Donna Reese, RN

After my early (surgical) menopause at 40, I was busy navigating the hot flashes and mood swings. When my body finally calmed down, I mentally tried to return to my old life, pushing aside the new physical me.

I did not pay much attention to post-menopause advice as I was “still young.” I was not my mother or grandmother and felt I was decades away from becoming a prunky senior citizen.

Gradually, the effects of low to no estrogen in my body began to creep in. My body began to dry out, both inside and out.

I was aware that vaginal dryness was a side effect of menopause. But I had no idea my estrogen-deprived body would dry out from head to foot.

Here, I will share with you that I have done through trial and error to quench the Sahara Desert that has become my body. I was not permitted to take hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which can help alleviate some menopausal dryness due to a history of breast cancer. Thus, these tips do not include that vital treatment.

Brittle Hair Help

Let’s start at the top. I was oblivious when my crowing glory started to turn brittle and dry. A new hairdresser pointed out that my hair was breaking off, often indicating a deficiency.

I talked with hair experts and my provider and researched the best methods to fix my straw-like hair. The following pointers are what I found that helped.

  1. Talk to your doctor to rule out a physical cause of brittle hair, such as a thyroid problem. It turned out that I was hypothyroid, which thinning hair is a symptom. My doctor ran numerous blood tests to check out my general health.
  2. Biotin supplements help. Biotin is a B vitamin used successfully to improve skin and hair. My provider gave me the green light for me to take biotin supplements.
  3. Hair strengthening shampoo. Tons of shampoos and conditioners to fix dry and brittle hair. I spent a lot of money following that trail! I have yet to find a great brand for this problem. My best advice is to purchase a quality moisturizing shampoo and conditioner.
  4. Wash your hair less. This tip did help. While showering, I often skip the shampoo and only rinse my hair to get out hairspray or “wash” with a light conditioner.
  5. Use non-drying hair products. I was surprised that many of my hair products, like mouse and hair spray, contained alcohol and ingredients that dry out the hair. There are many alcohol-free hair products if you do a little research.
  6. Get a generous haircut. After months of trying to regain my previous luster, I was still unsatisfied with my hair. I saw the new and fuller growth only after I cut off all the old, frizzled, limp hair. 

Scratchy Eyes!

This issue is a new one for me of late. My eyes are much drier than previously. Burning, red, and sandpaper eyes are driving me crazy. Nights are the worst.

So it is back to researching and reaching out to others who are more expert on this topic than me. 

Slowly, my eyes are becoming less bothersome with the following measures:

  • Use preservative-free lubricating eye drops as needed. Drops with preservatives can dry your eyes even worse.
  • Apply lubricating eye gel at night.
  • Don’t stare for long periods. While on a computer, etc., remember to blink frequently.
  • Omega 3 supplements and foods help. Avocados and salmon are good foods to consume.
  • Wash your eyes with very warm water every morning and night.
  • Avoid eye makeup (especially mascara) when possible. Remember to wash off thoroughly at night. Use hypoallergenic eye cosmetics.
  • Keep a humidifier by your bed and workspaces.
  • See your doctor to discuss dry eyes. Severe dry eyes may be a symptom of other health conditions.
  • Ask your eye doctor for advice. There are other medical treatments for dry eyes that an ophthalmologist may recommend.

Vaginal Dryness, Oh My!

Volumes of books have been written on the topic of vaginal dryness. We are all ladies in the same boat, so don’t be embarrassed about this issue. A study showed that “more than half of postmenopausal women surveyed (56 percent) experienced vaginal dryness. In fact, 83 percent who experience vaginal dryness say the dryness bothers them “a little to a great deal.” Over ¼ of those surveyed admitted that they were experiencing painful sex ( a side effect of vaginal dryness).

Thankfully, the days of “just dealing” with our female issues are over. 

I will summarize and highlight the main tips to help conquer this annoying and painful side effect of menopause.

Aside from HRT, plenty of other remedies help supply moisture to your thirsty vaginal tissue.

  • Talk to your gynecologist or holistic provider. They are experts on this issue.
  • Sex it up! Keeping your innermost muscles and tissue in shape with frequent sex and masturbation helps to stimulate lubrication and blood flow to the area. Encourage foreplay to get your natural juices flowing.
  • Try vaginal moisturizers. I use a coconut oil ovule that I insert vaginally once a week that my holistic provider recommended. I can find it on Amazon.
  • Don’t forget the lube. Lubricants such as K-Y jelly can temporarily dampen your vagina but do not work for extended periods, such as a vaginal moisturizer.
  • Consider bioidentical hormones. Bioidentical hormone therapy is different than hormone replacement therapy. Talk to your gyno about this option. If they are not experts in this area, consider seeking the advice of a holistic provider specializing in women’s health.
  • Don’t douche. Douching dries out the sensitive vaginal tissue.

I had to try different products to determine what worked best for me. Luckily, you can get almost anything online, so you don’t have to do the walk of shame at the pharmacy checkout with a handful of lubes (or toys). 

Is That Crepey Skin?

I never thought I would find myself at Wal-Mart looking in the skin product section with my mom for “crepe-away” lotion for both of us. But this was my sad reality a few months ago after I was horrified to see saggy, wrinkly, dry skin on my arms.

Trying to find the right skincare products can turn into a money pit. My husband can not understand why every square inch of my dresser sports a new and different potion claiming to be the latest and greatest in skin technology.

My research has pointed to old-fashioned and cheap products to do the trick as effectively as those celebrity-touted wonder creams.

To keep your skin dewy, try the following:

  1. Coconut oil is an excellent moisturizer. Not generally used for your face, this oil works great as a body lotion.
  2. Apply lotion morning and night, especially after bathing. Use while your skin is still damp to increase effectiveness.
  3. Avoid hot showers. Hot water robs the skin of moisture. Consider shorter, cooler showers when bathing.
  4. Use mild/hypoallergenic soap when bathing. Harsh and perfumed soap strips off natural moisture.
  5. Hydrate from the inside. Drink eight glasses of water daily to keep your body moisturized.
  6. Humidity helps. Place humidifiers by your bed and throughout the house, especially in winter.
  7. Consider Omega 3 supplements. They are known to keep skin and hair glowing.
  8. Eat clean. Diets like the Mediterranean and Paleo diets contain omega-3 foods such as salmon, avocados, and nuts, which will do wonders for your skin.

Don’t Forget Your Feet

I was always proud of my feet. I rarely paid attention to them, and they still garnered compliments. Of late, my pride and joys have been plagued with dry skin, rough heels, and not-so-great-looking nails.

Besides moisturizing your feet every night (put socks on to keep the moisture in), consider this a pass for regular pedicures! You have a fresh, moisturizing surface once the old, dry, dead skin is gone.

Gone are the days when I could roll out of bed, looking rumpled but cute. I often wonder if retirement is designed so we can spend more time pampering our bodies. Pedicures, slathering lotions, and eating well take time. But we are worth it as we step into our new selves during mid-life. Please don’t shortchange yourself when it comes to self-care.

Donna Reese, RN

Donna Reese is a family nurse practitioner and RN who enjoys translating complex medical material into relatable content. She is a breast cancer survivor, mother, and wife who uses her nursing and everyday life experiences to write from the heart about women’s and family health topics, parenting issues, autoimmune conditions, and nursing education. Author of Donna’s story in the book Gameplan for Aging – Your Four Quarters of Life, Donna’s work can also be found in Health Digest, Wonderbaby, Genes 2teens, university nursing department sites, and many others. You can find her athttp://nursedonnareese.com/.