Mind Over Menopause

Everyone has heard of the most common symptoms of menopause, the heat, the mood swings, etc. but there are symptoms that aren’t so commonly known. Like unexplained bloating. Or inexplicable feelings of doom and dread. Plenty of weird and whacky results are tied into those hormonal swings and, if you think something crazy is happening to your body, you aren’t the only one!

Itchiness
Judging by the mail I have received, creepy crawlies under the skin and unexplained itchy outbursts are common. Any change of season can bring out rashes and sores, ranging from contact dermatitis to allergic reactions. The heat, sun and sweat of summer, the pollens of spring and autumn, or the change in diet and drying out in winter, can also bring out itchiness and eruptions. But this is more than just ordinary itching.

Women have the feeling of ants on the skin – called formication, and a terrible itchiness. It itches on the face, the upper arms and around the neck and sometimes all over. Itchy breasts, either round the aureole or moving up to the armpit, are driving a large number of women round the bend! Why haven’t we heard much about it?

Why are we itching?
The simple answer is lack of estrogen. Our skin is drying out as our hormone levels fluctuate, it’s a maddening useless irritation but the good news is that will ease up sooner or later as our bodies adjust.

What to do
As always, change your detergents, cleaners, soap and shampoo to make sure you don’t have (or have suddenly developed) a reaction to the ingredients. Try changing one for 3-4 days to see if there’s any difference, then try the next .. and so on. Yes, it’s tiresome but the itching is worse.

Some women find relief by using soap-free baby wipes on their face and arms, milk-baths or oatmeal baths, or wearing cotton bras and blouses, (what works for me is the old-fashioned calamine lotion just like Granny used).

Treat your poor itchy skin as if it were super-dry, with the same moisturiser you would use to treat dry skin. Choose a moisturiser that’s hypoallergenic (look at the label). The best moisturisers are the gooey ones. Moisturise 3 or 4 times during the day and always right after you wash or bathe. This will hold in the moisture from the water.

Some women use bath oils to clean their skin. I’m always concerned about slippery tubs, it’s safer to put the oil on your skin after you get out of the bath. Plain baby oil will do, it doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive.

It’s a matter of getting through, of coping without a breakdown until the itching goes away. I’m assured by women who’ve been there that it will pass ……….

If you have any suggestions, please pass them on!