Understanding how hormones can affect eczema and how to treat it

• Eczema can flare up at times of hormone change
• Your skin may be sensitive to heat and hot flushes
• Moisturisers are important but there’s no need to spend a fortune

If you’ve noticed your skin changing during perimenopause and menopause, then you’re not alone. Falling levels of the hormones oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone can mean your skin is less able to retain moisture, leading to skin that is drier and flakier.

But if you already have a dry skin condition such as eczema, you may find your skin becomes particularly dry and more irritated as your hormones change and reduce during perimenopause and menopause.

RELATED: Skin changes during the menopause

How common is eczema?

Eczema is a common and sometimes distressing condition suffered by about one in 10 adults in the UK, which often leaves your skin dry, red, scaly, sore and itchy [1]. The experience of eczema, like menopause, can vary widely.

The relationship between menopause and eczema

In most women, small changes can soothe your eczema flare-ups prompted by perimenopause and menopause.

Oestradiol (oestrogen) stimulates the production of oils and other hydrating substances that protect and moisturise your skin, such as ceramides, sebum and hyaluronic acid. Falling levels of oestradiol means your skin is less able to retain moisture, while the integrity of your skin’s barrier becomes compromised, leading to irritation. Low progesterone and testosterone can also affect the skin too, leading to dryness and irritation.

RELATED: Can collagen help menopausal skin?

If you have eczema, the barrier of your skin is already likely to be weaker and levels of protective oils and ceramides lower, leaving your skin more vulnerable.

Eczema is common in childhood but some women find that after years of it being controlled, their eczema flares up around perimenopause and menopause. This is because your skin is already vulnerable, then the drop in natural moisturising factors as hormone levels reduce can make your skin itchy and sore. Your skin may be particularly sensitive to heat so hot flushes may also have an impact.

RELATED: The facts and fiction about menopausal skin with Dr Sajjad Rajpar

What steps can I take to help my skin?

The following are recommendations that can help:

• Don’t use soap at all. Avoid all foaming products such as soap, shower wash and bubble bath as these strip the already limited oils that form the protective barrier on your skin. When that barrier breaks down, irritants can get into the deeper layers of your skin and moisture loss increases. Use soap substitutes, which are easily and cheaply available in high-street chemists, and clean gently without disrupting your skin’s barrier.
• Replenish your skin by moisturising. Moisturise a lot and generously, you may find you need to do this two or three times a day.
• Find the best product for you. The right moisturiser is the one you will use most. The most intensive are ointments, but some people find these too heavy and greasy. Creams offer a medium level of moisture, and lotions are the lightest. Try a few and see which work best. These don’t need to be expensive, just look for products that contain urea or hyaluronic acid, as they help retain water in your skin, and that aren’t scented, as this can irritate fragile skin.
• See a healthcare professional if your eczema remains sore or problematic after trying these changes. They will consider if you need steroids creams or other stronger treatment, which mainly needs a prescription.
• HRT is the first-line treatment for menopausal symptoms [2]. While there is not much evidence on how HRT affects eczema, it does help make skin less dry, which can help soothe your eczema.

RELATED: Do you really need a menopause moisturiser?

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