The Ayurvedic Perspective on Perimenopause and its effects on your skin
In Ayurveda, just as each season around us is governed by the doshas, so too are the seasons of our lifetime. From birth to 25 years is governed by kapha (a building, growing and developing intelligence), 25 years to mid life is governed by pitta (a transformative, driven and accomplishing intelligence) and from 50 years onwards is governed by vata (a letting go, releasing and wisdom producing intelligence).
In a woman’s life, perimenopause is a precursor for the transition from pitta dominance into vata dominance in her lifetime. It can be seen as a beautifully transient time to make way for a woman to really prioritise her health and well-being; physically, emotionally, sexually and spiritually.
This time can be challenging, difficult, exciting and interesting and each woman’s experience with it is her own. The impact that hormonal changes, fluctuations and depletions, can have on our skin during perimenopause can be quite impactful during this sacred time of transition. An increase in inflammatory skin conditions, dryness, pigmentation, a loss of elasticity and firmness and a reduction in your ‘beauty essence’ or inner radiance are common imbalances that can start to become skin issues during the time of perimenopause.
It is during this time that we begin to see a decrease in oestrogen and progesterone hormones. It is these 2 hormones that contribute to 2 subtle, vital essences; OJAS and TEJAS. As these hormones decrease, these vital essences deplete.
OJAS – a very subtle form of kapha – is the essence responsible for our vigour, the nourishment of our tissues, it builds immunity, strength, vitality and happiness. It is the very end product that is produced once all of our tissues are nourished from the food we eat. When we have strong ojas, our skin literally glows from the inside out.
TEJAS – a very subtle form of pitta – it is the energy that gives metabolism, transformation, intelligence and radiance. It is necessary for strong agni (digestive fire) and for regulating the heat in our body. When in balance, this subtle energy creates our radiance.
The depletion of these essences; the essences that give juiciness and radiance to our skin health and whole body health, mean that we have a decrease in kapha (think that soft, clear, smooth, juicy baby skin) and a dysregulation of our pitta, the heat is in excess and has no guidance on how to flow correctly (think hot flushing, rises in adult-onset rosacea, increase of inflammation). We also see an increase in vata dosha (dryness).
Consequently, we see an increase in the following qualities (gunas) in our skin and body; dry, rough, spreading, mobile, subtle, cool and hot. An increase in these qualities can present in our skin as an increase in dryness, roughness, lack of firmness, inflammatory skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema/dermatitis, adult acne, and pigmentation.
In Ayurvedic beauty, to achieve skin health and balance, we look at the presenting qualities or gunas that are in excess and depletion. The goal is to reduce your excess and bring in what your individual skin is lacking, following the premise that like increases like.
To achieve skin balance during this time (where there is an excess of pitta and vata doshas and a decrease in kapha), I recommend the following guidelines (keeping in mind that each woman will have specific requirements applicable to their individual mind/body type and beauty essence.
· Nourish and hydrate your skin – increase the water element through using a mist or hydrosol, follow that with dosha balancing oils and balms. This brings juiciness to the tissues. Integrating lots of facial massage, preferably with the use of marma point activation and kansa wand massage. Massage is the most pacifying tool you have literally at your fingertips. This will flush excess pitta or heat to the surface of the skin so it can be eliminated, move the lymphatic system to boost immunity and create a consistent, grounding effect to pacify excess vata. Kansa wand therapy has been use to flush excess inflammation (heat) out of the skin.
· If experiencing hot flushes, bring coolness to your skin, cooling cleansing milks, rose water mists and pitta balancing oils and balms (usually containing coconut, aloe vera, rose, sandalwood, almond oil, silver leaf, apricot kernel oil, neem). Avoid heating foods, drinks, activities, and spend time really nurturing any feelings of frustration, irritation and anger. Finding your loving compassion and directing that consistently to self and others. Favour a pitta pacifying diet.
· Daily self abhyanga with warmed organic, cold pressed, sesame oil. This practice is literally an act of self love and pacifies excess vata, nourishes the body with zinc and magnesium, allows excess heat and stagnation to be released from the skin in a gentle way.
· Shirodhara (a treatment where warmed oil is poured in an even and flowing stream gently on the third eye area) – this is particularly pacifying for hormonal imbalances, balancing the pineal and pituitary gland (the Master Gland) which in turn can create hormonal harmony. This treatment is so nourishing and balances the transition to a vata dominant season beautifully.
At Flow, I would always recommend regular pitta and vata balancing facials to ensure we are balancing any excess pitta and nourishing your skin’s transition into vata. A strong focus on the relaxation (or nervous system love) to allow your whole self to be held during this time of movement and transition in your body. Consistency (dinacharya and ritucharya - daily and seasonal routines) is always the key to balancing doshic excesses. Use this time to place loving importance on your needs. Moving from the energy of achievement, accomplishment and planting the seeds to embracing enlightenment, ease and your own wisdom deserves to be experienced with importance, wholeness and honouring of self.