Whoever has experienced it, even just once, knows it all too well. A hot flash is by no means pleasant. That sensation of sudden heat, rising from the chest to the very hair on the head, capable of waking you up at three in the morning or appearing in the middle of a meeting… It is one of the most common symptoms in perimenopause (up to 80% suffer from it) and also one of the most bothersome in this stage.
Its imprint reaches the skin.
Join our menopause community
You will be able to participate in events, contests and experiences, as well as receive all the information
that will help you face this stage in the best possible way.
I want to join!
What the fan can’t fix
As confirms Dr. Javier Fernández Vela, dermatologist at Clínica Esthea (Madrid), “a hot flash is not merely a sensation of heat. It is an acute neurovascular episode that produces real changes in cutaneous circulation, skin temperature, sweating and barrier function”.
It is a vasomotor symptom that originates in the brain (specifically in the thermoregulatory center of the hypothalamus), whose effects extend beyond sweat and the fear of being burnt alive.
And the skin is one of the organs that bears the brunt. Let us see why.
A response to cool down
When estrogen levels start to fall, that brain thermostat becomes infinitely more sensitive to temperature changes. What used to go unnoticed can become a championship hot flash.
“The body thinks it is overheating, tries to cool down and activates response mechanisms for it,” explains Dr. Fernández Vela. What does that translate to? An increase in skin temperature and sweating. “These changes help dissipate heat and bring the body’s temperature back to normal in a few minutes (that is why hot flashes last on average between one and three minutes)”.
This cooling response isn’t as automatic as it might seem. For it to kick in, a more complicated process than we might think is set in motion. “It triggers an intense dilation of the peripheral blood vessels that increases blood flow to the skin surface,” details Amaia Frade, pharmacist and cofounder of the natural dermocosmetic brand Lamixtura.
The skin consequences that go unseen
After this sequence of changes, which bring more blood to the face, neck and décolletage, the sensation of heat on the skin, sweating and redness appear.
However, what is unseen is far more important. Behind that redness or sweating there is an increase in transepidermal water loss, i.e., the loss of hydration from the stratum corneum, and an activation of sensory nerve fibers.
In short, as Amaia Frade summarizes, “the skin’s ability to return to its optimal balance is reduced. It will take longer to recover.” She adds, “over time it may feel more sensitive and redden more easily”.
The dermatologist concurs: “Although a hot flash lasts only a few minutes, the skin may suffer if they occur frequently.” Along with persistent redness, the doctor also notes “the appearance of telangiectasias (small superficial blood vessels visible); tightness and reactivity to certain cosmetics that were well tolerated before”.
An already altered baseline
The problem intensifies at a delicate moment for the skin. “The decrease in estrogens reduces the synthesis of collagen and epidermal lipids. The epidermis retains water less well, feels drier and the barrier function weakens. In addition, changes occur in the dermobiome, the ecosystem of microorganisms living on the surface of the skin and that plays a protective role,” notes the cofounder of Lamixtura.
There are skins that already come with other problems and will respond worse to hot flashes. Women with rosacea, atopic dermatitis and skin sensitivity will suffer these effects more. Also those with fair skin types, who may not necessarily be physiologically worse off, but will manifest redness problems more clearly. Frade adds to the list “women with greater sensitivity to histamine or with impaired barrier function”.
Can hot flashes speed up aging?
Given everything a hot flash can trigger in the skin, it is natural to wonder whether this, on top of everything, ages us more quickly. “To date, there is no evidence that a hot flash directly destroys collagen or elastin, nor that it causes the same type of damage produced by sun radiation, tobacco, pollution or processed foods, which are some of the main culprits of skin aging,” responds the dermatologist.
That does not mean they are completely harmless. “The repetition of vasodilation episodes and the increase in skin temperature can promote a low-grade inflammatory state”.
With skin that is more sensitive, more reactive, thinner and drier, its repair capacity declines by leaps and bounds. “Hot flashes are not the cause or the main mechanism of aging, but they have proven to be an aggravating factor,” he concludes.
The refreshing cosmetic aid
To relieve the skin after a hot flash, the dermatologist at Clínica Esthea recommends softly refreshing with a mist or thermal water.
After the episode, “apply a hydrating cream that helps reinforce the skin barrier and replenish the hydration lost during the episode. Products formulated for sensitive skin, with soothing and hydrating ingredients, are usually the best option”.
Cosmetics specifically for hot flashes
Korean Usu Cosmetics offers a cream that contains a patented active ingredient that helps regulate temperature rises in the superficial skin layer. Spanish brand Lamixtura recently launched, together with the hormone health expert Marta León, a two-stage mist. “Immediately, it relaxes the inflammatory response, reducing burning and redness. It also has a soothing and antioxidant effect that protects the skin and, in the medium term, with continued use, helps rebalance the altered dermobiota,” summarizes the co-creator of the brand.
Other options include Garnier’s sorbet creams, which promise to reduce skin temperature by three degrees; or Mesoestetic’s refreshing patches.
Whichever you choose, remember to keep it within reach on your nightstand.
