Skin & healthy ageing

What Menopause Does to Your Skin

Q: Why is my skin so dry since menopause?

Falling oestrogen reduces oil production and the skin&#39;s ability to retain water, so skin becomes drier and the barrier weaker. Skincare that worked previously often stops being sufficient.

Skin changes faster in the years around menopause than at any other point in adult life — and the reason is specific rather than general.

By Kathryn Carter, Founder, MyPause Updated 16 August 2026 4 min read

Woman with healthy, natural skin, mid-life

30%

The number worth knowing

Skin can lose 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.

The mechanism

Oestrogen declines
↓
Collagen production slows
↓
Skin becomes thinner, drier and less firm

What you might notice

Dryness

Skin may feel less hydrated and comfortable.

Loss of firmness

Reduced collagen affects skin structure.

Fine lines

Changes in collagen and hydration can make lines more noticeable.

Sensitivity

Skin can become more reactive as its barrier changes.

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, too. Decades of Australian sun exposure surface as skin thins.

What actually helps

Protect

Daily broad-spectrum SPF.

Hydrate

Support the skin barrier with appropriate moisturising ingredients.

Support

Adequate protein, nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits.

Treat

Consider evidence-based skincare ingredients where appropriate.

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 helps with antioxidant support and pigmentation.

Eat enough protein — skin is built from it, and most women over 40 are short. Sleep and stress genuinely show; skin repairs overnight. And don't smoke, and watch alcohol — both accelerate collagen breakdown and dehydrate skin.

Worth knowing

Does ingestible collagen work?

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.

Related support

Women's Skin Support Plus

A raspberry-flavoured powder with hydrolysed collagen peptides, sodium hyaluronate, nicotinamide, vitamin C and silicon — formulated for women over 35.

Explore Women's Skin Support Plus

AUST L 473197

Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

Vitamins and minerals can only be of assistance if dietary intake is inadequate.

If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.

Adults only.

Not recommended for use by pregnant and lactating women.

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.

Sources available on request.

This article is general information and does not replace advice from your health professional.