How menopause affects the skin

Menopause hits every woman sooner or later. A hormonal upheaval begins with the menopause. It not only heralds the end of fertility, but other physical changes can also occur, such as sensitive skin – including in the intimate area. “Especially with bladder weakness, this can be particularly uncomfortable,” explains gynecologist Dr. Verena Breitenbach.

A noticeable and visible sign of menopause are changes in the skin. Even at a young age, seven out of ten women tend to have sensitive skin (1). “With the onset of menopause, the skin often becomes even more sensitive,” explains the experienced gynecologist and author. The result: About half of all women who experience bladder weakness during the menopause suffer from skin irritation in the genital area (2). A weak bladder is one of the most common menopausal symptoms, alongside hot flashes, sleep disorders and mood swings. But why is that?

A new phase of life for the bladder

“Responsible for involuntary urine loss during menopause are changes in the hormonal balance,” says Dr. Verena Breitenbach. Before and with the onset of menopause, the ovaries slowly reduce their function and less and less estrogen is produced. “The female body reacts more strongly to irritating substances in the urine due to the reduced estrogen level. This increases the urge to urinate,” the gynecologist knows. Due to the lack of estrogens, the pH value in the vagina often changes and the blood supply to the mucous membranes becomes poorer. This makes the genital area more susceptible to pathogens and increases the risk of bladder infections or urinary tract infections. “In addition, the lack of estrogen weakens the connective tissue, the sphincter and the pelvic floor muscles – which can lead to a sagging of the bladder and thus promote bladder weakness,” says Dr. Verena Breitenbach.

Pads for women with sensitive skin

With the right and consistent skin care and bladder weakness products that have been specially developed for sensitive skin, the skin is not additionally irritated during the menopause. In the intimate area, for example, many women do not want to use perfumed pads. That’s why there are now particularly skin-friendly products without fragrances or dyes that are provided with a caring emulsion (TENA lights Sensitive Inserts, RRP EUR 4.39). Such insoles noticeably reduce friction and irritation.

In addition, there are a number of other ways to deal with bladder weakness during menopause. “Exercise boosts the production of mood-enhancing hormones and helps maintain a healthy body weight,” explains Dr. Verena Breitenbach. But it is just as important to train the pelvic floor in a targeted manner and to drink enough.

Training the pelvic floor: Targeted and regular pelvic floor training is the easiest way to do something about a weak bladder. On www.tena.de/yogapilates effective exercises can be found. They are easy, take little time and are suitable for all fitness levels.

Get enough exercise: Incontinence during menopause shouldn’t stop anyone from moving and exercising. An active lifestyle is important to maintain a healthy weight. Because it is well known that being overweight can promote a weak bladder.

Drink enough: Many women with bladder weakness deliberately drink less. They believe that they then need to go to the toilet less. But that is wrong! When the kidneys aren’t getting enough fluid, urine concentrates and irritates the bladder. The correct recommendation is therefore to drink normally. Diuretic drinks such as coffee and tea should be avoided if possible.

Hormone therapy: Local hormone therapy with low-dose estrogen can help with severe incontinence during menopause. Gynecologists can prescribe appropriate ointments, suppositories and tablets. In the best case, complaints are completely eliminated. However, side effects cannot be ruled out.

Use special pads: TENA lights Sensitive Pads have been specially developed to protect sensitive skin in the intimate area. They have a soft and unprinted surface that is provided with a caring emulsion. The insoles relieve skin irritation with mild bladder weakness.

Lots of valuable information and tips about bladder weakness during menopause www.tena.de to find.

(1) Philips Research / Radboud University Medical Center; Digital survey “Sensitive skin and the influence of female hormone fluctuations”, Netherlands, 2017

(2) GfK, “Understanding the consumer market in the incontinence category”, segmentation study, “43% of women affected by incontinence report having skin irritation due to their bladder weakness”, March 2019

TENA is a brand of Essity, a global leader in hygiene and health. With over 60 years of experience, TENA is the world‘s #1 adult incontinence brand*. We offer a comprehensive range of absorbent products, skin care products and digital health technology solutions designed to meet the needs of sufferers, their families and healthcare professionals. With TENA, Essity is at the forefront of developing products and services that help improve people’s dignity and quality of life. Our products reduce our carbon footprint, step by step we not only protect people but also our planet. For more information, see www.tena.de

*Euromonitor International Limited; Retail Adult Incontinence, all channels, RSP value sales, Tissue & Hygiene, 2020 edition.

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