Do you sometimes feel like tiny bugs are scurrying around, under or on your skin? Does it get incredibly itchy to the extent that scratching doesn’t ease it? Do these discomforts make you wonder, “Can menopause cause itchy skin?” Most women haven’t heard of itchiness during menopause, making it one of the least known symptoms. Your experience with other symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness has led you to find a suitable remedy. But what causes itchy skin during menopause and how do you relieve it?
Here, we look into whether itchiness is another symptom of menopause and how you can relieve it to improve your quality of life during this transition.
Can Menopause Cause Itching?
Why does your skin feel itchy suddenly in your menopause after all the years you’ve lived comfortably? If you feel that menopause is to blame for this itch, you’re not alone. Many other women across the UK also experience unexplained itchiness as they enter perimenopause. The real cause of this discomfort, alongside other menopause symptoms, is directly related to your body’s hormonal fluctuations and other age-related causes.
Menopause health specialist at Pause & Co Healthcare, Nadira Awal, explains that “the declining levels of oestrogen and progesterone as a woman enters perimenopause or menopause causes a slowdown in collagen production. As a result, the skin becomes thinner, less elastic, and dry.” This combination of dryness and thinness triggers itchiness. So, the lower the oestrogen level, the nastier the itch gets.
You may experience itchiness in areas such as your face, neck, arms, or even more sensitive regions—yes, menopause doesn’t have boundaries. In some women, this itching can escalate to pruritus (persistent itching) or paraesthesia, a crawling or tingling sensation.
While menopause is usually the culprit, other factors can amplify the itching. You may notice that mild exposure to environmental triggers like cold weather or harsh soap can worsen dryness and itchiness. Stress, which is common during menopause, might intensify the itch by releasing hormones that increase the skin’s sensitivity.
Types of itching during menopause?
Now that we’ve answered the question, “Can menopause cause itchy skin,” it’s good to know that different people experience different types of itching. Let’s have a look at the two most common types:
Skin Itching
We’ve mentioned that stress causes the body to release higher amounts of hormones that increase skin sensitivity. This, combined with dryness and reduced natural oils, makes the skin more reactive to products like detergents and soaps. Apart from becoming itchy, the skin might become inflamed. For some women, prickling, tingling, or skin numbness may kick in.
Skin itching can have different intensities, from mild to more severe, which may cause serious sleep disruption and affect the quality of daily life. Other changes to the skin that may set in include skin rashes, reddening, and small bumps.
Some women may assume skin itching during menopause is caused by fungal or bacterial infections. Instead, visit your doctor to know for sure whether it’s caused by infection or menopause.
Genital Itching
Oestrogen hormone is like the administrator of a woman’s reproductive health and almost every other factor that affects her quality of life. So, when the levels of this hormone reduce, vaginal problems that never existed or were mild may worsen. One of these is vaginal itching (vulva pruritus).
Most women experience vaginal itching during menopause, but it’s more likely to occur if there is vaginal dryness. When the oestrogen level lowers, the vaginal tissues can get thinner and drier than usual, a condition known as vaginal atrophy. This can cause itch and pain in the vagina and the vulva.
Other factors that cause genital itching include irritation from detergents or soaps, inflammation, and sometimes, cancers of the vulva, vagina, or cervix.
What Other Symptoms Are Linked to Itchy Skin During Menopause?
Can menopause cause itchy skin? Yes, it does, but what other symptoms of menopause can trigger it? For most women, they tend to get itchy skin when they experience symptoms like night sweats and hot flashes. These symptom correlations have a common denomination—oestrogen hormone fluctuations—and affect different organ systems of the body at the same time.
A study has shown that itchy skin and other skin disorders are often linked to hot flashes, night sweats, and hyperhidrosis (excessive unnecessary sweating). These symptoms are most prevalent in 35-50% of women in perimenopause and 30-80% of those in postmenopause. Hyperhidrosis resulting from menopause is often regarded as secondary hyperhidrosis and can be relieved through hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This implies that it’s chiefly caused by lower oestrogen levels.
Sleep disturbance, another common symptom of menopause, can also be caused by itchiness, and this further emphasises how menopausal symptoms are interrelated.
Preventing Itchiness During Menopause
Relieving itchiness during menopause takes a combination of skincare routines, lifestyle changes, and medical interventions. Here are several strategies you can use to ease the itchiness and improve your quality of life during this midlife transition.
1. Avoid Hot Baths or Showers
A hot bath or shower is so rejuvenating, especially in cold weather. But as much as tempting it might sound, it’s not doing your skin any good when you’re in menopause. How water washes away the skin’s natural oils, leaving it much drier and predisposed to itching. Instead, use lukewarm water for baths and showers.
Also, you don’t want to spend too long in the shower. Keep it short, at most 10 minutes. Replace harsh soaps with gentle ones.
2. Pat Yourself Dry After Bathing
It might seem like an insignificant detail, but your style of drying off yourself after a shower or bath matters, especially in your menopause. Vigorously drying your skin with a towel can irritate sensitive skin and worsen itching. Instead, gently pat yourself dry with a soft towel.
Doing this reduces friction and helps preserve the natural moisture barrier of the skin. To boost your skin’s hydration, apply a moisturiser right away while the skin is still slightly damp. This quick tweak is an easy way to calm your skin and make yourself feel more comfortable.
3. Avoid Scratching
Scratching an itch might give you a quick and sweet relief, but it’s a short-lived fix that often worsens things. During menopause, your skin is more delicate and scratching can cause irritation, redness, or even break it. Instead, relieve the itch with a soothing moisturiser for sensitive skin, or with a cold compress.
For an overwhelming itch, find a distraction or use a pair of gloves to gently scratch while protecting your skin from your nails.
4. Use Scent-Free Skincare
Another approach to preventing itchiness during menopause is to use scent-free skincare. Fragranced lotions might smell divine, but they can cause serious problems to sensitive menopausal skin. Chemicals and added perfumes already irritate delicate areas, so those can worsen itching during menopause.
Instead, shift your focus to scent-free skincare products that nourish and hydrate the skin. When shopping for your skincare products, be careful with the labels and go for “hypoallergenic,” “for sensitive skin,” or “fragrance-free” options. A little simplicity in your skincare routine can help a lot in soothing itching and keeping your skin always happy.
5. Reduce Alcohol and Nicotine Intake
Seeping that cheeky glass of wine or puffing that cigar smoke might seem fun, but they can worsen your menopause itching. Alcohol and nicotine dehydrate the skin, stripping it of essential moisture to leave it exposed to dryness and irritation.
So, cutting down on booze and smoking can significantly help keep your skin hydrated and improve its overall health. Swap your evening cocktail for a refreshing glass of herbal tea or water. Find ways to reduce smoking if it’s already a routine and your skin and overall body will thank you for the extra TLC.
6. Wear Soft, Loose Fabrics
The last thing your skin needs during menopause is a wrestling match with tight scratchy clothing. Replace any tight clothes with soft, breathable fabrics like cotton which are friendly to the skin. These can greatly reduce friction and the chances of being irritated if you’re already battling skin sensitivity.
Get rid of those snug synthetics and itchy wool jumpers and embrace a wardrobe that offers kindness to your skin, just as it’s stylish. Remember, the goal is to be comfortable.
7. Avoid Strong Sunlight
When dealing with the question, “Can menopause cause itchy skin?”, the answer often points to how sensitive the skin becomes during this stage of life. Exposure to too much sunlight can worsen dry and itchy skin during menopause. UV rays speed up the breakdown of collagen fibres and make it harder to ignore irritation.
To improve skin comfort during menopause, limit your exposure to the sun, especially during peak hours. If you must be outdoors, always be under a shade and apply sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30. In addition, put on a lightweight, breathable hat to keep UV rays off your face.
8. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is already one of the ways to keep your skin happy, even when you’re not menopausal. In your menopause, drinking enough water becomes even more important. Through hydration, you can maintain your skin’s natural moisture barrier and reduce dryness and irritation.
Aim for at least 6 to 8 glasses of water each day and as much as you need if the weather is warmer or when you’re active. Water-rich fruits like watermelon and cucumber, or herbal teas can also help keep you hydrated.
Conclusion
So, can menopause cause itchy skin? Yes, it can, but knowing why it happens and how to manage it can help you reduce the itch and improve your comfort. The frustrating menopausal itch is caused by fluctuating levels of oestrogen, which can throw your skin off balance.
Apart from following the recommendations we’ve shared here to relieve the itch, it’s also important to work with a professional menopause health specialist. An expert can help you find better ways that your body uniquely responds to and can relieve other symptoms like night sweats and hot flashes.
Nadira Awal, an experienced NHS GP and menopausal health and family planning specialist at Pause & Co. Healthcare, is ready to help you walk your menopause journey with confidence. We help women in Birmingham UK manage the challenges of menopause and provide assistance that directly influences your quality of life during menopause. Book your appointment today and get personalised help with your menopause symptoms.