Modern Aesthetics®: Emepelle for Estrogen Deficient Skin: Breakthrough For An Unmet Need
Emepelle with MEP Technology® is the only topical product line specifically designed and formulated to address the root cause of Estrogen Deficient Skin (EDS) non-hormonally.
By Diane Berson, MD, FAAD; Joel L. Cohen, MD; Doris Day, MD, FAAD; Jeanine B. Downie, MD, FAAD; and Joel Schlessinger MD, FAAD
Estrogen has a powerful effect on stimulating collagen at the level of the skin, whereas a loss of normal estrogen levels contributes to common signs of skin aging, including dullness, dryness, and fine lines. Recognizing Estrogen Deficient Skin (EDS) in the clinic, though, is complicated due to the fact that signs are nonspecific—in addition to those mentioned above, other signs of EDS include atrophy, pruritus, and increased texture abnormalities. In skin of color, EDS may include patchy dyspigmentation and texture abnormalities.
Although many of the causes of intrinsic and extrinsic skin aging are widely recognized and understood, the rapid drop in estrogen that occurs in women around the time of menopause has been underappreciated as a causal factor in skin aging. The reduction in estrogen leads to lower elastin and collagen production within the skin’s fibroblasts, less connective tissue, lower glycosaminoglycans, and a thinner epidermis, resulting in reduced hydration and compromised barrier function. It is estimated that decreased estrogen levels lead to about a 30 percent loss in collagen in the first five years of menopause and a 2.1 percent loss each year thereafter.