What is it?
Menopause can bring noticeable changes to your skin, hair and nails: drier, thinner skin that feels less bouncy; more visible lines; thinning hair on your scalp (sometimes alongside more facial hair); and nails that feel more brittle or grow more slowly.
Why does it happen?
Oestrogen plays a big role in collagen (the protein that keeps skin firm), skin hydration, and hair growth. As your oestrogen levels fall, collagen reduces too, and quite quickly at first. Research suggests around 30% of skin collagen is lost in just the first five years after menopause, with a slower decline after that. That’s a big part of why skin feels thinner, drier, and less elastic.
Hair changes are common too and are also hormone-driven, affecting how hair grows and sometimes shifting the balance between scalp hair (which can thin) and facial hair (which can increase).
Things that can help
- Switching to gentle, fragrance-free cleansers and richer moisturisers as skin gets drier
- Daily SPF, which helps protect against further collagen breakdown from the sun
- Getting enough protein in your diet, since hair and skin both rely on it
- Being gentle with hair styling and heat tools if you’re noticing thinning
- Not worrying about every single change. Some of this is a normal part of the transition
Can anything medical help?
HRT can help slow down or partly reverse some of these changes, especially skin collagen and hydration as oestrogen has been shown to increase skin collagen. The evidence for HRT helping hair thinning specifically is more limited, though some women do notice an improvement. If hair loss is sudden or significant, it’s worth getting checked directly, since things like low iron or thyroid issues can also cause hair loss and are worth ruling out alongside menopause.
When to get more help
See a GP or prescriber if:
- hair loss is sudden, patchy, or quite severe rather than a gradual general thinning
- you notice any new skin spots, moles changing, or anything that looks unusual. These always need checking, whatever the cause
- nail changes are severe or painful, as this can sometimes point to something other than menopause
The bottom line
Skin, hair and nail changes are a real, measurable part of menopause — not just “getting older” in a vague sense. Some of it responds well to treatment, and some is just worth adapting your routine around.
Not sure what’s menopause-related and what isn’t? Try our symptom checker, or book a menopause consultation — we can talk through what’s likely to help.
References
- Managing Menopausal Skin: A Clinician’s Review — EMJ Dermatology, collagen loss and oestrogen replacement effects on skin, and hair symptom survey data
