Paulina Porizkova isn’t one to shy away from candid conversations, but when it comes to menopause, she doesn’t feel qualified to weigh in. In a recent Instagram Reel, the self-proclaimed “accidental former supermodel” shared that she’s hesitant to speak on the topic because she experienced it alongside a series of life-altering challenges that made it difficult to pinpoint its effects.
“I’ve certainly gone through it, and I’m on the other side of it,” she said. “The reason that I haven’t been speaking about menopause—and I also don’t feel like I should—is because mine sort of coincided with, oh, let’s see: death of a marriage, death of my husband, death of all things I knew of my life as I knew it, heartbreak, grief, financial troubles, COVID…yeah.”
“So what was menopause and what was just a bad time? I’ll never know,” she continued. “And that’s why I don’t think I’m really qualified to speak of menopause or really give any sort of advice, or even tell you how I weathered it because I basically weathered all of it through what I used to call ‘white-knuckling it,’ which included a lot of crying.”
While she may not be leading the conversation, Porizkova pointed her followers toward women who are, including The New Menopause author Mary Claire Haver, MD, as well as Naomi Watts and Tamsen Fadal, whom she says “enlighten and inspire” her.
For those unsure whether they’re entering menopause, New York gynecologist and VSPOT MedSpa chief medical officer Dr. Monica Grover previously told NewBeauty that common signs include “irregular periods or heavy bleeding, fatigue, mood swings, anxiety or depression. Other indicators include acne, skin changes, changes in sex drive, weight loss or gain, hot flashes, night sweats, hair loss, vaginal dryness and urinary incontinence.” Ultimately, consulting a healthcare provider can help rule out other potential causes and determine the best course of action.
