The future of menopause care

Menopause in Aesthetics has released its trends report for menopause in 2024

As social stigmas surrounding menopause diminish, the topic is gaining attention. The aesthetics sector is uniquely positioned to help fill in the gaps in care that currently exist.

Launched in 2023, Menopause in Aesthetics (MiA) is a conference that educates practitioners about the available treatments for their menopausal patients. This year, as part of that education, it released a trends report for 2024.

The report covers a range of topics that could become more central to menopausal care over the year.

PERSONALISED HRT

Although menopause is a universal experience for women, the details and symptoms are different for everyone, making every experience unique.

Elizabeth Philp is the chief executive and founder of Roseway Labs, a specialist compounding pharmacy that produces compounded bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), which reportedly can improve patient compliance, reduce side effects, and improve control of distressing menopausal symptoms.

She explains, “Compounded BHRT can offer advantages to patients and prescribers. Bio-identical hormone powders are originally sourced from wild yam and then synthesised in a laboratory to create molecules that are molecularly identical to women’s natural hormones. These active ingredients are compounded to create BHRT precisely targeted at the patients’ needs.

“Personalised medication can ease women’s menopause symptoms, improve their wellbeing and restore their hormonal health.”

Active ingredients can also be combined, so the patient only needs to remember one medication, improving compliance. The dose and formulation can be titrated to fine-tune hormonal control.

GENOMICS

Dr Mansoor Mohammed is a specialist in medical genomics, working with Dr Alessia Corrieri at the Precision Health Clinic to optimise health using knowledge of an individual’s genetic makeup.

Dr Mohammed explains that the symptoms of menopause are different for women with different genotypes: “Using genomics helps us predict how women will experience menopause and how they will respond to treatment.”

It’s important to take each individual’s genetic profile into account before starting medications and other types of therapy to optimise women’s hormonal health.

Dr Corrieri says, “Somebody cannot change their genetics, but genetic transcription and cellular function can be optimised by five main factors: hormones, diet, lifestyle habits, environmental factors and toxins, and microbiome. We give personalised lifestyle advice that optimises cellular health and longevity.”

NUTRITION AND ITS EFFECT ON THE MENOPAUSE

Women are increasingly using supplements and nutraceuticals to take control of their menopause journey.

Registered dietitian Nigel Denby has specialised in supporting women through the menopause transition for over 25 years and is the author of 10 nutrition books.

“Good nutrition is the cornerstone of good health. This is never more the case than during perimenopause and menopause. Consensus grows daily that in order to thrive in menopause, effective symptom management and a healthy diet and lifestyle go hand in hand,” he says.

“The increased dialogue around menopause has seen a surge in product development to support this life phase. Two areas of interest which, with a little more robust evidence, could become more mainstream are CBD oil and collagen.”

Cannabidiol (CBD) has anti-inflammatory and pain-relief benefits and has seen a rise in the mainstream as a natural remedy for a range of ills. It’s also been used to treat anxiety symptoms, which some practitioners have seen an uptick in reports of as a symptom of menopause. See page 74 to hear from our WiAM experts about their experiences with patient anxiety during menopause.

INCONTINENCE AND BLADDER HEALTH

The MiA report states that urinary incontinence affects more than 50% of postmenopausal women, with the number of women suffering increasing every year.

Mr Anand Singh, consultant urogynaecologist from the London Bladder Clinic, emphasises the importance of increasing awareness that continence problems and bladder dysfunction in menopausal women are not normal.

“Dispelling the myths around bladder symptoms, vaginal and pelvic floor dysfunction and breaking down conventional ‘taboos’ in health care seeking behaviour are a first step in early and pre-emptive management of most if not all bladder symptoms during perimenopause and after menopause."

Dr Shirin Lakhani, intimate health specialist and founder of Elite Aesthetics in Kent, adds, ‘It is vital that the impact urinary incontinence has on women’s lives is more widely talked about, so they no longer need to suffer in silence.

“The condition can be life-changing for some women. It can affect their social life and cause anxiety, depression, and stress due to the worry and embarrassment associated with the condition,” she continues: “An overactive bladder can also affect sleep, as they may find they are waking up many times in the night to go to the toilet. It can make women feel like they have lost control over their bodies and could affect intimacy with a partner if you are worried about leaking during sex."

Medical aesthetics can provide menopause care in a way that isn't always possible through the NHS.

MiA says the key is making women aware of what the options are. At consumer event Pause Live, 85% of women said they were not aware of treatments such as the BTL Emsella, InMode Vtone and Morpheus8 V that can help with bladder dysfunction.

ETHNIC MINORITIES AND MENOPAUSE

Despite the UK's diverse population, there is limited research on menopause experiences in British ethnic minority women. Different racial groups in overseas studies show variations in menstrual patterns and oestradiol changes at the time of menopause.

In addition to the biological differences, ethnic minority women also face many challenges in accessing effective and appropriate menopause care. These include cultural stigmas, a lack of open discussions about menopause, and an expectation that women remain silent about their ailments.

The lack of knowledge and awareness about menopause, coupled with potential language barriers, further complicate the situation.

Dr Lakhani says that “non-Caucasian and minority-grouped women experience a delay in menopause diagnosis and lower rates of HRT uptake in comparison to white women.

“This means many non-Caucasian and minority-grouped women may be receiving less practical help with their menopause symptoms and finding it more difficult to gain a diagnosis.

“It’s not easy for any woman, however, it’s important that as the awareness around menopause increases, it benefits all women, not just some.

“It’s, of course, encouraging to see menopause taking a front seat in discussions ranging from healthcare provision to media representation, and from workplace policies to politics. However, despite recent progress in how we talk about menopause, there is still a long way to go.”

Menopause in Aesthetics will return in 2025, at 8 Northumberland Avenue, London.