Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026
06:18
An In Vivo Estrogen Deficiency Mouse Model for Screening Exogenous Estrogen Treatments of Cardiovascular Dysfunction After Menopause
Published on: August 13, 2019
Estrogen and skin: therapeutic options.
1School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA. yshu@wisc.edu
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology
|July 1, 2011
Summary
Estrogen therapy can improve aged skin by increasing collagen and elasticity, reducing wrinkles and dryness. However, systemic risks lead to exploring topical estrogens, SERMs, and phytoestrogens for safer postmenopausal skin management.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Endocrinology
- Skin Aging Research
Background:
- Skin aging in postmenopausal women is characterized by thinning, atrophy, dryness, wrinkling, and delayed wound healing.
- Declining estrogen levels significantly exacerbate these aging effects.
- Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) has shown potential benefits for aged skin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the restorative effects of estrogen on aged skin in postmenopausal women.
- To explore alternatives to systemic ERT for managing postmenopausal skin.
- To discuss the potential and challenges of topical estrogens, SERMs, and phytoestrogens.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on estrogen's effects on skin.
- Analysis of systemic ERT's impact on skin thickness, collagen, elasticity, and hydration.
- Exploration of alternative therapies including topical estrogens, phytoestrogens, and SERMs.
Main Results:
- Systemic ERT improves skin thickness, collagen synthesis, and elasticity, reducing wrinkles and dryness.
- Estrogen enhances skin hydration and barrier function, and accelerates wound healing.
- Long-term systemic ERT carries harmful side effects, prompting research into alternatives.
Conclusions:
- Estrogen offers significant benefits for aged skin, addressing key aging concerns.
- Topical estrogens, SERMs, and phytoestrogens are promising alternatives for targeted skin management.
- Further research is needed to optimize the safety and efficacy of these alternatives.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells
Epidermal stem cells (EpiSCs) are mainly located at the basal layer of the epidermis. These cells repair minor injuries of the skin and replace dead skin cells. However, EpiSCs’ cannot heal severe wounds such as major burns or those from diabetes or hereditary disorders. In such cases, culturing the epidermal stem cells from the patient is possible and has yielded successful treatment options, such as laboratory-grown skin grafts. These grafts are synthesized using a patient’s own EpiSCs...
01:27Acne Infection
Acne is a multifactorial skin condition primarily affecting adolescents and young adults, with a global prevalence estimated to exceed 75% in this demographic. The condition is characterized by the formation of comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), papules, pustules, nodules, and, in severe cases, cysts, particularly in areas rich in sebaceous glands such as the face, neck, chest, and back. The pathogenesis involves increased sebum production, follicular hyperkeratinization, colonization by...
01:14Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives
The first thing a clinician sees is the skin, so the examination of the skin should be part of any thorough physical examination. Most skin disorders are relatively benign, but a few, including melanomas, can be fatal if untreated. A couple of the more noticeable disorders, albinism and vitiligo, affect the appearance of the skin and its accessory organs.
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...
01:12Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells
The skin is divided into epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, the skin's outermost, middle, and inner layers. The human epidermal layer regularly undergoes renewal, where old, dead cells are replaced by new cells. Epidermal stem cells or EpiSCs divide and differentiate to restore the lost cells. For the renewal process, some EpiSCs continuously self-renew. In contrast, few others differentiate into transit-amplifying cells, which later form prickle or spinous cells, followed by granular cells,...
01:23Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis
The skin plays a crucial role in the synthesis of vitamin D, a vital nutrient for various physiological processes in the body. Vitamin D is unique because it can be synthesized in the skin through a series of chemical reactions triggered by exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight.
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin D3(cholecalciferol).
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin D3(cholecalciferol).
01:30Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is a type of cancer that occurs when there is an abnormal growth of skin cells, usually triggered by damage to the DNA within the skin cells. It is primarily caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide, and its incidence continues to rise.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...