Where did those old hands come from?

I clearly remember looking at my hands one day and thinking “Good heavens! Those are old lady hands!”

It wasn’t so much the wrinkles (which were plentiful), so much as the raised veins. Like blue moraines across the landscape of my hands.

When did that happen?!

Then I noticed my face going crazy. I’ve always had very oily facial skin. But no more. Dry flakes were appearing all over the surface.

My rosacea was flaring up more than usual. Painful burning patches and cysts on my cheeks and chin.

And smile lines? Try smile crevices.

Welcome to peri-menopausal skin changes. Oh joy, oh bliss.

What happened to our radiant smooth skin?

Gravity for one. In my case, almost a half century of daily pull.

Then there is general wear and tear from movement.

I use my hands a lot. I type,  play piano and guitar, garden, cook, fold laundry, wield hammers and paint brushes, grip weights … oh, and I talk with my hands when I get excited.

And the skin on my face? Over the years it’s been stretched with laughter, tears, smiles, and singing.

And let’s not forget all that time spent in the sun soaking up those glorious rays.

But the tipping point for skin changes? The drop in active estrogen, estadiol.

What does estrogen do for our skin?

Estrogen is responsible for keeping our collagen and elastin fibres strong. This holds our skin tightly together, and allows it to bounce back when stretched.

When our estrogen levels drop as we age, the collagen and elastin fibres deteriorate. Our skin becomes looser and tends to stay stretched. Not just on our hands and face, but our entire body.

As well, our fatty layer disappears. Which means our veins haven’t so much ‘popped out’ on our hands, as the areas in between have sunk.

Will we end up like a shrivelled apple doll?

We can help out our skin stay moist and elastic by:

• limiting sun exposure and slathering up with sun screen
• avoiding those long steamy showers which dry up our skin
• not smoking; it thins out our skin
• drinking lots of water to help hydrate from the inside out
• following a regular skin care regime of a mild cleanser, gentle toner, and basic moisturizer
• using gloves when doing dishes and gardening to protect our hands

Not that I am necessarily going to follow my own advice on that last point. I love the feel of working with my bare hands, be it mucking in the garden or washing the dishes. And if that means they are going to show their age, that’s okay. They’ve accomplished a lot in my lifetime, and I look forward to them accomplishing them a lot more.

And those smile lines … crevices … that’s okay too. I’ve got a lot to smile about.

Your turn:

• Are you careful to protect yourself from the sun, or are you a die hard sun worshipper?
• What skin care regime do you follow?

Suggested reading:

Menopause and Dry Skin: The Hormone Connection
Acne and Menopause
Menopause and Acne: Causes and Control