Menopause may be natural and unavoidable, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a positive thing for women’s health. Some of the effects are obvious – declining estrogen levels resulting in thinning skin and weaker bones – while others less so but still significant.
We now know, for example, that menopause accelerates aging through the whole body according to research from the Buck Center for Healthy Aging in Women. Since age acceleration correlates to declining health, managing menopause has implications that are more than skin deep.
That is why I believe that the Menopause Makeover trend isn’t just about preserving youthful appearance, but quality of life and longevity.
What is the Menopause Makeover?
Just as a mommy makeover is not a specific procedure but a customized approach to changes from pregnancy, the menopause makeover is a bespoke approach of noninvasive and surgical procedures targeting the effects of menopause. Some of these are beyond the scope of a plastic surgeon’s practice, like hormone replacement therapy, but deserving of discussion up front.
Start with Skin
Youthful-appearing skin is healthy skin, and healthy skin is beautiful skin, so that is a good place to start. As the skin loses its ability to produce collagen, elastin, and natural moisturizers like hyaluronic acid, the effects are visible in the form of crepiness and sagging. And once it goes too far, it is next to impossible to get it back, so early intervention and preventive maintenance are important. This can include products like Emepelle, which stimulates estrogen receptors in the skin, and procedures such as microneedling with exosomes to activate skin regeneration from within. Treatments like Ultherapy work best before menopause is complete and can help to slow down the effects of aging.
Injectables such as SkinVive, which restores hyaluronic acid, and fillers like RHA to replenish loss of facial volume are other first-line approaches.
Facial Surgery for Menopause Makeover
Many women will see the first true signs of facial aging after menopause, manifest by droopy brows, puffy lower eyelids, and sagging skin. Often times a brow lift or eyelid surgery can provide a rested, rejuvenated look without looking “done.” This is also the time when many start to consider facelift surgery. While this may seem drastic to some, the advantage of having a facelift early is that the results maintain a youthful appearance without the more obviously noticeable turning back of the clock by waiting.
Body Changes from Menopause
For some women, the changes in body fat distribution or just the difficulty in maintaining a healthy body fat percentage is the biggest challenge with menopause. Liposuction is a common consideration when diet and exercise alone don’t do the job – and the job becomes more difficult after menopause. Breast changes are typical too; we are seeing more requests to downsize or remove implants (and sometimes place implants.)
Interested in learning more about the many possibilities of a menopause makeover? Contact Phase Plastic Surgery today!
