THE menopause is an inevitable stage in every woman’s life – but one that can leave us desperately struggling with a host of uncomfortable physical changes.
So imagine if a brand offered you a miracle “menopause-friendly” cream or supplement that would ease your itchy skin, thinning hair and spotty face.
You’d snap it up — and pay the extortionate price tag for the relief of your symptoms.
As a leading expert in the menopause, I’ve welcomed the increased public focus on this important topic and a move away from expecting midlife women to suffer in silence.
But I’ve also grown increasingly concerned by the proliferation of products on the market targeted at this demographic, who are vulnerable and seeking help anywhere they can find it.
While it can appear sympathetic, consumers can easily misunderstand the supposed benefits for them.
Some retailers launched signage to point customers towards menopause-friendly products but I doubt the customers who spent cash in their stores, looking for answers, found long-term relief.
‘Firms see an untapped stream of income’
The most ludicrous thing I saw before Christmas was a menopause-friendly chocolate bar in another store, which was made of dark chocolate and almonds.
With added saffron extract affron and vitamin B, it claimed to “support your mood”.
More recently, I have seen in one supermarket a special aisle filled with lotions and potions specifically for menopausal customers.
I fear the only people who will be helped by this initiative are the store’s shareholders.
It’s one thing to align your brand with a cause like Pride or Black History Month, to promote diversity, inclusivity and shared values.
But the health issues faced by women are unlikely to be solved this way, selling them promises of help when what they really need can often only be prescribed by a doctor.
There would be uproar if companies marketed products at people with diabetes or asthma in the same way.
Yet “menowashing” is happening all around us — especially in the beauty industry.
‘Menowashing’ is happening all around us — especially in the beauty industry
It’s been known for some time now that cosmetics firms see this audience as a previously untapped stream of income.
The companies are busy investing in developing products to market to menopausal women, with carefully chosen packaging and high price tags.
They will also team up with the so-called menopause experts and coaches that have proliferated online, who will try to convince followers that they need a pricey “natural” supplement for their brittle hair instead of scientifically approved hormones.
That word natural can be incredibly misleading.
I have plenty of “natural” things growing in my garden — but lots of them I wouldn’t dream of ingesting or putting on my skin.
As a high-profile GP, with a specialist menopause clinic, I’m regularly approached by companies who want me to endorse their latest “wonder” cream for menopausal women.
Only recently I was offered free samples to try and potentially endorse products, something I would never do.
When I asked them for the science to back up their claims, I was given a study that included a handful of women.
The women all agreed that the cream had indeed made their skin less dry. But then I asked if the same product would work equally well on my husband or children?
The manufacturers had to concede that it would — and that it contained nothing unique for women undergoing the menopause at all.
Who can take HRT?
The NHS outlines those who may not be suitable for the treatment. This includes:
- Patients with a history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer or womb cancer
- Patients with a history of blood clots
- Patients with untreated high blood pressure – your blood pressure will need to be controlled before you can start HRT
- Patients with liver disease
- Pregnant patients – it’s still possible to get pregnant while on HRT, so you should use contraception until two years after your last period if you’re under 50 or for one year after the age of 50
‘HRT is the best way to ease most symptoms’
Their customers could have opted for any number of non-menopause products with equal success.
Let me be clear — hormone replacement therapy is the best way to ease the majority of symptoms in the vast numbers of women who are safe to take it.
The menopause is down to a reduction and imbalance in the hormones we naturally produce to regulate a host of functions, not just fertility.
Science shows us that by putting oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone back in, by a method and dose to suit the patient, we not only ease the discomfort but we future-proof the health of the woman too.
Once she has the right balance, we can deal with any remaining problems, like we would for other patients, whether that’s an iron supplement or extra vitamin D.
But thanks to a lack of up-to-date GP knowledge, a shortage of appointments and negative publicity around this treatment, only 14 per cent of British women who need HRT get access to it.
Let me be clear — hormone replacement therapy is the best way to ease the majority of symptoms in the vast numbers of women who are safe to take it
I think back to eight years ago when I was suffering with my own menopause symptoms, when my knowledge isn’t what it is today.
I’d have done anything to get rid of the headaches and joint pains — and to have my life back.
A beautifully packaged cream with “meno” added to the name would easily have drawn me in.
But it would have left me feeling as low and frustrated as before, just with a poorer bank balance.
We need to call out this menowashing and ask the brands who jump on the bandwagon to show us real scientific evidence of their claims.
They also need to truly educate staff about the topic rather than encourage them to fob off customers with a potion.
Beauty counter advisors assisting a midlife woman who has acne or dry skin should know to suggest they see a GP about the perimenopause, so they can treat the underlying cause of the symptom.
But to suggest they’ll be “cured” by a shampoo and a collagen supplement is degrading and harmful to all of us.
We’ve been silenced on the menopause for too long — now we need to make it clear that women need hormones, not face cream.
5 BEAUTY WOES AND HOW YOU SORT THEM
By Alex Lloyd
BALANCING your hormones so they act in a more stable way is likely to improve many issues with hair and skin during the perimenopause and menopause, according to Dr Newson.
She says: “My philosophy is to treat people from the inside out. If you are healthy and balanced, it will show on the outside too.”
But if you are still suffering, here is what to do…
ACNE: Just as the hormone fluctuations in your teenage years trigger breakouts, spots can come raging back because of the chemical changes during midlife.
When oestrogen wanes, androgens such as testosterone can dominate and stimulate the sebaceous glands that make sebum.
This then leads to oily skin with pores that are more likely to be blocked.
Dr Newson says: “Take a look at the products you are using and whether it might be time for a different approach.
“Perhaps your moisturiser is too oily or your face wash too drying.
“But this does not mean you need specialist menopause skincare, just one that suits you personally.”
ITCHY SKIN: During this time of life, the fatty lipid layer that sits on the skin barrier and protects it begins to thin.
This means we lose more water through the skin, which can leave it feeling dry, dull, flaky and sensitive.
It can be on any part of the body, from the face and hands to back and scalp.
Dr Newson says: “Avoid scented products and choose things that contain an emollient to help. Do not have a hot bath with just water in it though as this can be extra drying.”
THINNING LOCKS: Around 40 per cent of women experience hair loss after the menopause.
For most, this will be all over the scalp, while the rest will have it around the front and temples.
There are a number of reasons for this, including changes to hormones and follicles miniaturising with age. Dr Newson says: “It’s worth getting your nutrient levels tested, as iron could be a factor.
“Likewise, this could be related to your thyroid.”
SAGGING AND WRINKLES: Collagen is a protein that provides structure, support and strength to your skin and connective tissues.
But studies show that skin loses about a third of its natural collagen during the first five years of the menopause.
This is because oestrogen is key to its production and a reduction in the hormone leads to less collagen and reduced skin plumpness.
Dr Newson says: “A healthy, balanced diet is vital for keeping your skin in good shape. Ensure you are eating plenty of protein and reducing your intake of processed foods.”
BRITTLE HAIR: A drop in oestrogen can play havoc with your scalp, with reduced sebum production meaning it is less lubricated and sensitive.
Since that scalp oil is no longer there to work its way down the strands, hair becomes drier, duller, more brittle and prone to breakage. A lack of natural oils can also change the pH of your hair, meaning it feels coarse and wiry.
Dr Newson says: “Take a look at the brush and hair dryer you use to see if a gentler option could help. Or try a more moisturising shampoo and conditioner.”
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
