can you apply estradiol vaginal cream to your face?

[WildernessBraving]

like, to the upper lip for example, to help with the shrivelling up?

No

Your lips don't have oestrogen receptors so it wouldn't do anything

🤦🏻‍♀️

Lol

I was at a talk recently about menopause. There was a pharmacist there who was in total despair about the number of women who do this. You would have to wonder really about intelligence....or lack of.

Claims like this have been made made, though.

https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/ob-gyn/ur-medicine-menopause-and-womens-health/menopause-blog/august-2015/does-estrogen-help-age-skin-better.aspx#:~:text=Estrogen%20receptors%20are%20higher%20in,thickness%20and%20decreases%20in%20wrinkles.

Estrogen receptors are higher in the face than in the breast or thigh.
Are these skin changes reversible with estrogen supplementation? In one study, Premarin® cream, applied to the face for 24 months, produced significant increases in skin thickness and decreases in wrinkles. In a different study, 0.01% estradiol versus 0.3% estriol for six months produced no changes in systemic hormone status, but both increased skin elasticity, skin moisture, firmness, and reduced wrinkles.

So this 'information' has been out there under the banner of the University of Rochester Medical Center.

If that needs debunking then that would be a service.

Some unnecessary unpleasantness at a perfectly reasonable question to ask. Why say it like that @StSwithinsDay? You could have left it at what the pharmacist said.

https://thepauselife.com/blogs/the-pause-blog/turn-back-time-this-estriol-face-cream-fights-signs-of-aging?srsltid=AfmBOoqrsPpyvz4pAzbYSctLntVfehm-YMVf86UGESYEKw3F1Ssf3smq yes you can use it on the face

That is what the pharmacist said! She wonders how people get so sucked into what they see on Tiktok and Instagram that they are unable to read the leaflet that comes with the medication that has been prescribed, they ignore the advice of the professionals who prescribe and dispense the medication, they care about very little except what they look like.

There are a few published reports of estriol and estradiol cream showing a significant difference to wrinkles and skin thickness to be fair such as https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8876303/

Not sure but I learned on mumsnet that vagisil can remove stains on wedding dresses!

Oh don't be so mean.

@StSwithinsDay, what an extraordinary and unhelpful* *catalogue of assumptions and judgements you've made in just a couple of posts. And to justify it by saying 'a pharmacist said', well, so what?

I am genuinely still curious about this, so those of you questioning my intelligence, you could at least provide some useful information. I have never seen anything on social media about it, no need to jump to conclusions, but I have seen a couple of studies out there and wanted to learn more. Just because the medication doesn't state it, it doesn't mean it cannot have other effects.

How unpleasant are you ? I hope that made you feel good - to belittle a stranger asking a perfectly reasonable question

Op , I don't think so but if proved wrong please let us know asking for a friend---- 😉

Google retinal vein occlusion.

I do it. It reduces facial hair growth and improves my wrinkles. The effects stop as soon as I miss a few days, though. I don't use it around my eyes, as that's an unknown risk too far for me.

I couldn't find any 'official' literature on this but read loads of info on American healthcare sites. Most of these were clinics that prescribe the creams, so probably not unbiased.

There is no evidence that topical oestrogen goes any further than the tissue it's applied to - but, at the same time, I'm using HRT patches which are obviously intended to act systemically! So ...

WHY??????

Using a cream designed only for genital use on the face... what could possibly go wrong. If you're not worried about going blind, or having a stroke, go ahead.

I know many people do and report good results. Also try retinol and castor oil. Look up YouTube for the miracle of castor oil for skin if your skin can tolerate it.

I don't think it's a stupid question - seems logical to me that a cream which plumps things up might be useful in more than one place.
Besides, the vag is the most sensitive part of the body and so if it's okay on that wrinkly lip, it should be okay on the other wrinkly lip!

Dr. Mary Claire Haver uses the M4 cream on her face daily which is 0.3% estriol. Ovestin is 0.1% estriol so I'm sure it's fine OP.

so I'm sure it's fine

Not fine when you go blind. YMMV.

if it's okay on that wrinkly lip, it should be okay on the other wrinkly lip!

Why would you go blind? I presume you're talking about RVO. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/2772809 Systemic HRT doesn't increase the incidence of RVO. I couldn't find any evidence that topical facial estriol increases its incidence? Please do share if you have found it.

Yes, my first post on this thread was google retinal vein occlusion. This was too much work apparently.

Systemic oestrogen is not applied to the face.