Long-term effects of hormone therapy on skin rigidity and wrinkles.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of long-term hormone therapy (HT) on skin rigidity and wrinkling.


METHODS
Single blinded cross-sectional analysis.


METHODS
Academic medical center.


METHODS
Sixty-five long-term HT users who underwent menopause at least 5 years before evaluation and who have either consistently used HT or have never used HT.


METHODS
Visual assessment of severity of wrinkles at 11 facial locations using the Lemperle scale by a plastic surgeon blinded to HT use. Measurement of skin rigidity at the cheek and forehead with a durometer.


METHODS
Lemperle wrinkle score and skin rigidity.


RESULTS
Twenty women met inclusion criteria. Eleven women who had not used HT were compared to nine long-term HT users. Demographics including age, race, sun exposure, sunscreen use, tobacco use, and skin type were similar. Rigidity was significantly decreased in HT users compared to nonusers at both the cheek (1.1 vs. 2.7) and forehead (20 vs. 29). Average wrinkle scores were lower in hormone users than in nonhormone users (1.5 vs. 2.2).


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term postmenopausal HT users have more elastic skin and less severe wrinkling than women who never used HT, suggesting that hormone therapy may have cosmetic benefits.
Wolff
Erin F
EF
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
Narayan
Deepak
D
Taylor
Hugh S
HS
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004548:Elasticity / Q000187:drug effects; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005145:Face / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005546:Forehead / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects*; D015595:Skin Aging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D013995:Time
D004967:Estrogens