Aging is a natural process that affects various parts of the body, but the skin often shows the most visible signs. From fine lines and thinning to sun spots and coarse wrinkles, the skin serves as a public display of both intrinsic aging (such as chronological age) and extrinsic aging caused by environmental factors, including UV radiation and pollution.
While skin aging is frequently viewed as a cosmetic issue, it also carries significant health risks. As skin loses its elasticity and thickness, the risk of injury and infection increases.
A recent study sheds light on a promising solution to combat these aging effects—hormones. Researchers have identified several hormones with potential therapeutic effects that could help prevent or reverse the visible signs of aging, including wrinkles and gray hair.
Although hormones like estrogens and topical retinoids (such as retinol and tretinoin) are already used clinically to treat skin aging, the study suggests that many more hormones may hold the key to more effective treatments. The research emphasizes the importance of understanding how hormones interact with the skin, as well as how the skin contributes to hormone production.
“Skin is not only a target for hormones that regulate aging, but it is also one of the largest and richest sources of hormone production, second only to classical endocrine glands,” said Markus Böhm, the lead author of the study and a professor of dermatology at the University of Münster, Germany.
Increasingly, the skin is being recognized as a vital endocrine organ due to its ability to synthesize and secrete hormones and other signaling molecules. In fact, the skin and its hair follicles function as “neuroendocrine mini-organs,” according to the researchers.
Böhm and his team reviewed existing studies on a range of hormones and their effects on skin aging. Key hormones such as insulin-like growth factor 1, growth hormone, estrogens, retinoids, and melatonin were analyzed for their influence on the skin.
Some of the hormones examined displayed significant effects on skin and hair aging, suggesting that they may hold promise for clinical use. “Our research highlights key hormones involved in the degradation of connective tissue (which leads to wrinkles), stem cell survival, and the loss of pigment (which causes hair graying),” Böhm said.
Among the most promising candidates is melatonin, a small, inexpensive molecule that is generally well-tolerated. Melatonin is both a direct and indirect antioxidant and plays a crucial role in regulating mitochondrial metabolism. It helps protect DNA from damage, has anti-inflammatory effects, and inhibits apoptosis, or programmed cell death.
The review also explored other hormones and related molecules, such as alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), oxytocin, endocannabinoids, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor modulators (PPARs). Many of these substances showed potential in preventing or repairing damage caused by skin aging. For instance, α-MSH demonstrated protective and antioxidant effects and reduced UV-induced DNA damage linked to sun spots and pigmentation changes in both the skin and hair.
“Further research into these hormones could lead to new therapies for treating and preventing skin aging,” Böhm concluded.
This study highlights the emerging potential of hormones in the fight against skin aging, offering hope for both cosmetic and medical advancements in the years to come.
Related topics
