An uncomfortable life stage every woman has to go through is getting a fun rebrand.
In recent years, menopause has been given a bigger spotlight, with celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Brooke Shields, Halle Berry, Drew Barrymore and Salma Hayek all opening up publicly about their experiences with “The Change.”
But there’s a lesser-known and lesser-discussed phase just before menopause that’s now getting the TikTok treatment — and makes it seem quite a bit sexier than it actually is.
Perimenopause — the transitional period just before menopause, in which women can also count on symptoms like irregular periods, hot flashes and mood changes — has a new name.
“You know what the cool kids are calling it now?” TikTokker @radiant.rewind teased in a viral video this week. “Cougar puberty.”
“I love the reset vibe for us rather than the game over,” she added.
Others have been using the term on the app for over a year, with those going through it saying the new terminology makes perfect sense.
“I’m 37 and in the full blown throws of perimenopause and I’ve always said it’s like a second puberty,” said one commenter.
“I feel like I’m going through puberty but with a whole bunch of different symptoms,” said Lisa (@simplythrivewithlisa) in a 2024 video. “And I feel like I’m going crazy and all of these things are happening to my body that I really don’t understand.”
Meanwhile, a few — including author and comedian Kristina Kuzmic and her friend Amy — have used it to describe menopause as a whole, even making T-shirts with the term.
So… what is perimenopause, and how is it different from menopause?
Perimenopause describes a phase that many people think of as menopause itself — but it’s actually totally separate.
Menopause is when a woman has gone 12 months in a row without a menstrual period.
There are some fits and starts to get to that point — a woman might not have a period for a few months, then get one, then not again. Women typically find their periods grow irregular for years before they fully stop getting them.
That time of irregularity — when a bunch of other symptoms can also occur — is perimenopause. It’s when the body is transitioning into menopause, and the hormone changes involved is stopping menstruation can also cause a lot of other symptoms as well.
These typically include sleep issues, hot flashes and night sweats, a decreased sex drive, mood swings, vaginal dryness, very heavy periods and the need to pee more often. Depression and anxiety are also common during perimenopause.
Other problems can include short-term memory issues and problems concentrating.
When does perimenopause happen?
For most women, this will being in your mid-40s — but can also start as early as your mid-30s or as late as your early-50s.
It usually lasts for about four years, but can be as short as a few months or as long as nearly a decade.
The average woman in the US reaches menopause at 51.
What causes perimenopause?
Later in life, women’s ovaries start producing less estrogen, a hormone that regulates the reproductive system.
That change in estrogen — and changes to progesterone, another hormone — kick off a domino effect of other changes to bodily functions.
How can you ease perimenopause symptoms?
You can’t stop perimenopause, but there are ways to ease the symptoms. These include lifestyle changes like maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, minimizing caffeine and alcohol intake, upping your calcium, and getting more sleep.
Some symptoms can be managed with medications like antidepressants, hormonal birth control pills and vaginal creams.
Doctors may also recommend hormone therapy.
