Do you know why it seems your skin is changing more rapidly now that you are getting a little older? It’s because it is!

You’re not imagining things. What you’ve probably been noticing about your skin is due to one major change your body’s experiencing now: You’re no longer producing as much estrogen as you used to.

At SeeMe Beauty, we know a thing or two about that because we’ve done clinical studies to understand the impact of estrogen depletion on the skin. These studies have uncovered what we call the five genomic pathways of hormonal aging.

What’s a “genomic pathway?” Think of it as a channel that carries messages from your genes. Read on to learn how these five channels begin functioning differently during menopause.

Cells Lose Energy

Skin cells are like little power plants, and like actual power plants, as they age, they become less efficient. At SeeMe Beauty, we have found tools that allow us to measure this loss of energy, which you can see in the images below. The younger, most efficient skin cells are brighter; the older, less efficient cells are dim.

Skin Cells from 25-year-old

Skin Cells from 65-year-old

Here’s the good news: Ingredients like Vitamin B3 (also called niacinamide) found in the SeeMe Beauty Complex can improve cellular energy so that our skin functions more the way it did when we were younger.

Sebum and Other Lipids Decrease

Sebum and lipids are skin’s natural fats. They play a crucial role in maintaining the strength of its protective barrier, which holds moisture and protects the skin from damage. As estrogen diminishes so do sebum and lipids.

While this can be a good development in that it helps reduce acne breakouts, it’s also why as we get older our skin is so much drier. So it’s important to replace these natural oils with products containing ingredients like coconut oil, olive oil, and glycerin to keep skin healthy and hydrated.

Skin Turnover Slows

Skin turnover is the natural “sloughing off” of old surface cells so newer cells can emerge. When we’re younger, skin takes about 28 days to turn over.

As we get closer to menopause, it can take up to 35 days. The accumulation of surface cells can lead to dullness and lack of radiance. That’s why exfoliating with a gentle facial scrub up to three times a week can help maintain vibrant healthy looking skin.

SeeMe offers a full range of skin care products including serums, moisturizers, night creams and eye creams. Now more than ever, we need to treat ourselves well. So, why not treat yourself. Don’t worry. Be well!

Production of Collagen Decreases

Collagen is the foundation of our skin, giving it the firmness and elasticity it needs to move and function. Loss of estrogen slows the production of healthy collagen—so it’s critical to protect, maintain, and stimulate the collagen we still have.

How? Diligent use of a broad spectrum sunscreen against UVA/UVB rays helps keep collagen healthy; and good hydration can have a stimulating effect.

Our Skin Barrier Thins

And lastly, as our stratum corneum, or skin barrier, thins, we lose moisture and become more susceptible to damage from unstable molecules in the environment, like free radicals. But we can protect our skin barrier by moisturizing, choosing products that contain vitamin B3, and regularly applying a broad spectrum sunscreen.

At SeeMe, we know we can improve these changes in the five genomic pathways with the ingredients we have in our SeeMe Complex tool box. While we can’t change your bone structure with a cream—you know that!—we can give you the powerhouse products that can help your skin to be as healthy, radiant, and beautiful as you are!

What are you doing to protect and nourish your beautiful aging skin? What do you look for most in skin care products these days? Let’s have a chat!