By supplementing your body's natural hormone levels, HRT can help you maintain a more youthful body composition. While this effect is particularly evident in men, research suggests that women can also benefit. HRT is also known to help women maintain softer, smoother skin, resulting in a younger look.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been shown to increase epidermal hydration, skin elasticity, skin thickness (Sator et al 2001), and also reduces skin wrinkles (Phillips et al 2001). Furthermore, the content and quality of collagen and the level of vascularization is enhanced (Brincat et al 1987).
The research, led by Prof Martin Widschwendter at the University of Innsbruck and UCL, found that the longer post-menopausal women were using combined HRT, the slower their cells were ageing. This benefit of slower cell ageing wasn't seen in women with breast cancer who had been using combined HRT.
The hormone estrogen is responsible for making skin look younger due to the hyaluronic acid it produces. Estrogen not only affects your skin but also your muscle mass, metabolism, and energy levels.
Overall, you may gain or lose weight once you begin hormone therapy, depending on your diet, lifestyle, genetics and muscle mass. Your eyes and face will begin to develop a more feminine appearance as the fat under the skin increases and shifts.
Acne can occur when hormone levels become unbalanced during the perimenopause and menopause. HRT and our skin. There is a drop in estrogen levels and a relative increase in the activity of androgen hormones such as testosterone. Once your hormones are rebalanced through HRT this type of acne should clear up.
Conclusions: Hormone treatment in transwomen induces an increase in cheek tissue and a decrease in jaw tissue. In transmen a tendency of decrease in cheek tissue and an increase in jaw tissue was found. These changes are in the direction of the desired gender. Tebbens M, Nota NM, Liberton NPTJ, et al.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can affect weight loss in women. In addition to having less abdominal fat, the same study found that women undergoing HRT were almost one whole point lower on the body mass index (BMI) scale, and they had nearly 3 pounds less of fat mass.
The oestrogen female face was consistently rated as more attractive, feminine and healthy looking. Future studies should address the nature of facial cues related to hormone levels.
High estrogen is triggering subtle changes in your face that make you feel more beautiful to yourself, and it's making both men and women perceive you as more attractive, too, shows a 2009 study in the journal Biology Letters.
Age. Women who begin hormone therapy at age 60 or older or more than 10 years from the onset of menopause are at greater risk of the above conditions. But if hormone therapy is started before the age of 60 or within 10 years of menopause, the benefits appear to outweigh the risks.
The benefits of HRT usually outweigh the risks for most women. The risks are usually very small, and depend on the type of HRT you take, how long you take it and your own health risks. Speak to a GP if you're thinking about starting HRT or you're already taking it, and you're worried about any risks.
An increase in skin hydration has been demonstrated after 6 months use of topical 0.01% estradiol and 0.3% estriol for six months.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been shown to increase skin hydration, elasticity, and thickness and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. At a deep level, HRT improves the quantity and quality of collagen.
The Menopause and Skin Aging
Many of these effects can be reversed by estrogen replacement which increases epidermal hydration, skin elasticity and skin thickness as well as reducing skin wrinkles and augmenting the content and quality of collagen and the level of vascularisation.
Most women are able to stop taking HRT after their menopausal symptoms finish, which is usually two to five years after they start (but in some cases this can be longer). Gradually decreasing your HRT dose is usually recommended, rather than stopping suddenly.
Dopamine is the main “culprit” of your glowing skin.
Testosterone. Testosterone, in cream or pill form, is by prescription and can improve skin health and appearance, according to Dr. Moy. “Testosterone cream improves skin tightening and skin elasticity.
However, for other results like weight loss and muscle gain, it can take up to 3-months, which is when studies show 80% of women experience full relief. These are general patterns, and everyone's body responds uniquely to any given treatment.
Likewise, HRT regulates metabolism, which means the body burns more calories and appetite is reduced. HRT can also help to reduce the risk of obesity-related diseases, such as heart disease and type II diabetes. Additional benefits include reduced hot flashes and night sweats, increased bone density, and improved mood.
Weight gain and HRT
Many women believe that taking HRT will make them put on weight, but there's no evidence to support this claim.
With that said, one of the physical changes that accompany estrogen hormone replacement therapy is body and facial hair thinning. Those on estrogen GAHT (both estradiol and anti-androgens and/or progesterone) can experience hair thinning on the face, chest, abdomen, legs, and arms.
Fluid Retention
This is very closely related to weight gain, but can be aggravated by HRT. Fluid retention can cause bloating (particularly at night), ankle swelling, facial swelling, headaches, leg discomfort and breast tenderness.
The main benefit of HRT is that it can help relieve most menopause and perimenopause symptoms, including hot flushes, brain fog, joint pains, mood swings and vaginal dryness. Hot flushes or night sweats often improve within a few weeks.