Anti-aging skin care — An important subject for women

The lessening and eventual loss of estrogen and progesterone affect skin negatively.

by Dr. Sima Aidun — 

It is well known that during pre-menopause and menopause, the skin starts showing signs of aging, which can be very traumatic for women, and with good reason.

Aside from problems caused by sun damage, peri-menopausal and menopausal women experience thinner, looser, less elastic skin; reduced collagen production; cessation of oil gland function and dry skin.

Although hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) are quite controversial, research clearly demonstrates that HRT restores and prevents the loss of the skin’s support tissue and elastic quality, and preserves its thickness and smooth texture. In fact, one report concluded, “Estrogen appears to aid in the prevention of skin aging in several ways. This reproductive hormone prevents a decrease in skin collagen in postmenopausal women; topical and systemic estrogen therapy can increase the skin collagen content and, therefore, maintain skin thickness.”

Skin wrinkling also may be slowed through estrogen’s effects on the elastic fibers and collagen. According to research performed during the 1990s, estriol cream applied to the skin reverses wrinkling in a remarkable way and should be considered an essential anti-aging skin care treatment.

Essential fatty acid supplementation also should be considered to provide the skin with proper oils and moisture, thereby preventing and reversing dry skin, sun and age damage and other environmental oxidative damage. This supplementation is particularly important for skin stressed by sunburn damage.

Vitamin C and other antioxidants such as vitamins E, A, D and selenium, may also help prevent environmental damage from UV rays and free radicals.

Drinking eight to 10 glasses of water daily is another anti-aging skincare remedy that will help you keep your skin clear and soft. Remember the basics: protection from the sun, proper diet and avoiding smoking, in conjunction with stress reduction and management. Some individuals may need or want to consider supplementing with key nutrients and essential fatty acids; other individuals may want to consider topical or oral ERT.

Some of us are fortunate to have good skin genes, but how good our skin looks and how healthy it remains also depend largely on sun exposure, lifestyle, personal habits and proper nutrition.

Dr. Sima Aidun is a naturopathic medical doctor and founder of Natural Solutions for Women in Scottsdale, Ariz. Focusing primarily on women’s healthcare, she specializes in annual women’s wellness exams, menopause issues, PMS and abnormal bleeding fibroids. 480-314-7600.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 24, Number 3, June/July 2005.