However at menopause, your body begins to produce much less oestrogen, resulting in a lower production of both collagen and natural oils. This can cause excessive dryness, which in turn leads to itching.
Hormonal imbalances may be to blame for a range of unwanted symptoms from fatigue or weight gain to itchy skin or low mood.
Estrogen is also related to the production of natural oils that keep your skin moisturized. The lack of collagen and natural oils can cause your skin to become thin and itchy. Itchy skin can occur on any part of your body, but is more likely to occur on your: face.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
It can help with menopause symptoms, including hot flushes, vaginal dryness, and bone mineral loss. Though menopause itching is not a primary reason for people to use HRT, increasing estrogen levels may reduce the itching.
Estrogen affects the hypothalamus, which regulates body temperature. Low estrogen causes hot flashes and night sweats, two annoying symptoms of menopause and perimenopause.
Itching on the whole body might be a symptom of an underlying illness, such as liver disease, kidney disease, anemia, diabetes, thyroid problems, multiple myeloma or lymphoma. Nerve disorders. Examples include multiple sclerosis, pinched nerves and shingles (herpes zoster).
Itchiness is a really common menopause symptom. You can feel itchy all over but there are five main areas of the body where it seems to occur most often, these include your skin in general, underarms, eyes, vagina and scalp.
As estrogen declines in perimenopause and menopause, so does your body's moisture, resulting in dry, itchy skin, irritation, small bumps, and occasionally even a rash.
Dry skin: Your body loses moisture at night, which can make your skin itchy. Hormonal changes: At night, your body doesn't produce as many hormones as it does during the day and certain hormones reduce inflammation (swelling). As you have fewer hormones at night, your skin could be itchy.
Both vitamin B12 and vitamin A deficiencies may also cause itchy skin, so if you are experiencing chronically itchy skin, getting your level of these vitamins tested can be helpful. This testing will help determine whether these deficiencies are at the root of your skin sensitivities and itchiness.
Dry skin is a common cause of itchy skin without a rash. In most cases, dry skin is mild. It can result from environmental conditions, such as low humidity and hot or cold weather. It's also sometimes caused by activities that can decrease moisture in the skin, such as bathing in hot water.
A Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study involving postmenopausal, overweight, and obese women who took 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily for a year found that those whose vitamin D blood levels increased the most had the greatest reductions in blood estrogens, which are a known risk factor for breast cancer.
B Vitamins
Because B vitamins play a vital role in the creation of estrogen, low levels of B vitamins can result in reduced production of estrogen. Vitamins B2 and B6, in particular, are associated with healthy estrogen levels.
Causes of Low Estrogen Levels
Excessive exercise. Thyroid conditions. Pituitary gland dysfunction. Anorexia, bulimia, or other eating disorders.
Blood tests – At-home estrogen blood tests are quick and easy. You just need to prick your finger and collect a small blood sample in a vial. After that, you can send your sample to a lab for testing. Urine tests – Estrogen tests that use urine take a little longer to administer.
Phytoestrogen/Isoflavones
Phytoestrogens are natural chemicals in plant foods that have a mild estrogen-boosting effect. Isoflavones are the major class of phytoestrogens, found in soybeans and soy products, nuts and seeds (such as sesame seeds and flax seeds), and chickpeas and other legumes.
It depends on your situation. Not all women need, want or are candidates for estrogen therapy. Estrogen can reduce menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. If you have a uterus, you'll likely need to take progesterone along with the estrogen.
What autoimmune disease causes an itchy rash? Some autoimmune diseases that may cause an itchy rash are cutaneous lupus, oral lichen planus, and erythrodermic psoriasis.
You should also visit your GP if your entire body itches and there is no obvious cause. It could be a symptom of a more serious condition. Your GP will ask you about your symptoms – for example, if you have noticed whether anything makes your itch worse, or if your itch comes and goes.
Vitamin D. Studies have concluded that people who suffer from eczema and other similar skin conditions tend to have lower levels of vitamin D than the rest of the population. Taking a vitamin D supplement therefore increases your levels, helping to reduce the severity of itchy skin.
It's important to note that it isn't strictly true that magnesium does help itchy skin or that a magnesium deficiency causes dry skin. However, one of the many skincare benefits of magnesium is that it can help reduce the inflammation caused by conditions which lead to dry and itchy skin, such as eczema.
'One tell-tale skin sign of a vitamin D deficiency is dry, itchy skin on the face, which may occur all over or on areas such as cheeks, chin and forehead. In some severe cases, those with a deficiency may also develop eczema, this is thought to be caused by an immune system dysfunction.