as the use of rich moisturizers, avoid harsh products, and make sure to drink sufficient amounts of water to support moisturizing the skin from the inside, as well as the use of gentle cleaning preparations free from irritating perfumes, and in severe cases are used topical treatments that contain steroids or low doses of hormonal therapy, prescribed by doctors to relieve symptoms.
These results shed light on the urgent need to enhance awareness of the skin effects associated with menopause, calling on women to seek medical advice as soon as any abnormal changes in the skin, as well as the importance of adopting a dedicated skin care system during this period with the aim of protecting the skin from deterioration and alleviating the disturbing symptoms associated with this stage.