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Biological Effects of Estrogen on Skin

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Textbook of Aging Skin

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Abstract

Skin aging involves progressive degenerative change, such as gradual dryness, thinning, fragility, atrophy, wrinkling, a progressive increase in extensibility, and a reduction in elasticity, becoming more susceptible to injury. The average woman spends about a third of her life after the onset of menopause. Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) has been regularly prescribed, which reduces symptoms associated with menopause. Much data exists regarding estrogen’s role in aging skin and evidence of ERT on ameliorating postmenopausal aging, which have been analyzed with multiple perspectives. Numerous studies reported increases in collagen skin thickness and skin elasticity, thus reducing wrinkling, and increases in skin moisture after ERT. Estrogen also affects wound healing and scarring, but much remains to be elucidated regarding the mechanisms by which estrogen acts. There may be limitations on the benefits of ERT, though, depending on the type of skin damage accumulated. A limited number of studies contradict these benefits of ERT. Due to a lack of standardized methods, not all studies are comparable, and the power of each study differs. Overall, it seems clear that there is a role of the therapeutic use of estrogen on skin. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMS) are a viable option that should be further explored. Increased research should be directed at the clinical pharmacology of estrogen and medical prescription, such as determining the form of estrogen to administer as well as delivery and application methods.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, Surge Building Room 110, 90 Medical Center Way, 0989, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0989, USA

    Christina Phuong & Howard I. Maibach

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  1. Christina Phuong
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  2. Howard I. Maibach
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Correspondence to Christina Phuong .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    Miranda A. Farage

  2. Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    Kenneth W. Miller

  3. Department Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA

    Howard I. Maibach

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Phuong, C., Maibach, H.I. (2015). Biological Effects of Estrogen on Skin. In: Farage, M., Miller, K., Maibach, H. (eds) Textbook of Aging Skin. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27814-3_35-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27814-3_35-3

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  1. Latest

    Biological Effects of Estrogen on Skin
    Published:
    09 October 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27814-3_35-3

  2. Original

    Biological Effects of Estrogen on Skin
    Published:
    09 July 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27814-3_35-2

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