According to a 2010 survey by consumer research group NPD, women were using less makeup overall, but 86 percent of them reported using some sort of beneficial makeup in the previous year. This includes oil-free products, anti-aging creams and all-natural brands -- each of which may help fend off some of the things that cause facial skin problems for women over 40.
Loss of Elasticity
Postmenopausal women lose more than one-half percent of skin elasticity per year, according to a study by the Gunma University School of Medicine in Japan. This loss of elasticity can give the skin an aged, wrinkled appearance. The good news: According to the study, 12 months of hormone replacement therapy can increase elasticity by 5.2 percent.
Dehydration
Dehydration can make women's skin can appear red, dry and flaky, especially after years of wearing makeup products that may have contained drying agents. One solution is to use an aloe-based, fragrance-free moisturizer and consume plenty of drinking water. Also, get rid of that standard, generic face wash and purchase a mild one that is formulated for dry sin.
Brown Spots and Hollowing
In addition to dehydration and declining elasticity, menopause may be the cause of blotchy skin, smile lines and a hollowed under-eye appearance. You can combat these with hormone treatment and in some cases, laser therapy treatments.
Sun Exposure
Years of exposure to sunlight can cause facial skin to take on a weathered and worn appearance, especiallyin women who live in sunny locales or spend a lot of time at the beach or outdoors in general. Years of sun-soaking can also lead to skin cancer. Avoid spending hours in the sun every day and to wear sunscreen in order to avoid both skin cancer and ending up with a worn-out apperance.
But researchers at Stanford University concluded that those who "over-protected" were at heightened risk of skin cancer because they hadn't gotten enough Vitamin D, which is gained through exposure to sunlight. (ref 4)
References
- Elle: Survey Results: Women Are Using Less Makeup---But Buying More Skin-Friendly Products
- National Institutes of Health: Effects of Aging, Menopause, and Hormone Replacement Therapy on Forearm Skin Elasticity in Women
- MSNBC: Your Best Face: Beautiful Skin at 40 and Beyond
- Stanford Daily: Researchers Weigh Pros and Cons of Sun Exposure
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