Wrinkles are a natural part of aging. Still, many patients, especially women, wonder if there is a natural way to combat them. Fortunately, there is — with a cream containing specific formulations of bioidentical estrogen.
Studies have shown that maintaining levels of estrogen has an effect on the aging of skin. There are three main types of estrogen produced by the body — estradiol, estrone and estriol, which is the weakest of the three. No side effects are associated with using a small amount of estriol topically.
One study conducted by researchers at the University of Vienna of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, published in International Journal of Dermatology, found that those who applied 0.3% topical estriol cream to the face and neck for six months experienced reduced signs of skin aging. Skin elasticity and firmness improved significantly as did wrinkle depth. The study also determined that the estrogen cream did not increase blood levels of any hormones but may have caused a minor side effect, breast tenderness.
Bottom Line : A topical estriol cream can reduce wrinkles in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. It also can be safely used by women younger than perimenopausal age as well as by men, if they want to reduce wrinkles. Anyone interested in these creams must ask their holistic doctors or dermatologists about getting a prescription for them. Because there is no brand name or generic cream containing an estriol formulation, it has to be custom-made at a compounding pharmacy, which formulates drugs not commercially available that meet patients’ individual needs. To find a compounding pharmacy in your area, contact the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (800-927-4227, iacprx.org).
People can take estriol for wrinkles indefinitely. Amounts do not need to be adjusted for potency as people age.
