This Menopause Awareness Month, we sat down with Dr Izzy Sillar to talk about something that affects every woman, but is still so often overlooked: menopause.
For women, menopause isn’t just a hormonal shift. It’s a whole-body transition that affects skin, mood, sleep, energy, and confidence. And for cosmetic nurses, it’s an opportunity to change how women experience this stage of life.
“Perimenopause and menopause… is a clinical diagnosis. We don’t actually rely on blood tests or serum markers… It’s based on the clinical picture.” - Dr Izzy.
That one shift in mindset can change how you consult, treat, and support patients who are 40+ in your aesthetic clinic.
Perimenopause vs. Menopause
“Menopause is diagnosed as being 12 months since their last menstrual period. And perimenopause is less than 12 months, where we’re seeing changes in the menstrual cycle.”
Dr Izzy outlined a typical trajectory:
- Mid–late 30s: testosterone trends down.
- Early 40s: progesterone declines.
- Mid-40s onward: estrogen drops.
As estrogen falls, cycles often space out or go missing. Skin can feel thinner, joints ache (hands, knees, lower back), and patients frequently report the “middle-aged spread.”
“When we lose estrogen… our fibroblasts become dysregulated… This can translate to skin becoming thinner, [and] joints… more sore. It’s really common… to gain weight around the tummy… even when eating well and exercising."
Why this matters in aesthetics
For too long, menopause has been underdiagnosed and undertreated.
“Currently, 85% of women are mismanaged for a condition that affects 100% of women by age 55.”
By adding women’s health pathways to your practice, you’re helping to close a major gap in medicine. You’re saying: we see you, and your experience matters.
"We have safe ways to manage this in conjunction with lifestyle… and it’s absolutely a woman’s right to have access to this.” - Dr Izzy.
Untreated symptoms aren’t just inconvenient.
“Heart attacks become the third biggest killer for women [not on appropriate therapy]. Fragility hip fractures… 75%… are in fact women… small falls shouldn’t be something that is going to take their life.”
Connecting patients to competent care is essential to preventive health.
Ready to support your patients holistically?
“Position yourself as more than an injector — become a guide.”
If you’re a Fresh Clinics member, you can access Fresh Health and start referring today. Not yet a member? Get in touch and we’ll show you how to integrate safe, modern women’s health support into your clinic.