The physiological menopause: an aging process from the ovaries to the skin through the psyche

Introduction. Menopause shows new anatomic and functional limits and produces physical damage and psychological discomfort. Aim. Have been described the end-points that allow us to value the welfare state, and the illnesses produced by menopause. Materials and methods. 240 women, aged 45-55 years old (DS 2.58), in menopause, were divided into 4 groups according to the habit to smoke or to photoexposition. Were evaluated: the phototype (by Saidman Test), the psychological damages (by Machover test, Zung test on the anxiety and on depression, Schedule of Recent Experiences, interview psychologist-subject), the systemic damages (by menopause rating scale), the skin damages (by Glogau signs and ultrasound). Results were recorded at the start study and after 6 and 12 months follow-up. Results. The discomfort starts in 156 patients on menopause initial stage of and after a 12 months follow-up it appears in 120 patients with a decrease of 24%, while the skin damages do not show significant changes. The Spearman correlations among the tests show high significance (p < 0.0001). Discussion. The fertility is a perception of the female identity. The menopause changes this one with a consequent psychological and syntomatological uneasiness that requires to be rationalized. The importance of the anxiety and of the depression decrease to the remission of the symptoms. These ones are mostly present in the groups with habit to the smoke or to the photoexposition. Conclusions. The used method can be considered as diagnostic end points of the menopause and they show the importance of the uneasiness and suggest removing promoting factors such as the stress, smoke and/or the photoexposition.