Written by Tammy Gee, BANT-registered nutritionist at Seven Colours of Nutrition. Reviewed by the JulieMay product and garment-tech team.
Quick answer: Your skin hosts a microbiome of micro-organisms that help keep the skin barrier healthy. During menopause, falling oestrogen reduces collagen and sebum, disrupting this balance and contributing to dryness, sensitivity and conditions like eczema and rosacea. You can support it from the inside with probiotic and prebiotic foods (the gut and skin are linked) and from the outside with breathable natural fibres like organic cotton and silk, free from harsh chemical finishes.
Your body is home to trillions of micro-organisms, your microbiome, and the community that lives on your skin plays a real part in how comfortable your skin feels. During menopause, falling oestrogen can disrupt this delicate balance, which helps explain the dryness, sensitivity and itchiness so many women notice. The good news is that what you eat, and what you wear next to your skin, can both help.
Exploring the skin microbiome and menopause
These microbes influence our immune system, digestion and metabolism, and in a healthy person they peacefully co-exist and support the body's daily functions. We often think of the gut microbiome, but these micro-organisms live both inside and outside the body, and the skin microbiome matters for health too. During menopause, you may notice changes or symptoms connected to your shifting hormones and the effect they have on the skin microbiome.
The catalyst to change
The skin is not just a protective barrier; it's a vibrant ecosystem teeming with micro-organisms. As oestrogen changes through menopause, this delicate balance can be disrupted, so we need to be kinder to our skin.
Reduced oestrogen often correlates with reduced collagen production, which is important for maintaining skin thickness and hydration. This alters the skin's environment and, in some cases, may promote the growth of less helpful bacteria while diminishing beneficial ones. Falling oestrogen can also reduce sebum production, disrupting the skin's natural protective barrier and making it more prone to irritation and inflammation. Changes to the skin microbiome may also exacerbate conditions such as acne, eczema and rosacea. Together, these shifts may lie behind many of the skin problems associated with menopause, including dryness, thinning, increased reactions and a greater susceptibility to infection.
How can we help our skin during menopause?
Understanding the relationship between the skin microbiome and menopause is key to supporting skin health and reducing sensitivity or the dermatological issues that can appear at this stage.
1. Keep it natural
The textiles and fibres we choose, especially in our lingerie, matter for the health of the skin microbiome. The pH, breathability and microbiome of a textile are all potential factors in skin disorders. What we put next to our skin has an immediate impact, so using natural fibres is an essential part of supporting menopausal skin. Materials such as natural silk and Pima cotton, used throughout the JulieMay range, support breathability and reduce irritation.
2. Reduce irritants
Textiles are often treated with chemicals during or after manufacture, for crease-resistance, fire-resistance, anti-static or anti-microbial finishes. These compounds may be harmful to the skin microbiome and increase the risk of inflammatory reactions. Choose clothing that is free from harmful chemicals and marked as allergy-friendly. JulieMay lingerie is certified by Allergy UK, and every piece in the allergy-friendly range is made without the harsh dyes and finishes that can disrupt sensitive skin.
3. The gut and the skin are connected
Research shows that the health of the gut microbiome influences the skin microbiome, so nutrition that supports the gut has a positive effect on skin health. I recommend probiotic and prebiotic foods for their beneficial effects on the gut, and therefore the skin.
Including probiotic foods in your diet has a positive impact on your gut microbiome and therefore improves the health of your skin. Probiotics include sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, kimchi and yoghurt. Try to include one of these foods every day. Don't forget to also include a wide variety of colourful plant foods: fruit, veg, nuts, seeds, pulses, legumes and herbs. These are the prebiotic foods that fuel our gut microbes and encourage a diverse range of beneficial bacteria.
Menopause can be a time of unexpected changes, when we react to foods, clothes or cosmetics even if we never did before. Caring for the skin microbiome, from the inside with nutrition, and the outside with gentle, natural fabrics, is a great place to start in supporting menopausal skin and your wider immune health. For more on this, see our guide to why menopause makes skin more sensitive.
About the author: Tammy Gee is a BANT-registered nutritionist at Seven Colours of Nutrition, specialising in menopause.
Please note: this article is for general information and isn't a substitute for personalised medical or nutritional advice. If skin changes are persistent, severe or worrying, please speak to your GP, and check with a qualified professional before making significant dietary changes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the skin microbiome?
It's the community of micro-organisms that live on your skin. In balance, they help maintain the skin barrier and protect against irritation and infection.
How does menopause affect the skin microbiome?
Falling oestrogen reduces collagen and sebum, which disrupts the skin barrier and can shift the balance of skin microbes, contributing to dryness, sensitivity and conditions like eczema or rosacea.
Can diet really improve my skin?
The gut and skin microbiomes are linked, so probiotic foods (like kefir, sauerkraut and yoghurt) and a variety of colourful plant foods can support gut health and, in turn, skin health.
Does what I wear affect my skin microbiome?
Yes. Breathable natural fibres like organic cotton and silk, free from harsh chemical finishes, are gentler on the skin microbiome than synthetics and heavily treated fabrics.
Sources
Pagac, M.P., Stalder, M. and Campiche, R. (2023) Menopause and facial skin microbiomes: a pilot study revealing novel insights into their relationship, Frontiers in Aging (doi.org/10.3389/fragi.2024.1353082). Raine-Fenning, N.J. et al. (2003) Skin aging and menopause: implications for treatment, American Journal of Clinical Dermatology (doi.org/10.2165/00128071-200304060-00001). Kendall, A.C. et al. (2022) Menopause induces changes to the stratum corneum ceramide profile, which are prevented by hormone replacement therapy, Scientific Reports (doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26095-0). Mahmud, M.R. et al. (2022) Impact of gut microbiome on skin health: gut-skin axis observed through the lenses of therapeutics and skin diseases, Gut Microbes (doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2022.2096995).
Last updated: June 2026.
