If your skin feels less firm, looks looser or isn’t bouncing back the way it used to, you’re not imagining it. During the stages of menopause, declining estrogen levels, along with fluctuations in progesterone, can have a direct impact on the skin’s structure.

Menopause doesn’t just shift your hormones; it changes your skin, too. If you’ve found yourself wondering, “Why is my skin suddenly so dry?” or joking, “Why is my skin dry as a lizard?” you’re not alone. The truth is: your skin isn’t failing you. It’s going through a hormone-triggered shift that impacts how it holds onto water.