Saying the Quiet Parts Out Loud; Low Estrogen Symptoms No One Really Talks About

One of the things I’ve learned as I get older is that aging well isn’t just about what we eat or how much we move… it’s also about naming things we were never taught to talk about.

Here’s one of those things.

When estrogen drops (perimenopause, menopause, breastfeeding, cancer treatment, or other hormone shifts), we hear a lot about dryness. What I’ve never really heard people talk about is itchiness. And yet, it’s very real.

As I’ve learned more about my body, I’ve realized that many of these experiences fall under low estrogen symptoms, things that are common, manageable, and rarely discussed out loud.

Lower estrogen can mean thinner, more sensitive skin… sometimes in places you wouldn’t immediately connect, like your ears and more delicate areas of the body. I actually experienced itchy ears years ago during pregnancy, and now again during perimenopause. At the same time, I started noticing more irritation “down there,” especially when using regular toilet paper or standard wipes, even the ones labeled “gentle.”

This reminded me of something from years ago. I had heart palpitations and didn’t understand why… until I heard Oprah talk about it with Michelle Obama and realized it could be related to low estrogen. Once someone said it out loud, it all clicked.

This feels like one of those moments again.

Aging well, to me, includes paying attention, getting curious, and being willing to share what we’re learning along the way. If something feels off, it’s worth exploring. And sometimes the biggest relief comes from simply realizing, “Oh… this is a thing.”

If you want to know what’s been helping me practically, I shared about Lume wipes and body wash in I AM Sharing My Favorite Things.