The Menopause Hour - Episode -2 Menopause and Your Skin Expert Tips on HRT and Skincare

The Menopause Hour with Winona: Menopause and Your Skin: Expert Tips on HRT and Skincare - Episode #2

Published: November, 2024

Featured Physician

Cathleen M. Brown

Host

Madi Baldwin

In this live Ask the Experts Q&A, Winona's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael Green and Medical Director Dr. Cat Brown joined skincare expert Jo, head of Winona's patient care services, for Episode #2 of The Menopause Hour with Winona: "Menopause and Your Skin: Expert Tips on HRT and Skincare." Host Madi Baldwin guides the conversation and audience questions throughout.

The panel covered how declining estrogen affects skin and hair texture during menopause, the science behind Winona's estriol and tretinoin face cream, and how to build tolerance to a new skincare routine without irritation. They also fielded real patient questions on HRT and heart health, DHEA dosing, vaginal dryness, and irregular bleeding — offering practical, symptom-based guidance for anyone weighing HRT or skincare changes during the menopause transition.

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Episode Details

Podcast: The Menopause Hour with Winona
Episode Number: 2
Episode Title: Episode #2: Menopause and Your Skin: Expert Tips on HRT and Skincare
Host: Madi Baldwin
Featured Physicians: Dr. Cathleen Brown
Published Date: November 30, 2024
Episode Duration: 1 hr 6 min
Format: Audio Interview
Main Topics: HRT, Skincare, Estriol & Tretinoin Face Cream

About The Menopause Hour with Winona Podcast

The Menopause Hour with Winona is a health and wellness podcast hosted by Winona’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Michael Green, and Medical Director, Dr. Cathleen Brown. The show addresses common questions about perimenopause and menopause, combining medical expertise with straightforward discussions of symptoms, treatment options, and the science behind the menopause transition.

Episodes include live Q&A sessions, doctor-led conversations, and patient stories. In its live Q&A format, women from Winona’s community submitted questions directly to the hosts, creating practical discussions shaped by the concerns women commonly brought to their own doctors.

Visit The Menopause Hour on Buzzsprout.

About This Episode

This episode centered on the connection between hormones and skin health, with a particular focus on Winona's estriol and tretinoin face cream. Dr. Green, Dr. Brown, and dermatology nurse practitioner Jo unpacked why skin often becomes drier, itchier, or more prone to ingrown hairs during the menopause transition, and how restoring estrogen — paired with tretinoin's effect on skin cell turnover — can help. They also walked through practical routine-building advice, including how to introduce tretinoin gradually to minimize irritation and when to layer in sunscreen and other products.

Beyond skincare, the panel addressed HRT and heart health, clearing up a common misconception about the two being at odds, and gave detailed guidance on DHEA dosing for testosterone support, HRT and vaginal dryness, and what to expect with irregular bleeding in the first few cycles of treatment. Listeners considering HRT or a new skincare regimen during perimenopause or menopause will find grounded, symptom-based answers to questions they may not have known to ask.

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Topics Covered

How declining estrogen contributes to dry, itchy skin and coarse, ingrown facial hair
The roles of estriol and tretinoin in Winona's face cream for hydration and skin cell turnover
Managing irritation and building tolerance to tretinoin over time
Using the face cream on the neck, chest, and under-eye area
Whether topical estrogen use carries added breast cancer or blood clot risk
HRT and heart health, including a common misconception about the two
DHEA dosing and safe testosterone support without routine blood work
Continuous vs. cyclic progesterone and irregular bleeding in early HRT use
HRT and vaginal dryness, including when vaginal estrogen may help
Sunscreen and skincare routine tips while using tretinoin
Layering makeup, moisturizers, and other skincare products with the face cream
Product shelf life and expiration after opening

Key Takeaways

Estriol and tretinoin address menopausal skin from two angles

Winona's face cream pairs estriol, which supports hydration, with tretinoin, which speeds skin cell turnover. Together, the panel explained, this combination can help with dryness, ingrown hairs, and sebaceous buildup that often show up during the menopause transition.

Starting HRT earlier is linked to cardiovascular benefits, not added heart risk

Dr. Green addressed a common fear that HRT contributes to heart problems, noting that starting hormone therapy before age 60 in an appropriate candidate can be associated with cardiovascular benefits rather than harm. He pointed to more recent research supporting earlier initiation, while noting that individual risk factors still matter and starting HRT for the first time after 60 is generally not recommended.

Low-dose DHEA can raise testosterone safely without routine blood work

Dr. Green explained that DHEA in the 25–50 mg range is typically enough to bring testosterone into a normal female range without approaching the higher doses that carry risks like acne or unwanted hair growth. Because of this safety margin, Winona doesn't require routine testosterone testing for patients on standard DHEA doses.

Building tolerance to tretinoin takes patience

Jo emphasized starting with the lower-strength formulation and easing in gradually — as few as one or two nights a week at first — to let skin adjust before increasing frequency. Redness, dryness, or flaking in the early weeks is common and typically resolves as the skin acclimates.

Dr. Cathleen M. Brown

Obstetrics & Gynecology

Dr. Cathleen Brown is a menopause specialist and physician with Winona. She brings a physician’s perspective to menopause, perimenopause, hormone changes, symptom care, and treatment options during midlife.

At Winona, Dr. Brown helps women better understand symptoms, health history, hormone changes, and when physician-reviewed care may be appropriate.

Meet Dr. Cathleen M. Brown