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.