If you’ve ever felt like menopause is a topic that gets swept under the rug or reduced to jokes about hot flashes, you’re not alone. Despite the fact that every woman who lives long enough will experience menopause, it remains one of the least discussed and most misunderstood transitions in a woman’s life.
At Bellissimo Plastic Surgery & Medi Spa, we believe women deserve comprehensive information about the changes their bodies undergo during this significant life stage. That’s why we’ve talked with Dr. John A. Bazley, a board-certified Obstetrician-Gynecologist, to provide a deeper understanding of menopause from a medical perspective. Whether you’re approaching menopause, currently experiencing symptoms, or simply want to be prepared for what lies ahead, this guide will help you navigate this transition with knowledge and confidence.
Understanding what’s happening in your body is the first step toward making informed decisions about your health and quality of life for the decades to come.
With Dr. John A. Bazley, Obstetrician-Gynecologist
Menopause is the time in a woman’s life after menstrual periods cease and fertility has ended. This occurs, on average, at age 51 which means that many women will spend as many years of their life (or more) in menopause as they spent having menstrual periods. Improvements in health care and disease prevention, increased awareness of physical fitness, and decreased maternal mortality over the last century have resulted in a significant increase in the number of women spending a very significant number of years living with the physical and physiologic changes associated with menopause.
Menopause is the result of the loss of ovarian function. Part of ovarian functioning is the production of various hormones which are vital to a woman’s reproductive capacity. One of the primary ovarian hormones is estrogen which has effects upon numerous tissues and organs including skin, bones, bladder, heart, breasts, and even the brain. While most people are aware of the common symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness, menopause results in numerous other symptoms which range from mild inconveniences to severe, sometimes debilitating, conditions. These symptoms affect women both physically and psychologically during menopause, and whether perceived as mild or severe, over time, the loss of ovarian hormones leads to inevitable changes that influence a woman’s quality of life.
Volumes have been written about the various changes that occur with menopause and so this brief discussion will attempt to highlight a few of the most common and potentially treatable changes. The most notable skin changes occur in the genital area including the vulva and vagina. Estrogen is important in the maintenance of tissue tone and elasticity. Thus, loss/lack of estrogen results in a thinning of the skin. This thinning, along with direct effects of estrogen on the lower portion of the bladder and the entire urethra can contribute to bladder control issues. While various surgical interventions may improve bladder conditions, estrogen therapy can play a crucial role in therapy.
After menopause, bone density diminishes and the risk for fractures increases. Estrogen has been shown to be helpful in the prevention of the decrease in bone density. Everyone now knows the important role that exercise plays in health maintenance, but often unrecognized is the fact that exercise is difficult or impossible with broken bones. Whether it is a hip fracture with the long-term recovery process or the cumulative effects of years of microfractures in the vertebrae (we have all seen the elderly woman stooped over from osteoporosis), the women who experience these are unable to continue to engage in the cardiovascular exercise that is so important to long term quality of life.
Estrogen has also been shown to have a positive direct effect on heart health and function, and has been shown to decrease the risk of a heart attack. Tissue tone in the breasts is affected by the loss of estrogen after menopause resulting in a decrease in breast volume and fullness. The effects of menopause on brain health are far from completely understood and the exact effects of estrogen on brain health are likewise not yet clear, however, studies have shown a beneficial effect on mental acuity and a decrease in dementia with the use of supplemental estrogen during menopause.
In summary, many women today and many more women in the future, will spend years living after menopause and many will be affected by the physical changes that come with menopause. Estrogen therapy has been shown to decrease the vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness) of menopause. Additionally, estrogen therapy has been shown to decrease the risk of osteoporosis, heart attack, colon cancer, breast cancer, dementia, and blindness from age-related macular degeneration. There are numerous nuances that must be evaluated for each individual woman to determine whether and what type of estrogen therapy is appropriate. Women should discuss these issues with their physicians so that they can continue to have the best quality of life possible.
Wrapping Up
Understanding the medical realities of menopause is empowering, but knowledge is only part of the equation. While managing the internal hormonal changes is critical to your long-term health, many women also notice external changes that affect how they see themselves—shifts in breast volume, skin elasticity, body contours, and facial structure that can feel frustrating or discouraging.
At Bellissimo Plastic Surgery & Medi Spa, we recognize that menopause impacts both your health and your confidence. That’s why Dr. Antimarino offers the Menopause Makeover, a customized combination of surgical procedures designed specifically to address the physical changes that accompany this transition. Because you deserve to feel like yourself again—inside and out. If you’re ready to explore how we can help you look and feel your best during this stage of life, we invite you to schedule a consultation with our team.
