Perimenopause and sudden skin changes?
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free skin care · Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:27 pm

Has anyone experienced many or sudden skin changes after beginning perimenopause or irregular periods?

Here is what has happened to my skin: (Tell me if they sound typical of perimenopause)

About 9 months ago or more, I started losing the glow/oilness to my skin. It got very dry. My skin became blotchy. My hands and feet slowly started to get wrinkles and lines. Hair loss.

About 5 months ago, I started to get constant puffiness under my eyes. I also started to get slight facial sagging. Hair loss. Slightest nasolabial lines (but they dissapeared with makeup) People started asking me are you sad today? But I was not!!

In the past 3 months, I've developed jowls, deep lines under my eyes, crepey skin under my brow and below my eye, breasts have sagged, wrinkles on knees, butt has sagged, weight in abdomen, huge loss of skin elasticity (I can pull the skin off my face and neck at least an inch- something I could never do before), nasolabial slight lines turned deep and are turning into FOLDS, wrinkles on elbows, lines in elbow crease, crepey skin on feet, continuing hair loss, extra skin under neck, neck bands when I smile really hard, pretty much everything in the book!!

I'm still getting periods but they are only like a day long!! Very light. It seems like they've been getting less and less over the last year.

Do all my skin changes sound typical of what you've experienced in perimenopause? Were they that rapid for anyone else?? Did hormones help reverse any of it?

Ay yi yi- if I could just get rid of the age spots/blotchy skin, and get a glow to my skin I could survive until the rest get works out. Any suggestions?

Thank you!

free skin care · Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:39 pm

Didn't you say that you were 27 and had a baby recently or something like that? Then you also thought that your extreme insomnia might be contributing...I may be losing track since you have started a number of separate threads on this..

Have you actually had your hormones tested? That is the first thing you need to do to determine if you are perimenopausal. You can order a saliva test yourself online if you don't want to go see a regular doctor for some reason. My doctor uses this lab below, plus I have also ordered tests from them directly...very easy.

http://www.zrtlab.com/?gclid=CJ-sxYvT1KACFQEOswodyV4xuw

BTW, I have been actively perimenopausal for 8 years now (plus extreme insomnia) and the only change I have really seen is some weight gain and hot flashes/night sweats.

free skin care · Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:43 pm

Thanks Bethany. I did the saliva testing through zrt labs.

Wow! Only weight changes, etc is what you have experienced? Have you been on hormones since finding out you were perimenopausal?

free skin care · Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:50 pm

insomniaisagingmeearly wrote:

Thanks Bethany. I did the saliva testing through zrt labs.

And what did the results say? The writeup you get back should have been very clear as to your levels and recommendations.

And how long ago did you have your baby...18 months ago at most, correct? It is really doubtful that you are perimenopausal at your age and post-baby stage.

What is your height and weight? It may be diet related.

insomniaisagingmeearly wrote:

Wow! Only weight changes, etc is what you have experienced? Have you been on hormones since finding out you were perimenopausal?

I have been on a progesterone supplement for the last 3 years which helped greatly with the hot flashes and night sweats. But my hormones are continuing to change, and I am in the process of getting everything retested at a specific point in my cycle.

For other readers: Here is the rest of her story including details that are not in the overview above, in case you want the full story before sharing any advice.

http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=37533&highlight=

free skin care · Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:52 pm

Skin changes are definitely part of the "package", as well as weight gain, insommina, hot flashes, etc...but if you are 27 and have just had a baby, then I would get a hormone test, as bethany has suggested.

...sorry, i see that you've already done that, but I can't delete this post...

free skin care · Thu Mar 25, 2010 5:07 pm

i don't think that those kind of fairly intense, sudden facial aging symptoms are typical of what happens to 27 year old skin...i would suspect an imbalance of some sort in your body. Taking hormones at such a young age is, i suppose, one option, but you might look into a more holistic approach to why your body is exhibiting these aging symptoms..perhaps a naturopath or TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)practitioner..it would be ideal, imo, for many reasons, to heal the underlying source of these symptoms w/o resorting to taking hormones.

free skin care · Thu Mar 25, 2010 9:37 pm

I concur with Jasminerosey - there are other ways to approach this. I have friends who have had great luck and good health with TCM.

I'm 52 and haven't gone a hormone route yet. If I do it will be something with bioidentical hormones and hopefully more plant based. It just doesnt' seem right at your age that premenopause is what your problem is. I hope you've had a complete physical with lab work. Maybe it is just fatigue - this can cause a myriad of problems.

free skin care · Sat Jun 12, 2010 12:20 pm

I appreciate all your suggestions. I would really still like to know if anyone else also experienced similar signs of rapid aging as soon as perimenopause began? Thank you!

free skin care · Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:44 pm

These do NOT sound typical of peri-menopause. Maybe over a five to 10 year period, which is about how long peri-menopause is but not this rapidly. Something is really off and I strongly suggest you get back to the doctor.

free skin care · Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:51 pm

FizzyBubbles wrote:

These do NOT sound typical of peri-menopause. Maybe over a five to 10 year period, which is about how long peri-menopause is but not this rapidly. Something is really off and I strongly suggest you get back to the doctor.

I have to agree with this, I know we are all different but I had 4 kids at 26 almost 27, 30,31 and just after turning 35 and didn't experience any postpartum symptoms like you are describing first off. I also was obviously perimenopausal somewhere between 35 and 40 as I had one cycle after hitting 40 and even through actual menopause my biggest symptom was that my periods went from being like clockwork to coming less often between 39 and 40. What you are describing is far above what any of my friends or I have experienced.

free skin care · Sat Jun 12, 2010 7:48 pm

I agree with last two posts. I started having peri symptoms at your age but not rapid aging. My periods became problematic around age 32-33 along with some insomnia issues so I've been on the pill since then. I've only noticed really rapid changes physically in terms of aging in the last two years. Have your hormones tested.

free skin care · Sat Jun 12, 2010 7:50 pm

Hi there...

From observation only, your description is extreme, and what I've seen with people that are perimeno are not this extreme.

HOWEVER, I have seen women go through INSANE hormone imbalance (which can often happen right after baby + stress etc), and then yes, I've seen it. I remember a girl I used to live near who had extreme allergies. I wish I knew all that was wrong with her. When she was about 16 her skin was ALWAYS dry and wrinkled like an 80 y/o. The weirdest thing.

In fact, in my line of biz I've seen women in their 30's look VERY old for their age. And it won't matter what cream OR exercise for that matter they do, they must balance their bodies before they get any better.

AND I've also noticed that it takes some SERIOUS work with a Doctor willing to go beyond conventional western med. to get things figured out. SOMETHING is going on internally. What tests have you taken???

Are you still having problems with insomnia? Have you had a sleep study done since the last one? Why are you waking? Sleep Apnea? Has this been corrected at all?

The sleep has to be worked out. How many hours are you getting?

(I went through 4.5 years of very poor sleep due to a non sleeping child... Just a bad combo if you want to look rested... it's virtually impossible)

I would challenge you to log your daily intake of foods and beverage to see exactly what you're taking in? Noting any supplementation separately.

A lot of people think they have a great diet..and then log it and see that they are missing some major food groups... Just talked with another woman on our forum. She really thought she was doing great, and her protein intake I don't think was enough to sustain a small child, let alone ANY activity she's taken on... It's a real eye opener!

What is your sun exposer? What was it like as a child?

What do you use on your skin now a days???

free skin care · Sat Jun 12, 2010 8:34 pm

Thank you so much everyone!!! I agree- these changes are insanely extreme also. But I had to ask if it was typical of perimenopause, because from what I've read online, women have said they suddenly started aging and seemed to get new lines and wrinkles overnight after starting peri. And lots of people have insomnia, but I didn't think it affected them this bad either!

Heres a quick bio:
I had my daughter and looked great after! Within two weeks, all the pregnancy weight was gone- I didn't have to exercise or anything, which was shocking. (Maybe I should have looked into this more?) I looked great, same as I always had for the past ten years. After she was born, I started waking a few times during the night. I also noticed wierd stuff like I was much colder than usual in cold weather- couldnt tolerate it, seemed to be losing more postpartum hair than normal (tiny bald spots on sides of head), got a good 8 hours of sleep but was still silly exhausted, trouble swallowing, real dry skin, etc. Thought maybe it was thyroid. But before I even had a chance to look into it, the insomnia got BAD. My daughter was a few months old and started waking every hour or so during the night. She wasn't eating well, either. So I was having lots of anxiety at night- that and some hormone imbalance was probably causing the insomnia. So one night, I went somewhere else to try to get a good nights sleep. I was pretty sure I didn't sleep at all the whole night. If I did, I only fell into a light twilight sleep for a few minutes. That started the mess!!! I literally did not sleep the next 7 or 8 nights. It was crazy. My head and brain started feeling wierd. I'm actually considering the idea that staying up for so many nights caused some permanent damage to my sleep? Because a few weeks later, when I finally tried all the different sleeping pills there are, they did nothing!! After those nights without sleep, I started getting only light sleep- dreaming all the time, waking every few minutes. Also, every few days, I would go a couple more nights without sleep. Then the slight sagging in my face started. My skin color changed. My hair was falling out like crazy. My joints started hurting. I couldn't crawl on my knees anymore with my daughter- they would crack and make noise. I started having bone loss. For about a year, I could still put makeup on and only looked like I had aged about 5-7 years. But this past December, it really went downhill. I dont even bother with makeup anymore. Sad

Its that bad.

Claudia thank you so much for you response!! Smile

No, I havent had another sleep study done yet. The last one I had- they said I woke like 300 times during the night- spontaneous arousals- but not from sleep apnea or restless legs, etc. Confused

On the study, they did write, look into possible uars. (I do have large tonsils.) I'm trying to look into that. It also showed I had almost non-existant deep sleep (so I guess THAT explains the rapid aging? Deep sleep is beauty sleep. But don't people with sleep apnea hardly get any deep sleep? And I dont think they age that quickly.)

I had a saliva test done a few months ago. It showed I was deficient in all my hormones. Even dhea! All were like a much older persons. But that could be a result of barely sleeping. Our hormones balance themselves when we sleep. My next step is to I guess try bioidentical hormones and see if I have a thyroid disorder. I had a thyroid uptake scan which showed I have a thyroid nodule. The regular dr said the nodule wasn't causing me any problems?! The acupuncturist said, "nodule, yes, then you probably have thyroid problem." Typical blood tests at regular endicronologists didn't show anything. I've heard from people that is common though with the thyroid. They have all the symptoms and they do in fact have an imbalance, but many endicronologists arent skilled enough to spot it.

I'm guessing I get like an hour and a half or two hours of sleep a night? Which isn't the worst thing in the world, its the fact that I'm not getting the right quality.

Melatonin has a wierd effect on me. Makes my dreams more vivid and my sleep worse!

Claudia, I totally agree about the SERIOUS work with a dr. I'm willing to put it in, but I have government insurance and the drs are a joke!! There is a thyroid/adrenal place in CA, I'm thinking of going there when I can afford it. Or bodylogic MD. What would you recommend? I've only had hormone saliva testing and thyroid/antibody tests, test for mercury poisoning, etc.

Also, it certainly isnt genes. My sis is 40 and she can totally pass for 30. My mom is 67 and could go for 58. Our entire family looks great for their age.

I always used to lay out in the sun, but not extensively. And I almost always used sunscreen. Have a very healthy mom who always had us eating healthy. Always worked out, ate well. So it isnt that.

On skin, I started using revitalift cleanser and st ives scrub.

Claudia, wierd! I wish you knew what was wrong with that girl who looked 80 too!

free skin care · Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:24 pm

Who is the Dr. in CA? Are you in CA? I'm in the Bay area!

You do sound a bit hypo thyroid, and I wonder if you are autoimmune (total shot in the dark... as I have NO medical background... but am QUITE familiar with this!) hashimotos... Can you get a COMPLETE thyroid panel. My TSH is totally normal... my antibodies off the charts. I've heard of lots of women's bodies going nutz after a PG.

I'm curious about your Vit. D levels. And minerals like Iron. Your doctor should run a full panel for you!

However, in the end 1-2 hours of sleep is NOT ENOUGH. I would do some major work on how to overcome the lack of sleep. (OMG, it can be so hard if your child is not sleeping. One of mine woke me so much I would get nauseated every time. The dark circles were NOT pretty!)

And the sleep thing is what I would focus on first!

free skin care · Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:27 pm

oh... I see you did have thyroid antibody... what was that result???

free skin care · Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:30 pm

Noooo I'm on the other side of the country. Sad

I'd have to flight out there, but it might be worth it. Its Kent Holtorf. Holtorf clinic I think. Have you heard of it?

I did get tested for all thyroid antibodies. they came back fine. But also, I've been told, if your cortisol is high, you can have a thyroid prob but it wont show up on the tests. And my cortisol is very high from not sleeping. I think I did the total thyroid panel.

Thank you! I will check Vit D and iron.

free skin care · Sat Jun 12, 2010 10:14 pm

No, I haven't heard of him. There's another in the Bay Area... who I did go to see... interesting... whose name totally escapes me at the moment.

The more I think about it, I suspect it's all sleep related. Can you think of any other reason? I would say that until your sleep is under control. I wouldn't really be looking for other causes.

I have NO IDEA if you should be treating the problems caused by the lack of sleep (messed up hormones, etc) Or figure out a way to fix the sleep. Chicken? Egg? Could manipulating those things that are perhaps out of wack because of the lack of sleep, help you get back into better sleep? allowing you to get off of any meds? In the end, I think the "aging" component is secondary.

And would therefore just take very good gentle care of your skin. I wouldn't add any challenges to your routine for sure. No retin-a, cps, exercises, NOTHING... I think to do so, MIGHT invite more trauma...

HUGS!!!!

free skin care · Sun Jun 13, 2010 1:00 am

insomniaisagingmeearly: After the birth of my 3rd and last child weird things started happening to me. I was not producing very much milk,all my body hair fell out,I felt very cold most of the time, had heart plpatations and felt like sleeping most of the time. These symptoms did not all come at once so each time I saw a doc. for some of these symptoms there was a test done but nothing came up. There was no question of menopause since I had just had a baby and my cycle was coming regularly. Anyhow I continued to decline and then the biggest shock my cycle disappeared. We moved from one state to another so it took 3 months before I saw a doc. At that time my cycle had not come back and I was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure. They could not come up with a reason. Time went by I could not sleep and had horrible nightmares and severe paranoia about dying. I somehow survived that too; anyhow after a long time I came to find out that I have a autoimmune condition. I started looking into natural ways to treat my immune system. I started eating organic whenever I could afford it. I also started taking a tablespoon of organic Flax seed oil and a teaspoon of cod liver oil and evening primrose oil every day. After a few weeks I noticed that I was sleeping better and slowly I started feeling more like my self. I still have the autoimmune condition but these oils have made a day and night diff. in my life.

free skin care · Sun Jun 13, 2010 7:42 am

Please have your self checked for autoimmune diseases by mentioning it to your doctor! Like I said in my earlier post I feel 1000% better now. I look fairly young and healthy and just about everything is back to normal since I started taking the oils. The good thing about Flax seed and cod liver oils are that they can not hurt you. Hope you feel better soon!

free skin care · Sun Jun 13, 2010 8:35 am

Starlight... what is your AI condition... That's the first thing I was thinking as well. 'Cause doctors just never go their. It's such a PITA.

free skin care · Sun Jun 13, 2010 10:12 am

ClaudiaFE wrote:

Starlight... what is your AI condition... That's the first thing I was thinking as well. 'Cause doctors just never go their. It's such a PITA.

You know Claudia they never seem to go there when they should and yet when they have a diagnosis they can't explain they lump many conditions as autoimmune? Just can't win for losing sometimes. Rolling Eyes

free skin care · Sun Jun 13, 2010 1:25 pm

Thank you ladies!! What is an example of an autoimmune condition? What kind of tests should I request? Drs are so dumb sometimes. They cant even figure out what to test for!

I know Claudia! Thats what I'm wondering... chicken or the egg.

What does flax seed oil do?

free skin care · Sun Jun 13, 2010 3:04 pm

insomniaisagingmeearly- have you also had your blood pressure checked(was it high)? Do you have heartburn at all? Do your bones hurt or do you get headaches? Are you forgetful at all?

Your symptoms could be a few dozen different things so I was wondering about these if you can answer them.

free skin care · Sun Jun 13, 2010 3:27 pm

Well... holy crap... I never would have expected a list as long as the one in this link...

I'm familiar with a few...

Now don't go reading this and have a panic attack...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoimmune_disease

free skin care · Sun Jun 13, 2010 3:31 pm

ClaudiaFE wrote:

Well... holy crap... I never would have expected a list as long as the one in this link...

I'm familiar with a few...

Now don't go reading this and have a panic attack...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoimmune_disease

Well that's why I said when they haven't got a clue for the cause of some things they get thrown on the autoimmune pile! Rolling Eyes

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