Has your hrt improved your aging skin?

[Coopersuper]

Do those who have had oestrogen patches plus iud find it has improved thin / wrinkles on facial skin?

I wouldn’t say so well not with deep established lines. It’s helped me overall with various symptoms of the menopause so that in turn may have lead to me looking and feeling happier which overall probably shows on my face

No - it has stopped my hot flushes and I hope helped my bone density.

No, not at all, but when I was a teenager in the 80s my mum was taking an earlier iteration of it which did make her skin look great, so I wonder if it’s a matter of the doses being lower now or something.

Don't think so, I didn’t have access to sun block in the 80s/90s so that boat sailed long ago. It has however made a massive difference to the vaginal atrophy and unrinary symptoms as well as improved the quality of the skin around my c section scars- it would rip for fun before I started HRT. Those benefits are live changing and I would take them over having my 35 yer old face back any day.

It won't reverse any wrinkles you have already but it does help support collagen so might help a bit with skin ageing. It's not a reason to use HRT if that's what you're asking.

The main thing you can do is use sunblock spf 50 every day and avoid the sun on your face as much as possible.

Unfortunately I have lots of varied symptoms but was just hoping it might also help with my thinning old face 😆

I think so - I used to have rosacea and quite spotty skin with dry patches - it’s so much better now! It’s more oily weirdly - but I think that’s helping my skin and I never need moisturiser any more.

It’s not improved my frown lines but I think it’s given my skin a slightly plumper vibe - only thing that works on lines is Botox I think

I think it is probably difficult to reverse skin changes that have happened due to estrogen and androgen loss, but that they can be prevented with early and adequate treatment.

I am only talking about gonadal hormone related issues, not chronological ageing, smoking or sun exposure etc.

You start to be able to tell or at least suspect by people's appearance a few years out from menopause who is treated and who isn't.

Of course there are a lot of confounding factors and those on HRT are probably also more likely to have used sunblock and not smoked.

Testosterone is also overlooked and important for skin health - it helps our skin produce natural oils and probably has a lot to do with why older men look a lot younger than their wives of the same age even in couples with equitable workload distribution.