The Green Beauty Guide

For many women, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can alleviate the physical symptoms of menopause,

But many also look for another benefit of HRT. Many women noticed a marked improvement in their skin’s appearance while on HRT.

However, dermatologists maintain that estrogen does not aid in skin rejuvenation of photodamaged skin. And the potential risks of estrogen supplementation when used long-term outweigh any potential skin benefits.

“It does not appear that topical or oral estrogens are a viable long-term solution for improving sun-damaged or aging skin,” said dermatologist Margaret E. Parsons, MD, FAAD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California at Davis in Sacramento.

.”In my practice, I do not prescribe estrogens for skin rejuvenation because of the lack of consistent data to support their use and the known risks of prolonged estrogen therapy including an increased risk of breast cancer.”

At the same time, Dr. Parsons noted that estrogens benefit the skin in many ways, including an increase in collagen content, water retention and elasticity. However, estrogen supplementation did not provide any significant improvement in sun-damaged skin.

During pregnancy when estrogen levels are at their highest, women experience thicker hair and glowing skin. On the other hand, post-menopausal women may notice that their skin does not have the same elasticity as it once did and that it is drier than normal.

But the dark side of estrogen supplementation is well-recorded. For example, the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study found that women on long-term HRT could be at an increased risk for breast cancer and that the overall health risks of this therapy could outweigh the possible benefits.

Until then, our best allies in reversing skin aging are vitamin A and retinoids, alpha-hydroxy acids, glycolic skin peels, and natural skin fillers, to name a few.

“The best advice I can offer my patients to improve their overall skin health is to wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30, don’t smoke and use a topical retinoid,” said Dr. Parsons. “When it comes to minimizing the cumulative effects of sun damage, an ounce of prevention really does go a long way.”