How to Use Topical Estrogen Cream For Aging Skin | Menopause + Skin | Dr. Sam Ellis
Summary
TLDRIn this video, Dr. Sam Ellis, a board-certified dermatologist, discusses the impact of estrogen depletion on women's skin during perimenopause and menopause. He explains how topical estrogen application can potentially reverse skin aging effects, such as sagging and dryness, by improving collagen synthesis and skin hydration. However, he also addresses the potential side effects, including irritation and pigmentation issues, and emphasizes the importance of consulting with healthcare professionals, especially for those with a history of breast cancer or blood clots, before using topical estrogen for anti-aging purposes.
Takeaways
- 🌟 Topical estrogen is a subject of interest for anti-aging, especially for women experiencing skin changes during perimenopause and menopause.
- 🔬 Dr. Sam Ellis, a board-certified dermatologist, discusses the effects of estrogen depletion on women's skin and the potential benefits of topical estrogen application.
- ⚕️ Estrogen is a hormone primarily produced by the ovaries, adrenal glands, and fat cells, playing a role in sexual and reproductive health, as well as cardiovascular, bone, and cognitive functions.
- 📉 Women experience fluctuating estrogen levels throughout their menstrual cycle, with a significant drop during menopause, which can lead to skin issues like sagging, dryness, and dullness.
- 🧬 Menopause is defined as the cessation of menstrual periods for 12 months, indicating complete loss of ovarian function and a sharp decrease in estrogen levels.
- 📉 Collagen loss in the skin can be drastic after menopause, with statistics showing a 30% loss within the first five years post-menopause, contributing to the perception of sudden skin aging.
- 💊 Topical estrogen application has been studied for its potential to improve skin quality, including collagen synthesis, skin thickness, hydration, and elasticity.
- 🚫 Topical estrogen is not recommended for everyone; it's more beneficial for those in perimenopause or menopause experiencing estrogen deficiency.
- 📍 Common areas for topical estrogen application include the face, neck, and hands, where aging signs are most noticeable.
- ⚠️ Side effects of topical estrogen can include skin irritation, increased vascularity, and potential worsening of pigmentation problems like melasma.
- 🏥 The safety and potential risks of topical estrogen, including links to breast and uterine cancer, require careful consideration and discussion with healthcare professionals.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the video?
-The main topic of the video is the relationship between topical estrogen and anti-aging, specifically how it affects women's skin during perimenopause and menopause.
Who is Dr. Sam Ellis?
-Dr. Sam Ellis is a board-certified dermatologist based in Northern California who discusses skin health and products in the video.
What is the typical age range for women to start experiencing perimenopause?
-Most women start experiencing perimenopause in their 40s, but some may begin in their late 30s.
What are some of the skin-related symptoms women may experience during perimenopause and menopause?
-During perimenopause and menopause, women may experience sagging skin, increased sensitivity, dryness, dullness, and decreased wound healing ability.
How does estrogen affect the skin's collagen and hyaluronic acid levels?
-As estrogen levels decrease during perimenopause, the skin loses collagen, leading to sagging, and hyaluronic acid, resulting in dry, less plump, and less healthy-looking skin.
What is the current definition of menopause?
-Menopause is currently defined as the cessation of menstrual periods for 12 months, indicating complete loss of ovarian function and a sharp drop in estrogen levels.
What are some of the potential benefits of topical estrogen for the skin?
-Topical estrogen may help with collagen synthesis, skin thickness, hydration, and elasticity, potentially reversing some signs of aging in the skin.
What are some possible side effects of using topical estrogen on the skin?
-Possible side effects include skin dryness, irritation, increased vascularity leading to angiomas, and potentially worsening of pigmentation problems like melasma.
How does the use of topical estrogen relate to the risk of breast and uterine cancer?
-The risk of breast and uterine cancer with topical estrogen is not fully studied, but systemic absorption from local application seems to be low, and it is generally not considered to increase these risks significantly.
What is the general recommendation for applying topical estrogen to the skin?
-A pea-sized amount of topical estrogen is recommended for application to specific areas of the face, neck, or hands, rather than applying it broadly across the entire skin.
How does Dr. Ellis suggest obtaining a prescription for topical estrogen?
-Dr. Ellis suggests obtaining prescriptions for topical estrogen from a healthcare provider, such as an OBGYN or oncologist, who can ensure proper health screenings and consider the patient's overall health.
What is Dr. Ellis's personal view on the use of topical estrogen for skin health?
-Dr. Ellis finds the use of topical estrogen for skin health to be exciting and personally interesting, and she would consider it for herself when she reaches perimenopause, despite having a strong family history of breast cancer.
Outlines
🌟 Introduction to Topical Estrogen and Anti-Aging
Dr. Sam Ellis, a board-certified dermatologist, introduces the topic of topical estrogen's role in anti-aging. He discusses how women in their mid-40s to early 50s often experience sudden skin changes due to estrogen depletion. Ellis emphasizes the importance of understanding perimenopause and menopause's impact on skin health, including the loss of collagen, hyaluronic acid, and changes in wound healing abilities. He mentions the significant collagen loss post-menopause and hints at the potential benefits of topical estrogen replacement as an anti-aging treatment.
📚 Research and Benefits of Topical Estrogen
The script delves into the scientific research behind topical estrogen, highlighting its potential benefits for collagen synthesis, skin thickness, hydration, and elasticity. Ellis acknowledges the limitations of current studies but suggests that topical estrogen could be beneficial for women experiencing estrogen deficiency, typically in their early 40s and beyond. He also addresses the question of who might not need supplemental estrogen and discusses the process of determining estrogen deficiency beyond just age.
💊 Application and Sources of Topical Estrogen
Dr. Ellis provides guidance on where to obtain topical estrogen and how to apply it, particularly for women experiencing menopause-related symptoms in the vaginal area. He mentions the common prescription of 0.01 estradiol cream for intravaginal use and the emerging options of compounded creams with varying levels of estriol and estradiol. Ellis advises on the appropriate application amount and areas for topical estrogen use, such as the face, neck, and hands, while considering systemic absorption and potential side effects.
⚠️ Side Effects and Safety Considerations
The script addresses potential side effects of topical estrogen, including skin irritation, increased vascularity, and the development of angiomas. Ellis also discusses the risk of exacerbating pigmentation problems like melasma. He emphasizes the importance of safety, particularly the concerns related to breast and uterine cancer risks associated with supplemental estrogen. Ellis suggests that the decision to use topical estrogen should be made in consultation with healthcare professionals, considering personal risk factors and the balance of potential benefits and risks.
🤔 Personal Perspective and Future Outlook
In the final paragraph, Dr. Ellis shares his personal perspective on the excitement surrounding topical estrogen creams and his interest in their potential. He acknowledges the current lack of extensive long-term data and the need for further research. Ellis encourages viewers to consider their options carefully and to stay informed about new research. He also invites feedback from those who have tried topical estrogen and expresses his commitment to monitoring developments in this area of dermatology.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Topical Estrogen
💡Anti-Aging
💡Perimenopause
💡Menopause
💡Collagen
💡Hyaluronic Acid
💡Estrogen Depletion
💡Systemic Absorption
💡Menopausal Hormone Therapy
💡Cosmetic Side Effects
💡Risk Assessment
Highlights
Dr. Sam Ellis discusses the effects of topical estrogen on anti-aging and skin health.
Estrogen is a hormone affecting not only reproductive health but also cardiovascular, bone, and cognitive functions.
Menopause leads to a significant drop in estrogen levels, impacting skin health and appearance.
Perimenopause, starting in the early to mid-40s, is associated with decreasing estrogen levels and symptoms like hot flashes and fatigue.
Topical estrogen can potentially reverse skin changes associated with estrogen deficiency.
Studies support the use of topical estrogen for improving collagen synthesis, skin thickness, hydration, and elasticity.
Topical estrogen application is suggested for women experiencing menopause or perimenopause symptoms.
The use of topical estrogen should be considered based on individual estrogen deficiency rather than age alone.
Common topical estrogen products include 0.01% estradiol cream and compounded creams with estriol and estrad.
Topical estrogen can be applied to specific areas like the face, neck, and hands to target aging changes.
Potential side effects of topical estrogen include skin dryness, irritation, and increased vascularity.
There is a theoretical risk of breast and uterine cancer with topical estrogen, but data is limited and more research is needed.
Women with a history of breast cancer should discuss the use of topical estrogen with their oncologist.
Topical estrogen does not appear to increase the risk of blood clots, unlike oral estrogen.
Dr. Ellis expresses personal interest in topical estrogen and its potential benefits for skin health during menopause.
The video concludes with a call for more research on topical estrogen to better understand its long-term effects and benefits.
Transcripts
I posted a Tik Tok video talking about
topical estrogen and how it relates to
anti-aging and so many of you requested
a deeper dive on the topic so that's
what we're going to do
today I'm Dr Sam Ellis I a board
certified dermatologist in Northern
California and I'm here to help you
understand your skin and find products
that work for you so if that sounds good
give this video a thumbs up and don't
forget to subscribe to the channel aside
from you guys requesting it I really
wanted to make this video because as as
a practicing dermatologist every day in
clinic I see the effects of what
estrogen depletion does to women's skin
and the story often goes like this it's
a woman who comes in who's in her mid
40s or early 50s and goes I really feel
like I woke up one day and my skin had
completely changed like it started
sagging and becoming more sensitive and
more dry and dull seemingly overnight
and I feel like some people would look
at that situation and go yeah well like
you're getting older and it caught up to
you but the reality is
that time period in your life sort of
like your early to mid 40s is where per
menopause which we're about to talk
about sort of starts to come into play
and menopause affects so many systems in
our body our skin just being one of them
but of course as the dermatologist I'm
going to come at this from a skin
focused angle also later in this video
I'm going to get into who should and
maybe who should not use topical
estrogen so make sure you stick around
for that let's start with the basics
here what is estrogen estrogen is a
hormone produced mainly by your OV but
also in part by your adrenal glands and
a little bit by your fat cells and it
serves mainly for your sexual and
reproductive Health however over time we
have come to realize that estrogen isn't
just a sex hormone but it also helps
with your cardiovascular health your
bone health your cognitive function it
essentially plays a role in all of the
major organ systems in your body
naturally as a woman you are going to
have fluctuating levels of estrogen
throughout your menstrual cycle you're
also going to have surges of estrogen
during pregnancy and finally you're
going to have a steep drop off of your
estrogen levels as you approach and go
through menopause the current definition
of menopause is when you have ceased to
have menstrual periods for 12 months and
it is really the indication of complete
loss of ovarian function and you get a
sharp drop off of your estrogen however
in the Years leading up to menopause you
are in something called perimenopause
and when you are in a per menopausal
State your estrogen is also decreasing
and you may feel some of the symptoms
that we associate with menopause like
hot flashes irritability fatigue brain
fog and just overall discomfort in your
body everyone's timeline for going
through menopause and per menopause will
be slightly different but most people
will start per menopause in their 40s
but some will start it in their late 30s
as well and as women Trend towards
losing their estrogen when they are in a
per menopausal State this has some
significant impacts on the skin we lose
collagen in our skin we have poorer
blood flow more sensitivity more dryness
we also lose hyaluronic acid in our skin
which is what gives our skin bounce and
plumpness and when you decrease that the
skin looks dry creepy and just less
healthy wound healing is also dependent
on estrogen so as your estrogen levels
fall your ability to heal also changes
and decreases and the statistic that has
really sort of always blown me away is
that once you hit menopause you lose 30%
of your Skin's collagen within the first
5 years but it also explains why when
women hit menopause they feel like their
skin suddenly takes a turn for the worst
overnight and this is just what's
happening in your skin but there are so
many other negative changes that happen
in the body with menopause and for so
long I feel like the outlook on
menopause was just well suck it up this
is something that naturally happens to
the body and you have to deal with it
and now finally we are realizing that
maybe supplementing with the hormones
that are lost during the menopausal
period can be incredibly beneficial for
overall female wellness and health it's
funny I was listening to an
endocrinologist talk and
endocrinologists are doctors who
specialize in all hormones and what she
was saying is you know you lose any
other hormone in your body your thyroid
hormone
testosterone insulin and you replace it
that is the normal thing that we do and
for so long we have not done that with
estrogen as a reminder this video is
focusing on topical estrogen replacement
so local application of estrogen to the
skin at specific sites but I do want to
note that in menopausal hormone therapy
also known known as hormone replacement
therapy in which you are getting
systemic doses of estrogen and sometimes
progestin as well that has been shown to
improve skin quality and health as far
as Skin health and appearance goes when
it comes to estrogen we know that
estrogen deficient skin so when we are
in perimenopause starts to look and
behave differently and when you apply
topical estrogen to the skin you can get
some reversal of those changes and
several studies now exist to support the
use of topical estrogen when addressing
ing concerns of the skin and I'll link
the studies that I'm referencing in the
description box so you can check those
out if you want to read them yourself
now I will say these studies are pretty
small and I will get into the
limitations overall of the current data
but these Studies have looked at varying
forms of topical estrogen and shown that
they have helped with things like
collagen synthesis skin thickness skin
hydration and elasticity most of these
Studies have been done on people who are
already in menopause but the current
thinking is if you have estrogen
deficient skin meaning that you are
paing menopausal so typically in your
early 40s and Beyond you could probably
benefit from topical estrogen in terms
of how it will help your skin so if all
of your estrogen is still there and
present in your body you know you're in
your teens 20s 30s you don't need
supplemental estrogen however if you are
in a different stage of your life where
your estrogen levels are dropping off
that's where this can be beneficial now
we can't just simply go on your age to
determine whether or not you are
estrogen deficient this is a process
that's going to happen differently in
everyone but what my OBGYN C colleagues
who I've spoken to about this have said
is if you are experiencing other par
menopausal symptoms whether that's night
sweats new fatigue brain fog joint pains
things that are attributed to that drop
in estrogen that's how you can know and
where you might start thinking about
using supplemental estrogen either
systemically or topically now a lot of
the questions I got on that Tik Tok
video were where do I get the estrogen
and how do I apply it where do I apply
it so for many women as they approach
and go through menopause they will
experience symptoms in the vaginal area
whether that's dryness atrophy bleeding
discomfort and estrogen can be used
topically in those areas to add more
suppleness and comfort back to those
tissues I would say probably over the
last decade or two the prescription that
has been used the most commonly when it
comes to topical estrogen is actually
the 0.01 estradiol cream that is
typically prescribed for intravaginal
use so when providers were prescribing
topical estrogen to be used in other
places for anti-aging principally the
face and sometimes the neck and hands
that vaginal estrogen is what we were
recommending and that's still
recommended all the time and there's
nothing wrong with that but now there
are also compounding phes that will put
together varying levels of estriol and
estrad which are two forms of estrogen
that can be used in a topical cream and
there are online companies that
specialize in women's health like musle
and alloy and midi where you can get
these prescriptions from as well and for
most women we are thinking about having
people apply it to the face that's
usually where people are noticing the
most aging changes especially like
around the eyes for example the neck is
another common place that people will
apply estrogen and the hands as well and
you might say okay like why don't I just
bathe in topical estrogen it's affecting
all of my skin shouldn't I put it
everywhere and we'll get to that point
but of course we have to start thinking
about systemic absorption as well just
because we put it on our skin doesn't
mean it's only going to stay there but
if I were counseling a patient on how to
appropriately use topical estrogen I
would say you should apply about a p
sized amount to your face ni lately it's
kind of the same way I instruct my
patients to apply their retinoid like
troin now this almost sounds too good to
be true an easily accessible cream that
tends to be relatively affordable that
rejuvenates the skin but we should talk
about the side effects and the drawbacks
as well as the limitations to the data
that exists in regard to topical
estrogen and the side effects I'm going
to talk about are a combination of
what's been reported in the literature
as well as anecdotal things that I've
heard from friends and patients who have
tried topical estrogen so anytime you're
applying anything topically to the skin
there is a risk of dryness and
irritation and there are certainly
people I know who have tried topical
estrogen creams that have developed
irritation to the skin that was really
uncomfortable and they never wanted to
use the product again also some people
will report increased vascularity to the
skin and in some respects that can be
good having improved blood flow to the
skin is really nice but what some people
report is the development of something
called angomas which are little blood
vessel clusters in the skin that are
visible and kind of unsightly the other
thing I always think about selfishly
because I deal with this is molas MMA or
the worsening of pigmentation problems
melasma is a disorder of irregular
pigment formation typically seen on the
forehead cheeks upper lip sometimes on
the arms and chest and it's primarily
hormon driven yes you are genetically
predisposed to developing melasma but
often times we see it get worse in women
when they have surges in estrogen and
progesterone for example when they start
on a birth control pill or when they get
pregnant we know that women who are on
menopausal hormone therapy so who are
having systemic doses of estrogen and
sometimes progestin can have flares of
their melasma and I've certainly had
patients report that when they were
using topical estrogen it made their
melasma worse and this is something
that's very important to be mindful of
because if you're using topical estrogen
to improve the quality of your skin but
you're making another skin condition
worse you have to weigh the risk and
benefits now those are really like
cosmetic side effects that you can have
from using topical estrogen but I do
want to spend some time talking about
the safety profile of topical estrogen
because I think rightfully that's what
people are most concerned about while
estrogen does so many wonderful things
for our body there is this concern
around supplemental estrogen and whether
or not it increases our risk of things
like breast cancer and uterine cancer
and this is a very nuanced topic so I
will give an overview here in this video
but the bottom line is this is going to
be a discussion between you and your
oncologist as well as your gynecologist
when it comes to cancer there are so
many different factors at play when it
comes to your personal risk factors and
your risk tolerance so it's really
important that any decisions you are
making about your health and what
products and prescriptions you are using
is made among your Healthcare team so
things that we know people who are on
menopausal hormone therapy or hormone
replacement therapy are at a slightly
higher risk of breast cancer and what we
really have to think about here is if
topical estrogen applied in small
amounts in local areas on the body gives
you that same risk and the reality is
that is not fully studied we do not have
long-term data of women applying
estrogen cream for cosmetic purposes
over long periods of time and what their
health outcomes are however we do have
something that we can kind of
extrapolate from which is women who
apply estrogen locally inside the vagina
to deal with some of those per
menopausal and menopausal symptoms it
does not seem to increase their risk of
breast cancer or uterine cancer
essentially the systemic absorption from
local application of estrogen to the
vagina does not seem to be significant
enough to cause those problems and what
a lot of dermatologists and OBGYN will
say from that is well if you are
applying estrogen to a mucosal surface
like inside the vagina and it's not
getting systemically absorbed then you
are probably fine applying it to a small
surface area of your face or your hands
without issue in fact it's a general
consensus among oncologists and
gynecologists that even women who have a
history of breast cancer can safely
apply vaginal estrogen however I think
it's really important to note that this
is touching on a quality of life issue
for these women often times when they
have gone through therapy for their
breast cancer they are having
significant vaginal problems whether
that's atrophy pain discomfort issues
with UTI and so the benefits of
incorporating estrogen in that way far
outweigh the small risk of an increased
risk of breast cancer so when we're
trying to apply that information to the
use of topical estrogen creams for a
cosmetic benefit we really have to look
at ourselves and think is that potential
risk worth it for that benefit I do want
to take a second to talk about the risk
of uterine cancer as well for people who
take systemic estrogen if they have a
uterus they also need to be on some form
of progestin which is another hormone so
that their risk of uterine cancer is
diminished now Studies have also shown
that people who use estrogen topically
within the vagina don't get enough
systemic absorption to increase their
risk of uterine cancer and those women
don't need to be on some form of
progestin and so what we can take away
from that is if we are applying topical
estrogen to other parts of our body like
small areas of our face we also don't
need to be on some type of progestin to
protect us against uterine cancer what
some doctors will argue and I understand
where they're coming from is that when
you are getting these compounded
medications they're poorly studied and
so we actually don't know how much of
that topical is specifically absorbed
and so in theory you are at risk for
uterine cancer or breast cancer however
this is really just Theory and I totally
understand where these doctors are
coming from they're trying to look out
for these patients and make sure that
people don't develop a uterine or a
breast cancer just because they're
trying to do something topically for the
benefit of their skin appearance and
function but I don't think we should
assume from that that estrogen creams
everywhere and what's being manufactured
today and used properly is dangerous to
summarize if you personally have had a
history of breast cancer it's going to
be a conversation with your oncologist
as to whether or not topical estrogen in
any form intravaginally or topically on
your skin for cosmetic benefits is worth
that small amount of risk another
question I got is well if I'm already on
menopausal hormone therapy or hormone
replacement therapy is there additional
benefit to applying estrogen cream
topically and although this isn't well
studied what a lot of the leading
menopausal experts will say is that yes
there are additional benefits to
applying topical estrogen in certain
spots on your face or on your body I
also got the question is if I have a
history of blood clots can I use topical
estrogen and the answer to that is
generally yes the risk of blood clots
with estrogen is when you take estrogen
orally and it passes through the liver
that increases your clot risk however if
you are using estrogen through the skin
like transdermally as a patch or you're
applying it locally to your facial skin
or inside the vagina it does not
increase your blood clot risk because
the use of topical estrogen is not that
straight forward and there are some
specific nuances risks and benefits that
need to be part of a proper discussion
in general as a dermatologist I feel
much more comfortable with my patients
obtaining these prescriptions from their
OBGYN and or oncologist these are the
doctors following them longterm who are
ensuring that they are getting their
proper health screening like their
mammograms and I think if you are using
any type of estrogen or hormone therapy
that needs to be followed by a
professional who is looking at your
health overall and although as a
dermatologist I take my patients entire
Health into consideration that's not
something that falls within my full
purview and as a final thought on all of
this my personal feeling is that topical
estrogen cream is really exciting it's
something that personally interests me
and when I get to the point in my life
where I am per menopausal I will
certainly consider it even with having a
very strong family history of breast
cancer but I do want to say that the
studies that we have so far are quite
small we don't have tons of long-term
data yet but I'm hoping that will change
because people are more interested in
menopause and understanding how to
holistically take care of a woman
through all phases of her life and not
just through her reproductive years so
I'm very invested in this and I will
definitely keep an eye out for any new
research that comes to light when it
comes to topical EST EST creams but I
hope that answered a lot of the
questions that you had and will help you
make the right decision for yourself I'm
curious would you try topical estrogen
and if you're out there and you have
been using topical estrogen please let
us know what your experience has been in
the comments thank you so much for being
here don't forget to subscribe to the
channel and like the video and I'll see
you next time
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