No matter what you do, your skin will eventually start to look dull, lifeless and saggy. You might start to notice sun spots (also known as age spots) and more fine lines and wrinkles beginning to appear. If this scenario sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Most women around the age of 45 are likely to be searching for the answer to their woes too. It’s also likely they’re spending a small fortune on products that claim to help during the first signs of menopause.

Is It Just Ageing Or The Signs Of Menopause?

It’s not uncommon for women nearing middle age or menopause to come into my clinic and feel as though there’s something… strange happening to their skin. Most think it’s down to ageing, but I know something else is responsible. It’s something we as women have had to contend with for most of our lives. Starting in our teens, it continues to cause havoc… the culprit is oestrogen!

We think that the symptoms of menopause start when we experience hot flushes, changes in our body composition, irregular periods, brain fog and much more. However, changes can be much more subtle and start way earlier than you might think. 

Perimenopause is a word used to define the time just before we notice the signs of menopause. On average, it starts when a woman is around 45 years old. This is when oestrogen, the hormone that plays a huge part in the menstrual cycle, as well as maintaining bone health for both men and women, starts to become less prevalent in the body. Other hormone levels change during this time too, but it can be argued that oestrogen causes the most concerns.

How Does A Drop In Oestrogen Production Impact My Body?

Imagine you forget to have your regular caffeine fix one morning and as a result, you feel sluggish all day. Well, this is what your skin feels like without oestrogen, as it is dependent on this hormone. It allows it to function ‘normally’. 

Lower oestrogen levels mean the cells in your body that produce and maintain collagen don’t function at their best, resulting in less dermal collagen overall. A huge amount of collagen is lost during both perimenopause and menopause itself, which impacts the way your skin looks and feels, as every structure in your skin depends on collagen to maintain its basic structure. When you lose this protein, your skin becomes thinner, more wrinkled and more susceptible to damage, including that which comes from the sun and pollutants in the air. These environmental stressors can quickly age your face and make you look not only older, but potentially more sullen and tired, too. 

What’s The Best Way To Stimulate Collagen Production During The First Signs Of Menopause?

You don’t need to resign yourself to looking like a raisin just because you’re menopausal, there’s always a way to combat what’s happening to your skin. Boosting your collagen is the key to looking youthful. In order to do this, you must be aware of how to keep each layer of your skin in tip-top condition. 

When it comes to the superficial layers of your skin, medical-grade skincare is a good place to start. I would advise using topical vitamin C, retinol (also known as vitamin A), SPF and selected peptide combinations. It’s incredibly important to only use a few products, and there’s no need to have a 15-step skincare routine both day and night, but steps must be taken to address your changing skin. The products you use during the day should protect your skin and those you use at night should stimulate cell turnover and help to refresh and renew. 

If you don’t know where to start, you should consult a professional as opposed to turning to the internet. They will help you to find the products that are right for you. After all, your skin is an investment that will save you an awful lot of money in the long run! 

For the deeper layers, superficial treatments just won’t cut it. You need to invest in collagen stimulation treatments that reach the deeper layers of your skin if you want to strengthen them and improve collagen production. Collagen stimulation treatments cause minor injuries to the skin in order to activate the cells that produce collagen. The good news is that these treatments are virtually pain-free, involve very little downtime and have become accessible for ordinary women like you and me in recent years!

It’s Time To Think Ahead

It’s not about following the latest skincare trend! A single course of collagen stimulation treatment won’t keep your collagen levels topped up enough for you to see lasting results. You need regular treatments over a sustained period of time in order to enjoy significant improvements. You want to really fire up those cells so they break the habit of functioning at a lower level.

Everyone ages differently, because we have different bone densities, skin types, and have made various decisions over the course of our lives. However, you can combat the effects of ageing with a tailored skincare routine that suits your needs is important, which is why I have devised Nicci’s Skin Plan. 

Nicci’s Skin Plan is designed to give a boost to women over 45 years who are suffering from the effects of a decline in their oestrogen levels. By subscribing to Nicci’s Skin Plan, I can help you maintain and promote skin health during this difficult time. The plan can be tailor-made for you but all plans will involve powerful collagen-boosting treatments alongside regular Botox and maintenance appointments.

How Does It Work?

Nicci’s Skin Plan is a combination of 12 treatments, administered over the course of 12 months. Both myself and Su will collaborate with you, prescribing treatments that will improve your skin and increase your collagen production so you can maintain the healthy glow of your dreams whilst reducing fine lines, wrinkles and sagging!

What Treatments Are Available For Your Skin During The First Signs Of Menopause?

The following treatments feature in Nicci’s Skin Plan:

• Botox Light (upgrade to Medium for £50 or Full Face for £70, limited to 3 procedures)
• Hydratite ( HydraFacial with ENDYMED Skin Tightening )
• HydraFacial with Booster/Perk
• Endybleph (limited to 3 treatments)
• ENDYMED Skin Resurfacing (limited to 3 treatments)
• IPL Photo Rejuvenation with Alpha Formatk, for the face, neck and décolletage 
• PLUS receive a FREE Skin Scan with our Observ Skin Scanner, skin health monitoring and FREE skincare advice from our expert, Su Jones, worth £120
• Receive FREE Dermalux treatment. You can benefit from a bonus Dermalux LED light treatment after each skin treatment to minimise bruising, aid healing and boost collagen even further! Our Dermalux machine is proven to be clinically effective and delivers more photons per square inch than any other LED device. This treatment is worth £315!

Contact Us

To book your very own appointment with me, or to sign up to Nicci’s Skin Plan, all you have to do is get in touch. You can do this by filling out a form on our website, or calling the clinic on 07595221484. You can even email us at info@nichola-maasdorp-no4.co.uk.

Find out more on our website, or follow our Instagram and Facebook accounts to keep in touch!

We hope to see you soon!