Itchy Skin in Menopause? There’s a Reason Why

If you’re nearing menopause, you likely know the most common symptoms. Hot flashes? Check. Brain fog? Check. But what about this newly itchy, hyper-sensitive skin that’s making you want to scratch like a flea-bitten dog? 

Up to 64 percent of women in perimenopause and menopause experience pruritus, or chronic itching.¹ So why is no one talking about itchy skin in menopause? And more importantly, how can you tame it?

According to menopause specialist Sherry Ross, M.D., itching is a symptom many women overlook or don’t immediately associate with menopause, often learning the connection only after discussing it with their doctor.

In addition to itching, pruritus symptoms on the skin can include dryness, flaking, or increased sensitivity. Menopausal skin is also more prone to irritation from friction or contact with harsh products. Left untreated, menopause pruritus can dampen your quality of life, as ongoing itching, especially in delicate areas such as the vulva, can lead to burning or soreness, Ross adds. 

Don’t ignore menopause itchy skin. It’s not just uncomfortable—pruritus can mess with your physical and emotional well-being and make it harder to enjoy activities you love.

About the Experts

Kecia Gaither, M.D., M.P.H., FACOG, is double board certified in obstetrics-gynecology and maternal-fetal medicine. She is currently the director of perinatal services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx, New York.

Sherry A. Ross, M.D., FACOG, is a board-certified OB-GYN at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. She’s also the author of She-ology and The She-quel. 

Leslie Greenberg, M.D., M.S.C.P, is an OB-GYN who helps people navigate menopause.

What Causes Itchy Skin in Menopause? 

Itchy skin in menopause is caused by declining estrogen levels, which affect the skin’s natural oils and collagen production. As estrogen declines, the skin also becomes duller, thinner, less elastic, and more vulnerable to everyday wear and tear.^{2 3 4}

Even mild friction, from say a clothing tag, or environmental exposures, like sitting on grass, can become irritating. Collagen and natural oils don’t just make skin supple and glowy—they’re also protective against potential irritants. 

Unfortunately, pruritus can become a vicious cycle during the menopause years. As estrogen declines and the skin becomes thinner and more sensitive, products you’ve used for years, including fragranced laundry detergents and body washes, can suddenly cause stinging or irritation. When you scratch, you create microscopic cuts in the skin that set you up for further irritation, also opening the door to bacteria and germs, which can cause infection. The result? Even more pruritus.⁵ 

Other factors that contribute to menopause itching include:

• Stress. Often heightened during this life stage, menopause stress can worsen pruritus by triggering the release of histamines, compounds that increase inflammation and intensify skin itching.⁶
• Heightened sensation. Nerve pathways become more sensitive when estrogen levels fluctuate, leading to greater perception of skin sensations, including pain and irritation.⁷ 
• Slower healing. Estrogen normally accelerates wound healing by dampening inflammation.⁸ With lower estrogen levels, skin cracks take longer to heal, giving infectious pathogens a longer runway to cause pruritus. 

Areas of the Body Affected by Menopause Itching

Areas of the body most commonly impacted by menopause itching include: 

• Armpits
• Chest
• Back
• Legs
• Feet
• Face
• Genital areas

Your underarms may be the most vulnerable to itching during the menopause transition, Ross notes, thanks to the combination of sweat, friction, and exposure to irritants like fragranced deodorant and shaving cream. 

In fact, any areas of the body that rub against clothing or are more exposed to the elements are particularly prone to menopause itching.  Ross recommends switching to unscented deodorants, moisturizers, shampoos, and detergents to help prevent irritation and give your skin a chance to calm down.

Vaginal itching in menopause 

The vagina can also fall victim to pruritus. As estrogen drops in perimenopause, vaginal cells become thinner, drier, and less elastic, explains Leslie Greenberg, M.D., which can lead to itching in the vagina, vulva, and perineum (the area between the vagina and rectum).⁹

No matter where you’re itching, it’s worth keeping track of how symptoms change from day to day, since pruritus can fluctuate depending on hormone levels, stress, and even the products you’re using.

Menopause Itching at Night

Menopause itching is worse at night, when the night sweats that plague an estimated 80 percent of women during this transition can heighten the urge to scratch.¹⁰ 

Night sweats, which are caused by estrogen fluctuations messing with your brain’s thermostat (the hypothalamus), directly trigger itchy skin, Greenberg says. “The sweat the body produces during hot flashes or night sweats dries quickly on the skin,” Ross says, leaving salt from the sweat on your skin, leading to more dryness and irritation.

Nighttime itching may also be triggered by pruritogens—substances released in the skin that increase itch sensitivity, making everything feel more intense when you’re trying to wind down.

Body temperature also rises slightly at night, which can exacerbate itching due to:

• Increased blood flow to the skin
• Intensified sensations of itching
• Increased cortisol, making the body more reactive to inflammation and irritation¹¹

To help tamp down menopause itching at night, use a fan or air conditioning, wear soft, breathable pajamas, and sleep on cooling sheets.

What Treatments Can Help Menopause Itching?

The best treatments for menopause-related itching are typically a combination of the following:

HRT

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) helps stabilize hormones, easing the urge to scratch. It can safely improve or even reverse vaginal dryness and itchiness, as well as help reduce night sweats.

There are several forms of HRT available, including estrogen patches and pills, as well as topical estrogen and gels.

• Whole body itching: an estrogen pill or patch may be the right option
• Only vaginal itching: a localized estrogen suppository might be enough

A 2022 study in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology found that estrogen works best to combat pruritus when combined with progesterone, increasing fat and oil production on the surface of skin.¹² A menopause specialist can recommend the best HRT option for itching based on your symptoms and overall health, Ross says. 

Topical medications and other options

Besides HRT, women in menopause can try a variety of over-the-counter topical medications to combat itching. 

• Hydrocortisone: Over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream or prescription corticosteroids can provide some relief, says OB-GYN Kecia Gaither, M.D. An OTC cream such as Cortizone-10 should do the job for mild itching. For more stubborn irritation, you may need a steroid-based cream by prescription.¹³
• Anti-fungal: If an infectious pathogen has seeped into the cracks of your skin, you’ll need a prescription antifungal or antibacterial ointment. 
• Local anesthetic: For intense pain, your doctor may prescribe a local anesthetic cream. 
• Anti-histamines: Antihistamines, available as creams or oral tablets, may also tamp down inflammation and itchiness in some cases. They work by blocking histamine receptors.¹⁴
• Supplements: If you’re wondering whether any supplements can help with itchy skin in menopause, some research points to herbal supplements such as genistein, which acts as a phytoestrogen in the body.¹⁵ Discuss any supplement use with your provider, especially if you’re already taking other medications or managing multiple symptoms.

Skincare and vaginal moisturizers

To minimize pruritus, make some key changes to how you moisturize your body. The first involves timing: Apply body lotion right after a bath or shower while skin is still damp because that’s when it can lock in hydration most effectively. 

The second skincare tip for menopause itching involves formulas. In general, rely on a gentle skincare routine that won’t strip your body’s natural oils. Skip foaming cleansers and harsh exfoliants, which can make pruritus worse. 

Choose basic fragrance-free moisturizers with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, or glycerin for skin hydration. You might also find that moisturizers with natural anti-inflammatory ingredients, like colloidal oatmeal or aloe vera, can calm irritation. Beyond lotion, emollients such as petroleum jelly or coconut oil can help soften and protect dry or fragile skin. 

If your skin is feeling less elastic or plump, a collagen-based moisturizer can help support hydration and barrier function. And don’t forget sunscreen, as menopausal skin is thinner and more sensitive, making daily SPF crucial. 

For vaginal itching in menopause, consider a targeted moisturizer. “A vulva-specific moisturizer can help hydrate and moisturize the skin of this delicate area, while an internal vaginal moisturizer can provide daily comfort to the vaginal tissues,” Ross says. You can rub most of these moisturizers onto your vulva (or insert the appropriate ones into the vagina) after showering, similar to how you’d apply lotion to other parts of your body, Greenberg adds.

MENOPAUSE & SKIN HEALTH

4 Benefits of HRT for Healthy & Radiant Skin

Do Women in Menopause Need Different Shampoo? The Science vs. The Sell

Lifestyle

Some simple lifestyle measures can help prevent or minimize pruritis in perimenopause and menopause.

• Stay hydrated and eat foods rich in vitamin E—such as almonds, avocados, hazelnuts, and pine nuts—to help support skin hydration from the inside out.¹⁶
• Manage stress, Ross says, to help break the itch-scratch cycle in which stress triggers itching, which worsens irritation and contributes to more itching. 
• Take oatmeal or coconut oil baths with warm water for 10 to 20 minutes per day to soothe dry and irritated skin. When you get out, Ross says, pat skin dry and lather on an unscented moisturizer like a baker icing a cake, ideally while skin is still damp.¹⁷ 
• Apply cooling agents, such as calamine lotion.¹⁸ Pro tip: Place your go-to, free-of-additives moisturizer in the fridge for extra relief when you apply it.

Bathing

Preventing itching is much easier than chasing it away, Ross says, and it starts with your regular shower routine. 

While hot, steamy baths and showers might feel relaxing, they can strip your skin’s natural oils, leaving it even drier and more irritated. Stick to lukewarm water and try to limit showers to no more than 10 minutes. Skip the hot tub, which can be especially harsh on sensitive menopausal skin. 

Always use gentle, fragrance-free cleansers, as strong soaps and scented body washes can worsen pruritus by disrupting the skin barrier.¹⁹ 

Pat skin dry and moisturize immediately with a fragrance-free lotion or coconut oil.

When Does Itchy Menopause Skin Go Away? 

While there is no research exploring when menopause itching goes away, numerous studies suggest a higher prevalence of itching during the post-menopausal years.^{20 21} That’s likely because the new norm after menopause is skin that is just drier, thinner and more prone to irritation. 

To manage it, use the best practices already discussed in this article, including a gentle skincare regimen and targeted moisturizers, and talk to your doctor about menopause hormone therapy, which can restore estrogen levels and replenish natural skin hydration to reduce itching. 

In cases where menopause itching lasts for more than a few days or consistently affects quality of life, seek treatment with a healthcare provider.

When Should You Seek Help?

Not all itching is tied to menopause. If your skin symptoms are persistent or severe, it’s worth checking for other underlying causes. Conditions like hypothyroidism, fungal infections, or vitamin deficiencies can lead to similar skin irritation. 

Eczema, psoriasis, scabies, and allergies are also common culprits, and in some cases, itching may signal a more serious issue involving the liver, kidneys, or thyroid, or involve anemia or diabetes. If the urge to scratch is interfering with your sleep or daily life, talk to a healthcare provider. They may recommend hormone replacement therapy or help you rule out other potential causes.

Navigate Menopause With Confidence

Get expert guidance and support on symptoms, treatments, and lifestyle changes, delivered every Monday.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*

Email*

Subscribe to*

Hone In: Men’s health, performance, and longevity

Hone Your Life: Women’s health, hormones, and well-being

Join The Hone Newsletter

About the author

Gabrielle Kassel (she/her) is a queer sex educator and wellness journalist who is committed to helping people feel the best they can in their bodies.

About the reviewer

Brandye Wilson-Manigat, M.D., is a board-certified OBGYN with a robust background in women’s health, particularly in areas such as perimenopause, menopause, and sexual dysfunction.