Menopause skin changes: what can treatment help with?
“My face changed so much after menopause.” I hear this in clinic all the time. It isn't your imagination. Skin really does become thinner and drier at this stage. Let me separate what treatment can help with from what needs other medical care first.
The short answer
Research has found that after menopause, skin collagen and skin thickness decrease by 1–2% each year (Brincat 1987). That's why menopausal skin tends to thin, dry out and lose firmness all at once. What treatment can help with is firmness and the base of the skin. At Miso Clinic, my starting point is radiofrequency (RF) lifting plus a collagen booster, and if the skin is very thin I add a material-replenishing type such as Lituo. Itching, rashes or hives, and hormone therapy, call for medical care before any cosmetic treatment. At Miso Clinic in Daegu, I start by looking at your skin thickness, how dry it is, and the one change that bothers you most.
What changes in the skin during menopause?
In a study of women after menopause, the amount of skin collagen, skin thickness and bone mass all decreased at a similar rate of 1–2% each year. In other words, the connective tissue of skin and bone declines together.
What's interesting is that this decline was more closely linked to how many years had passed since menopause than to age. That's why two women in their 50s can feel quite different skin changes, depending on when menopause came.
So the face at this stage isn't dealing with sagging alone. Thinning, dryness and hollowing overlap. If you try to solve it all with one treatment, something will be left wanting.
What can be done for each concern?
| Concern | Type of treatment | Combination at Miso Clinic | What to expect, and the limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loss of firmness and looseness | Radiofrequency lifting | Density Noir · XERF · Oligio Kiss + collagen booster | Firms the skin. For deep contour sagging we also consider ligament injection |
| Thinning skin | Material-replenishing type, collagen booster | Lituo (Re2O) + Gouri or Juvelook | Slowly replenishes the base. Assessed at 2–3 months |
| Hollow cheeks or temples | Hyaluronic acid filler first, then a collagen booster | Filler + Everwrinkle · Radiesse | Filler can be dissolved; a collagen booster fills in slowly |
| Dryness and tightness | Moisturising and barrier care, plus a skin booster if needed | Daily care + Rejuran | Creams and moisturising come first. Treatment does not replace them |
| Itching, rashes, hives | Not a cosmetic treatment | Medical care first | The cause needs to be checked first |
→ Read more: Lifting by age
Who I suggest each combination for
- The whole face feels hollower and looser → radiofrequency (RF) lifting + a collagen booster
- Skin feels paper-thin → a material-replenishing type such as Lituo + radiofrequency at adjusted strength
- Hollow cheeks make you look older → shape first with dissolvable hyaluronic acid filler, then build the base with a collagen booster
- The jawline has dropped → support with ligament injection, then radiofrequency lifting. Over 50, threads are used conservatively
→ Read more: Does skin thickness change how lifting works?
Does hormone therapy improve the skin too?
In older studies, women on hormone therapy had higher skin collagen and thickness than women without treatment, and the post-menopausal decline did not appear (including a comparison of 69 versus 37 women).
Even so, I don't suggest starting hormone therapy just for your skin. Hormone therapy is decided by a gynaecologist who weighs the benefits and risks for the whole body. What I talk about is what can be done for the face.
If you're already on hormone therapy, please mention it at the consultation. I check the medications you take and factor them into the treatment plan.
When I look at things differently
- If you have metal or electronic implants in your face, or inflamed skin, I don't do radiofrequency that day.
- If itching or a rash keeps going, finding the cause comes before any cosmetic treatment.
- Thermage, Ulthera, Onda, InMode and liposuction are treatments we don't offer.
→ Read more: Lifting options besides Ulthera and Thermage
How does the consultation work, and how do I book?
On a first visit we take photos from the front, at 45 degrees and from the side, and together we pick the one concern that bothers you most. I'll ask about any medications you take, any metal or electronic implants in your face, and whether you might be pregnant, and then I split things into what we can do today and what can wait for later. It's completely fine to come in just for a consultation and go home.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Booking | Naver booking · KakaoTalk chat · Phone +82-53-428-2700 |
| Location | 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu (Exit 1, Kyungpook National University Hospital Station, Line 3) |
| Hours | Weekdays 11:00–19:00 · Saturday 10:00–16:00, closed Sundays and public holidays |
Menopause skin FAQ
Is it okay to have lifting during menopause?
Yes. Menopause itself isn't a reason to avoid lifting. I check whether the skin has thinned and set the strength and order accordingly.
Since menopause my face suddenly feels dry and itchy.
For dryness, moisturising and barrier care come first. If itching or a rash keeps going, get the cause checked before any treatment.
I'm on hormone therapy. Can I still have treatment?
I check your medications at the consultation. Usually we factor them into the plan and go ahead, but I need to look at the medication and your condition first.
When do collagen injection results show?
Injections that prompt collagen fill in over 2–3 months, so that is when I assess them with photos taken under the same conditions.
Can supplements or collagen drinks do the job instead?
The evidence that anything you eat or drink restores skin thickness isn't strong. Look after moisturising and sunscreen first.
Where can I get a menopause skin consultation in Daegu?
At Miso Clinic in Daegu (4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Exit 1 of Kyungpook National University Hospital Station). You can book through Naver booking, KakaoTalk or by phone at +82-53-428-2700. Weekdays 11:00–19:00, Saturday 10:00–16:00, closed Sundays and public holidays.
Read next
Product pages
Related care: Density · XERF · Lituo (Re2O) · Gouri
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by Lee Chi-Hak, MD, director of Miso Clinic, Daegu. The treatment standards and injection design set out here are the ones we use in practice.
| Medical director | Lee Chi-Hak, MD |
|---|---|
| Address | 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea · Exit 1, Kyungpook National University Hospital Station |
| Phone | +82-53-428-2700 |
| Hours | Weekdays 11:00–19:00 (lunch 13:00–14:00) / Saturday 10:00–16:00 (no lunch break) / Closed Sundays and public holidays |
| Columns | All clinical columns |
| Reference library | All booster and device references |
References
- Skin collagen and thickness after menopause — Brincat M et al. Obstet Gynecol 1987;70(6):840-5. PMID 3120067. After menopause, skin collagen, skin thickness and bone mass declined at a similar rate of 1–2% per year.
- Hormone therapy and skin collagen — Brincat M et al. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 1985;92(3):256-9. PMID 3978054 / 1987;94(2):126-9. PMID 3828252 (69 untreated women versus 37 on hormone therapy). The decline was linked to years since menopause more than to age, and no decline appeared in the treated group.
- Human studies of radiofrequency lifting — Density: Oku 2025 (16 people, 24 weeks); XERF: Hwang 2025 (20 people), Weiss 2026 (39 people), Erlich 2026 (16 people); none had a control group. I could not find a clinical trial of the Oligio Kiss device itself.
- Human trial of Lituo — Lee YI et al. Int J Mol Sci 2026;27(5):2193. NCT07155278. Split-face, double-blind, randomised, 20 people, 20 weeks.
- When results show — Miso Clinic column when-results-show: at day 90, 92% of doctors versus 42% of patients. In biopsies after collagen-stimulating products, no new collagen at 2 weeks, type III at 2 months, type I at 3–4 months.
- Korean medical advertising law — Korean Medical Service Act Article 56(2) (no treatment testimonials, no comparisons with other clinics, no superlatives). This is why this column carries no prices, reviews or before-and-after photos.
- Miso Clinic treatment policy — What we have: Density Noir (ALPHA · BOOST tips), XERF, Oligio Kiss; Lituo (Re2O), CellReDM, Reallo; Rejuran; the full Juvelook lineup; Gouri; Everwrinkle and Everwrinkle V; Radiesse; Byryzn; D-Classy; hyaluronic acid filler; botox (all areas, skin botox); ligament injection; dissolving threads. What we do not offer: Onda, Thermage, InMode, Ulthera, Shurink, liposuction. Hollow cheeks get dissolvable hyaluronic acid filler first, sagging gets lifting first; no radiofrequency that day with metal or electronic implants in the face, pregnancy or skin inflammation; threads are the dissolving kind, used conservatively over age 50; we decide by the change that bothers you, not by age; results are judged after 2–3 months with photos taken under the same conditions.
Everything in this column is general information and does not replace medical diagnosis or treatment. Effects and side effects vary with individual skin condition, age and underlying illness, and the same result is not guaranteed for everyone. Any decision to proceed should be made in an in-person consultation with a physician.