This is not new science. But as *menopause* sneaks up on me and my friends, the question as to estrogen replacement is looming. Should everyone be on it? No one? Who?
This isn’t a simple “YES!” be on estrogen. When you are a post menopausal woman, if you get a breast cancer it is likely to be hormone receptor positive. That doesn’t mean taking estrogen causes the cancer, but it means if you are on estrogen, you are feeding the cancer. It’s why Tamoxifen has been a standard treatment for breast cancer. It is an ANTI estrogen. So what is your breast cancer risk? family history? do you have dense breasts? are they large? There is also an increase for blood clotting issues, which increase as you age in general.
So what does estrogen actually do for the skin?
I found a nice article on PubMed which summarized estrogen’s effects on the skin. 2001 American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. I see the same basic points reiterated in numerous articles.
I think it bears repeating here:
- It prevents a loss in skin collagen, which keeps skin thickness thicker.
- Maintains skin moisture by increasing hyaluronic acid and mucopolysaccharides
- Higher sebum levels
- Less skin wrinkling because of its effect on elastic fibers and collagen
- May help wound healing
- Hair growth: this is a mixed bag. In many mammal species, estrogens significantly inhibit hair growth, but regulation of the hair cycle in humans by estrogens appears more complex. There does appear to be a link with aromatase inhibitors which prevent estrogen production and female hair thinning.
- It may help lower skin cancer risks. *In studies, men have a 2X higher risk of non melanoma skin cancers and skin cancer recurrences. There is some thought that estrogens have “cytoprotective effects”, though the mechanism of action is unclear.
My thoughts?
I’m interested. This is a complex issue, and I think this is a category where one size does not fit all, and more (ie more estrogen) is not necessarily better. Given breast cancer affects 12% of women, and if you have dense breast tissue that rate goes up to 25%, estrogen isn’t like taking Vitamin C. There are real consequences. I have numerous friends who have had breast cancer, and they are in the age range of 40 – 50, which is when the perimenopause stuff hits.
I will be blogging more on this. It’s of great interest to me. I see many women come in for skin tightening procedures in perimenopause and menopause. Eyelid lifts. Breast lifts. Tummy tucks. And the changes hit them like a wall. I can see how the estrogen changes really effect skin.
But the treatment. How much? how to give it? what is the underbelly of it?
Super important questions to figure out before you start.