MENOPAUSE

THE MENOPAUSE GOLD RUSH

Why aesthetic clinics should tread a careful line when it comes to menopause care by not simply cashing in on the “menopause gold rush”

For decades, menopause was marginalised in public health conversations – under-researched, under-taught and often dismissed as something women were simply expected to “get through”. That silence is finally lifting. Menopause is now firmly on the public agenda, discussed in workplaces, GP surgeries and across social media platforms.

But according to research from University College London1 , this long-overdue attention has come with an unintended consequence: a “menopause gold rush” that may be leaving women financially vulnerable.

A survey of 1,596 people, published in Post Reproductive Health2 , published in September 2025, found widespread gaps in menopause knowledge alongside rapid growth in unregulated advice, products and services – many of which are not grounded in robust scientific evidence.

AWARENESS WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING

Despite the explosion of menopause-related content online, fewer than one in four respondents (21.9%) said they felt well informed about the menopause transition. Over half (56.6%) reported feeling only “somewhat informed”, while more than one in five (20.8%) felt “not informed at all”.

This knowledge gap exists against a backdrop of intense commercial activity. From supplements and hormone-balancing diets to coaching programmes, skincare, wearable tech and influencer-led advice, menopause has become a lucrative market.

The researchers warned that when awareness outpaces evidence-based education, women may be left making costly decisions without reliable guidance – particularly during a life stage that often coincides with financial, emotional and caregiving pressures.

Dr Mayoni Gooneratne, founder of Human Health, comments, “Women are often poorly educated about the normal functioning of their bodies, not encouraged to support themselves in health or seek help when things start to go wrong or told all is ok. They can then fall victim to other unregulated processes. They may be then sold expensive, often weakly evidenced solutions to fill that gap, which is a new form of female exploitation.

“Ethical care should focus on building body literacy, health and agency through accessible, evidence-based education and transparent support, so any paid help is a genuine choice rather than a desperate last resort.”

THE RISK OF FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION

Lead author of the paper, Professor Joyce Harper of UCL’s EGA Institute for Women’s Health, says the issue is not the growing interest in menopause itself, but the lack of regulation and scrutiny surrounding many of the services now targeting women.

“While public awareness of menopause has greatly improved recently, there has been a rapid expansion in private companies and individuals providing menopause education, especially on social media,” she said. “This has led to misinformation which can make existing menopause-related health inequities worse.”

She describes the current landscape as a “menopause gold rush”, driven by companies, investors and individuals recognising menopause as a profitable market – often without sufficient evidence to support their claims.

Nurse founder of East Riding Aesthetics and Wellness, Tracey Dennison, who is also a British Menopause Society (BMS) Registered Advanced Specialist, says,

“I wholeheartedly agree with Professor Joyce Harper’s comments.

“My main concern goes beyond commercial exploitation. I actually believe this is a safeguarding issue and that needs to be taken really seriously. Women who are struggling with their hormonal health are vulnerable and looking for help.

“Products, services or organisations promising help with no evidence that what is promised can be delivered is extortion. “As medical professionals, we have a duty of care to safeguard our patients, provide education around evidence-based, research-backed products and treatments and to empower our population to look for those elements in any approach they choose to take.”

Crucially, the study highlights a continued lack of “evidencebased, theoretically informed and rigorously evaluated” public health programmes designed to support people before, during and after menopause.

In the absence of accessible, trustworthy education, women are more likely to turn to social media, peer groups and paid services to fill the gap.As one respondent put it: “Everything I know about the menopause I learnt on Instagram from other women.”

Founder of Elite Aesthetics and chair of the Menopause in Practice (MiP) conference, Dr Shirin Lakhani comments: “Since we set up Menopause in Aesthetics – now Menopause in Practice – four years ago, I’ve seen an explosion of brands and products suddenly targeting menopause. I even had a patient tell me she overheard someone at the gym describing perimenopause as ‘the next big cash cow’.

“The problem is that everything gets bundled together. There are treatments that work and interventions that are genuinely beneficial, but they become mixed in with a huge amount of unregulated, poor-quality information and products. That’s when menopause – and menopause care – risks getting a bad name. “For practitioners, the responsibility starts with education. You need to understand what is evidence-based and what isn’t. In aesthetics, this can be particularly challenging because the research isn’t always as robust, so critical evaluation is essential.”

Dr Lakhani also advises aesthetic practitioners to know their limits and stay within their own scope of practice. “If you can’t recognise red flags, or you don’t have the skills to diagnose and manage conditions in the area you’re treating, you shouldn’t be anywhere near it”, she says. “My advice is simple: know your limitations, stay within your scope of practice, and refer on to someone more appropriate when needed.”

INEQUALITY BAKED INTO THE SYSTEM

The risks of misinformation and exploitation are not evenly distributed. The study team emphasised that people who are less well off, from ethnic minority backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ communities, disabled, neurodivergent or otherwise marginalised face greater barriers to accessing accurate information and appropriate care.

When reliable information is hidden behind paywalls – or drowned out by persuasive marketing – existing health and socioeconomic inequalities are amplified.

INTUNE

To address these concerns, the researchers are proposing a new national programme of menopause education and support called InTune.3 Encouragingly, 91.9% of survey respondents said they would support such a programme.

InTune is still in development, but is intended to be free at the point of access and rooted in public health principles rather than commercial interests.

The goal is not only to improve individual knowledge but to reduce reliance on unregulated markets for guidance that should be considered a public health responsibility.

And’s aesthetic clinics have a role to play too. With many stepping into the space, it’s important not to just view it as the latest trend but as an opportunity to truly help women.

Staying within your scope of practice is key as well as making sure that the treatments and products you are offering are those that are safe, ethical and backed by evidence.