What Menopause Does to Your Skin
← Back to Learn · By Kathryn Carter · Last updated: 16 August 2026
Skin changes faster in the years around menopause than at any other point in adult life, and the reason is specific rather than general.
The number worth knowing
Skin loses roughly 30% of its collagen in the first five years after menopause, then continues at about 2% a year for the next couple of decades.
Collagen is the scaffolding — the protein network that gives skin firmness and structure. Oestrogen supports its production, so when oestrogen falls, production slows while breakdown continues.
That single mechanism explains most of what women notice: skin feels thinner, looks less firm, and lines that were fine become established.
What else changes
It gets drier. Oestrogen influences the skin's oil production and its ability to hold water. Many women find their long-standing skincare simply stops being enough — the products haven't changed, the skin has.
It heals more slowly. Cell turnover slows, so small marks and blemishes linger.
It can become more reactive. A thinner barrier means things that never bothered you can start to sting.
Some women get breakouts. Frustrating and common. As oestrogen falls, the relative influence of androgens rises, and adult acne along the jaw and chin can appear for the first time in decades.
Pigmentation becomes more visible. Decades of Australian sun exposure surface as skin thins.
What actually helps
Sunscreen, daily, unequivocally. Photoageing accounts for far more visible skin change than intrinsic ageing does, and Australia has the UV to prove it. This is the highest-return thing on the list by some distance.
Switch to a richer moisturiser and stop over-cleansing. Foaming cleansers that suited oily thirties skin often strip fifties skin. Look for ceramides, glycerin and hyaluronic acid.
Retinoids remain the best-evidenced topical for collagen and texture. Start low, go slow, use at night, and expect an adjustment period.
Vitamin C in the morning for antioxidant support and pigmentation.
Eat enough protein. Skin is built from protein and most women over 40 are short. How much you need.
Sleep and stress genuinely show. Not a cliché — skin repairs overnight.
Don't smoke, and watch alcohol. Both accelerate collagen breakdown and dehydrate skin.
Does ingestible collagen work?
A fair question, and the honest answer has some nuance.
Collagen you swallow is broken down into amino acids and peptides before absorption — it doesn't travel intact to your face. What the research suggests is that certain collagen peptides may act as signalling molecules, prompting skin cells to increase their own collagen production.
The evidence for hydrolysed collagen peptides on skin hydration and elasticity is reasonable, though not overwhelming, and studies generally use a consistent daily dose over eight to twelve weeks. It isn't a substitute for sunscreen or retinoids. It's a supporting measure.
One thing worth knowing if you're also thinking about protein: collagen is not a complete protein. It lacks the full amino acid profile needed for muscle. Useful for skin and connective tissue, not a replacement for protein in the muscle sense.
Where MyPause Women's Skin Support Plus fits
Women's Skin Support Plus is a listed medicine — AUST L 473197 — formulated for women over 35. It's a raspberry-flavoured powder containing hydrolysed marine collagen peptides, sodium hyaluronate, nicotinamide, vitamin C and silicon.
- Hydrolysed collagen helps enhance and improve skin elasticity in females
- Helps enhance, improve and increase skin hydration in females
- Helps decrease, reduce and relieve skin dryness
- Helps enhance and promote collagen formation in females
- Silicon to help maintain and support nail health, strength and thickness
- Vitamin C to help maintain and support blood capillary health and wound healing when dietary intake is inadequate
Adults only. Not recommended for use by pregnant or lactating women. Vitamins and minerals can only be of assistance if dietary intake is inadequate. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.
Explore Women's Skin Support Plus →
Common questions
Why is my skin so dry since menopause?
Falling oestrogen reduces oil production and the skin's ability to retain water, so skin becomes drier and the barrier weaker. Skincare that worked previously often stops being sufficient.
How much collagen do you lose after menopause?
Around 30% in the first five years post-menopause, then roughly 2% per year afterwards.
Does collagen supplementation actually help skin?
Evidence for hydrolysed collagen peptides on skin hydration and elasticity is reasonable, with studies typically using consistent daily intake over eight to twelve weeks. It supports rather than replaces sunscreen and topical treatments.
Can menopause cause acne?
Yes. As oestrogen falls the relative influence of androgens increases, which can produce breakouts along the jaw and chin, sometimes for the first time in decades.
What's the single best thing for skin after 40?
Daily sunscreen. Photoageing drives far more visible change than intrinsic ageing, particularly in Australia.