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8 Minute ReadHow To
09.09.20 (Updated 22.09.22)
Ah, menopause. Gotta love it. That inevitable time in a woman’s life where oestrogen production slows and hormones start to shift. During the period known as perimenopause, a woman’s body and mind undergoes changes that can leave her feeling discombobulated and somewhat divorced from who she used to be. Did you know, however, that in addition to well-documented menopause symptoms such as menopause insomnia and hot flashes, menopause can also directly impact skin health?
The gradual depletion of oestrogen throughout perimenopause means skin is less nourished and your once bright, bouncy skin can soon become dry and itchy. The body also stops producing as much collagen, meaning that the elasticity and ‘plumpness’ of your skin will likely suffer. This, combined with the dryness caused by that dip in oestrogen, can cause saggy skin to develop around the neck, jaw, cheeks and mouth, and fine lines and wrinkles to develop.
Here's our guide to improving skin health and feeding the goodness back into dry, itchy menopausal skin. In this article we let on the best vitamins and supplements for menopause skin, how to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and how to best balance your hormones and bring back that youthful glow.
Collagen is in short-supply post-menopause. As you traverse perimenopause, something called ‘collagenases’ occurs. Collagenases is the enzymatic breakdown of the skin’s natural collagen and is, unfortunately, an inevitable part of the ageing process.
However, there are steps you can take to mitigate the impact of ‘collagenases’ on the health and appearance of your skin. The LYMA Supplement contains Lycored Lycopene™, a powerful, technology-enhanced natural carotenoid, and is the most potent strain of lycopene there is. Lycopene is a renowned antioxidant and has long been touted by beauty experts for its miraculous anti-ageing properties. It works by inhibiting the aforementioned collagenases, keeping your skin plumper for longer.
The body cannot produce Lycopene itself and therefore supplementing is necessary. In LYMA, Lycored Lycopene™ is coupled with LipiSperse® which enhances the bioavailability of the Lycopene by up to 1000%.
Sun damage is particularly detrimental to older skin and can encourage dryness, wrinkles, sagging and lines to develop prematurely.
In addition to supporting collagen production, supplementing with Lycored Lycopene™ has also been demonstrated to be an effective way to protect the skin against UV damage caused by overexposure to the sun. In one study where participants were either asked to supplement with lycopene or given a placebo, those in the lycopene group experienced reduced sun damage compared with those who took a placebo.
Another study concluded that a daily dose of lycopene equivalent to the 30mg that is formulated in LYMA could reduce the likelihood of suffering sunburn by as much as 50%.
Age spots - also known as sunspots, or liver spots - are small, dark, flat patches of hyperpigmentation that begin to appear most often on the hands, face, forearms and shoulders with age. They tend to impact women more than men, and are linked to overexposure to the sun in earlier years.
Age spots are totally harmless (although if you’re concerned about them, or are worried that your dark patches may be something other than age spots, do check with your doctor), but their development can be an annoyance and an unwanted addition to one’s overall appearance. The at-home LYMA Laser can be a great remedy to sun induced age spots if you are looking for a short-term solution.
If age spots are bothering you, there are a number of things you can do including eating specific foods and taking certain supplements.
Lycored Lycopene™ can help to diminish age spots and has been demonstrated in clinical trials to have a gentle lightening effect on skin, and to reduce the appearance of dark patches, particularly when sun-induced.
Oxidation and the accumulation of free radicals in the body over one’s lifetime are responsible for the breakdown of cells over time and can lead to ‘inflammaging’ and encourage premature ageing of the body, brain and, yes, skin.
Antioxidants can be obtained through diet and by focussing on filling your plate with anti-inflammatory foods - mostly whole grains, legumes and fruits and vegetables.
LYMA also contains two powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients to help fight age-related oxidation:
KSM-66® Ashwagandha is an industry-leading, full spectrum adaptogen, that works wonders for improving a number of unwanted side-effects of the ageing process and of menopause, and in the unique LYMA formula, it is blended with HydroCurc® - the most effective form of anti-inflammatory compound curcumin known to scientists and dieticians.
HydroCurc® is formulated at a daily dose of 250mg in LYMA and is at its most bioavailable in our formula (clinical trials have suggested that the curcumin in HydroCurc® is up to 250% more available to the human body than curcumin in dietary form).
Of course, less than perfect skin is just one of the myriad symptoms associated with this period in a woman’s life. Some of the more commonly discussed menopause symptoms include the aforementioned hot flashes and insomnia, but also mood changes, weight gain, reduced memory and concentration, brittle bones, reduced sex drive and night sweats. LYMA contains patented ingredients, each of which has a role to play in putting one or more of these symptoms to bed.