Skin Of Postmenopausal Women Research Articles

The influence of autogenic training on the physical properties of skin and cardiac autonomic activity in postmenopausal women: an exploratory study.

Autogenic training (AT) is a major relaxation training technique whose clinical efficacy has been verified in dermatology. Many reports demonstrate ameliorated skin conditions in AT-treated subjects with reduced psychological stress. However, no studies have examined the effects of AT on the skin of postmenopausal women. We examine the influences of AT on the physical properties of skin and cardiac autonomic activity in postmenopausal women. Postmenopausal women were classed into anAT group and acontrol one. The women in the AT group were mentored by a professional to practice AT twice a day for 7weeks. The women in the control group were instructed to close their eyes for 3minutes instead of AT. Hydration of the stratum corneum (SC), transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin elasticity and heart-rate variability (HRV) were measured before and after the study period to examine how they changed. SC hydration and skin elasticity of thecheek, increased in both groups, and the increase was significantly higher in the AT group (n=14) than in the control group (n=12) (P<0.05, Cohen's d=1.03; P<0.05, Cohen's d=0.99; respectively). TEWL did not change in either group. LF/HF was lower in the AT group than in the control group (P<0.05, Cohen's d=0.91). AT increased SC hydration and skin elasticity with changes in the balance of autonomic nervous system activity in postmenopausal women, implying that AT may have improvement effects on aged skin by menopause.

Does Argan oil have a moisturizing effect on the skin of postmenopausal women?

Does Argan oil have a moisturizing effect on the skin of postmenopausal women?

Effect of long-term topical application of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and oral estrogens on morphology, cell proliferation, procollagen A1 and androgen receptor levels in rat skin.

After cessation of estrogen secretion by the ovaries at menopause, all estrogens and almost all androgens acting in the skin of postmenopausal women are synthesized locally from dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a prohormone of adrenal origin that progressively declines with age. To better understand the effects of DHEA on the skin, ovariectomized (OVX) rats were treated for 9months with local topical application of DHEA compared with oral conjugated equine estrogens. Morphological evaluation, immunohistochemistry for androgen receptor (AR) and Cdc47 proliferation marker, and in situ hybridization for procollagen A1 were performed on dorsal skin. Local topical DHEA application increased the thickness of the granular cell layer and total epidermis in OVX animals, whereas systemic estrogens had no significant effect. Although DHEA did not affect total dermal thickness, a 190% increase in dermal procollagen A1 mRNA was observed. Moreover, DHEA treatment decreased hypodermal thickness by 47% and increased skin muscle thickness by 58%. In the epidermis, DHEA induced a non-significant increase in cell proliferation, whereas AR labeling was increased in both the epidermis and dermis by DHEA. Although estrogens did not significantly modify any of the above-mentioned parameters, the androgenic action of DHEA induced significant changes in all skin layers, without any sign of toxicity or lack of tolerance to DHEA after a 9-month local application of 4% (80mg/kg) DHEA on the skin.

Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus in the Elderly

Lichen sclerosus is a chronic skin condition that most commonly affects the anogenital skin of postmenopausal women. The aetiology of the condition is multifactorial. The most common presenting symptom is itching. Lichen sclerosus has a characteristic appearance. Diagnosis is made with vulvar biopsy. Treatment is important and the regimen most often includes topical corticosteroid ointments. Lifetime surveillance of the skin is imperative because of the increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma in patients with lichen sclerosus.

Effects of Isoflavones on the Skin of Postmenopausal Women: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of isoflavones on the skin of postmenopausal women.DESIGN:A prospective study was performed with 30 postmenopausal women before and immediately after the end of treatment with 100 mg/day of an isoflavones-rich, concentrated soy extract for six months. A skin punch was performed in the gluteal region for sample collection before and immediately after the treatment program. Morphometric determination of epidermal thickness, the papillary index (wrinkling), and the amount of dermal elastic and collagen fibers was assessed. In addition, the number of blood vessels in the sample was also evaluated. The paired Student’s t-test was used for statistical analysis (P ≤ 0.05).RESULTS:Isoflavone treatment resulted in a 9.46% increase in the thickness of the epidermis in 23 patients. In addition, the papillary index was reduced in 21 women. The papillary index was inversely proportional to skin wrinkling, i.e., there were a large number of papillae after treatment. The amount of collagen in the dermis was increased in 25 women (86.2%). In 22 women (75.8%) we observed that the number of elastic fibers increased. The number of dermal blood vessels was significantly increased in 21 women.CONCLUSION:Our data show that the use of a concentrated, isoflavone-rich soy extract during six consecutive months caused significant increases in epithelial thickness, the number of elastic and collagen fibers, as well as the blood vessels.

Pangenomic changes induced by DHEA in the skin of postmenopausal women

The objective of this study was to explore, for the first time, the changes in the pangenomic profile induced in human skin in women treated with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) applied locally. Sixty postmenopausal women participated in this phase II prospective, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study. Women were randomized to the twice daily local application of 0% (placebo), 0.3%, 1% or 2% DHEA cream. Changes in the pangenomic expression profile were studied using Affymetrix Genechips. Significant changes ( p < 0.05) in sixty-six DHEA-responsive probe sets corresponding to 52 well-characterized genes and 9 unknown gene sequences were identified. A dose-dependent increase in the expression of several members of the collagen family was observed, namely COL1, COL3 and COL5 as well as the concomitant modulation of SPARC, a gene required for the normal deposition and maturation of collagen fibrils in the dermis. Several genes involved in the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes were also modulated. In addition, topical DHEA reduced the expression of genes associated with the terminal differentiation and cornification of keratinocytes. Our results strongly suggest the possibility that DHEA could exert an anti-aging effect in the skin through stimulation of collagen biosynthesis, improved structural organization of the dermis while modulating keratinocyte metabolism.

17β-Estradiol regulates the secretion of TGF-β by cultured human dermal fibroblasts

Estrogen plays an important role in skin homeostasis, as demonstrated by the changes seen in the skin of post-menopausal women, changes reversed by HRT. Estrogen also has a role in wound healing, since estrogen deficiency as occurs post-menopausally and in ovariectomised animals, is associated with a reduced rate of wound healing. Estrogen appears to modulate all phases of wound healing with effects on inflammatory cells, epithelialization, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix deposition and tissue remodelling. This study was designed to investigate the effects of 17β-estradiol on cultured human dermal fibroblasts using an in vitro wound-healing assay. The end points investigated were cell migration, proliferation, total collagen secretion and active TGF-β1 secretion. 17β-estradiol significantly increased the migration and proliferation of cultured dermal fibroblasts following mechanical wounding, although the secretion of total soluble collagen was not altered. An increase in TGF-β1 was demonstrated by unwounded confluent dermal fibroblast monolayers in response to 17β-estradiol, but paradoxically, a decrease in the secretion of TGF-β1 was demonstrated in the mechanically wounded dermal fibroblasts. These results identify human dermal fibroblasts as estrogen target cells and provide further evidence for a role by which estrogen regulates this particular cell type as part of the wound-healing process. However, the paradoxical nature of the effect of estrogen on TGF-β1 secretion following mechanical wounding suggests that the cellular mechanism of action is complex. A greater understanding of the cell-specific action of estrogen may help to develop therapies that will improve cutaneous wound healing in the future.

The expression of the gene encoding pro-α 1 chain of type I collagen in the skin of premenopausal and postmenopausal women

Objectives: The atrophic changes occurring in the skin of postmenopausal women are thought to depend mainly on the oestrogen deficiency secondary to loss of hormonal function of the ovaries. The hypothesis to be tested was whether decreased serum level of oestrogen in these women influences the expression of gene encoding pro-α1 chain of type I collagen. Study design: The skin specimens from six premenopausal and six postmenopausal women were taken at the time of surgery. The expression of gene encoding pro-α1 chain of type I collagen was estimated using Dot-Blot hybridisation technique. Results: The expression of pro-α1 chain of type I collagen gene was shown in all cases. The level of expression was different in each sample and did not depend on ovarian hormonal function. Conclusions: Our results indicate that atrophic changes in the skin of postmenopausal women probably do not depend on diminished expression of gene encoding pro-α1 chain of type I collagen.

The effects of systemic hormonal replacement therapy on the skin of postmenopausal women

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of hormonal replacement therapy on the skin of postmenopausal women. Method: Forty-one postmenopausal women were randomly allocated to receive either hormonal replacement (valerate estradiol — 2 mg/day for 21 days and cyproterone acetate — 1 mg/day for 10 days) or placebo, both in a cyclic scheme for 6 months. Neither patients nor investigators were aware of the group allocation. Histologic changes were evaluated by skin biopsy of the left upper arm at baseline and after 6 months of treatment, utilizing computerized image analysis to assess the ratio area of epidermis/basement membrane length (AE/BML), ratio area of keratin/basement membrane length (AK/BML) and collagen and elastic fibers content. Result: Collagen content of the left upper arm increased after 6 months of treatment only in the hormonal group (+6.49%; P<0.05). Other parameters did not present any significant alteration after treatment in both groups. Conclusion: Hormonal replacement for climacterics increases skin collagen content.

Estrogen Prevention of Recurrent Epistaxis

Both oral and vaginal mucosae become atrophic in estrogen-deficient women, with these changes responding well to either local or systemic estrogen therapy.1,2The gums of estrogen-deficient women bleed more easily than those of otherwise similar women who are not estrogen deficient.3The skin of postmenopausal women becomes atrophic due to loss of its collagen, this alteration returning to normal within a few months of estrogen supplementation.4,5The influence of estrogen deficiency on the nasal mucosa, however, has apparently not been investigated. In my practice as a general internist, women receiving supplemental estrogen have seemed less likely to have epistaxis, and most postmenopausal women with frequent anterior epistaxis have demonstrated prominent atrophy of their nasal mucosa over Kesselback's plexus, the usual site of their bleeding. Seven of these women were advised to apply 0.5 cm of estrogen vaginal cream twice daily, by fingertip, to this area and then

Hormone Receptors in Pubic Skin of Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Females

Various functions of the skin are hormone-dependent. Recently hormonal involvement in aging processes of the skin has attracted increasing interest. The rapid onset of aging of the skin from the climacterium on seems to be correlated with the decrease of estrogens. In order to evaluate hormonal stimulability of the skin a study of hormone receptors was performed in pre- and postclimacteric women. Pubic skin of a total of 106 females was obtained during gynecologic operations for determination of estrogen receptors (ER), androgen receptors (AR) and gestagen receptors (PgR) by saturation analysis. In the preclimacteric group consisting of 62 females with a mean age of 39.6 +/- (SD) 6.5 years the operations were performed in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. The results were compared with those of 44 postmenopausal females with a mean age of 63.2 +/- 9.4 years. AR concentrations were significantly lower in the skin of postmenopausal women. 47.4% positive findings with a mean receptor level of 15.3 +/- 33.3 fmol/mg protein were to be found against 85.2% positive AR with a mean level of 31.4 +/- 20.3 fmol/mg protein in the ovulatory cycling females. These findings were of high significance. In addition, diminished PgR in the postmenopausal group were noted for incidence and mean receptor levels. PgR were positive in 18.4% with a mean level of 34.2 +/- 72.8 fmol/mg protein versus 36.3% with a mean receptor level of 34.2 +/- 72.8 in the ovulatory group. In contrast, no significant differences between ER of premenopausal and postmenopausal skin became evident. Results of hormone receptor determinations in the premenopausal and postmenopausal group with regard to the aging process are interpreted.