AARP Hearing Center
Key takeaways
- Rachel Nania says vaginal estrogen creams are only approved for vaginal use.
- There is no strong evidence these products improve facial wrinkles or skin.
- Dermatologists recommend retinol, peptides, vitamin C and sunscreen instead.
Summary
Rachel Nania addresses a social media trend that promotes applying vaginal estrogen cream to the face for skin care benefits. While estrogen helps support collagen production, and lower estrogen levels are associated with more wrinkles, vaginal estrogen products are currently approved only for vaginal use and have not been tested for facial safety or effectiveness.
Nania notes that there is no strong evidence these creams improve skin. She also explains that people with a history of breast cancer, endometrial cancer or blood clots should be cautious about adding extra estrogen. Instead, dermatologists recommend established skin care ingredients such as peptides, retinol and vitamin C, along with daily sunscreen use and healthy habits like good sleep, nutritious food and stress management.
The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
Full transcript
[0:00:00] If your social media feed is telling you to put topical vaginal estrogen on your
[0:00:04] face to reverse wrinkles, let’s pause.
[0:00:07] Here’s what we know.
[0:00:08] Vaginal estrogen creams are designed to treat menopausal symptoms like
[0:00:11] dryness and low libido, and right now these products are only FDA-
[0:00:16]approved to be used vaginally.
[0:00:18] They haven’t been tested for safety or effectiveness on your face.
[0:00:21] Yes, estrogen plays a role in collagen production, and as levels drop with age,
[0:00:26] we do see more wrinkles, but that doesn’t mean your face needs estrogen cream.
[0:00:32] In fact, we have no strong evidence that these creams can actually improve your
[0:00:36] skin, and women with histories of breast cancer, endometrial cancer and blood
[0:00:40] clots should be cautious about adding any extra estrogen to their routine.
[0:00:45] So instead of trying to keep up with the latest fads, dermatologists swear
[0:00:48] by skin care products with peptides, retinol and vitamin C, and of
[0:00:53] course slathering on the sunscreen to help with fine lines and wrinkles.
[0:00:57] And don’t underestimate general healthy habits like good sleep, nutritious
[0:01:01] food and managing stress, all of which can enhance the health of your skin.
[0:01:05] For more news and information to keep you healthy, go to aarp.org/health