Menopause Skincare: Estriol Face Cream

We know, we know–getting older is a privilege. But, that doesn’t mean we love everything about the aging process, especially when it comes to our skin! As we approach and enter menopause, our estrogen levels decline and cause some major changes to our skin. Luckily, estriol cream is here to help.

Estriol cream is a powerful, tried, and tested option when it comes to maintaining youthful skin. So, let’s talk about the basics! Read on to learn about estriol face cream and its benefits, the difference between estriol and estradiol, and how to incorporate it into your skincare routine.

What is estriol?

Before you commit to adding estriol cream to your skincare routine, you might be wondering–what is estriol, anyway? Simply put, estriol is one of the three types of estrogen. Estrogen is one of the most important hormones in the female body, but your ovaries gradually stop making estrogen as you approach menopause. This lack of estrogen has all kinds of effects on your body–including effects on your skin (1).

The three types of estrogen are:

• Estrone: Estrone is the main type of estrogen your body makes after menopause
• Estradiol: Estradiol is the strongest type of estrogen and it’s the main one your body makes during your reproductive years
• Estriol: Estriol is the weakest type of estrogen and it’s the main form your body makes during pregnancy

Estriol is the least potent form of estrogen, making it a gentler option for skincare products. Both estriol and estradiol are used products to help improve skin moisture, restore elasticity, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Is estradiol the same as estriol?

These two might sound similar, but they’re not the same! As we mentioned, both estradiol and estriol are forms of the hormone estrogen. Both can be used as estrogen face creams to help with wrinkles, elasticity, and firmness. And, when used topically, neither typically comes with systemic hormonal side effects–when used as prescribed (2). Now that we’ve covered some similarities, let’s look at some differences between the two.

• Estradiol: Estradiol is more potent and often used in systemic hormone replacement therapy (HRT), like hormone patches you place on your skin to combat hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. It’s also used in topical vaginal creams to help restore vaginal tissue and moisture. In this case, estradiol is used locally and has minimal systemic absorption when used twice weekly as directed!
• Estriol: Estriol is less potent, which means that it might come with fewer risks normally associated with HRT (3). That said, it’s not approved for use in systemic HRT like patches or pills. Estriol is a popular choice in estrogen face creams because it may be a milder and gentler option on the skin while still delivering effective skincare benefits.

Skin changes after menopause

Menopause comes with a wide range of symptoms–from hot flashes to recurring UTIs to decreased bone density and more. These symptoms are due in large part to a lack of estrogen. And, decreased estrogen levels have a major impact on your skin–which estriol face cream can help to resolve.

After menopause, your skin might start to change–and quickly. Lower estrogen levels make these changes happen faster, often starting with increased dryness, and then a loss of firmness and elasticity. These changes come along with lower oil production, a loss of collagen, decreased skin thickness, and slower wound healing (4).

To prove our point, studies show that your skin can lose up to 30 percent of its collagen in the first five years after menopause! Collagen then keeps decreasing by about two percent per year after that, with skin thickness going down by about one percent per year (4).

These skin changes can be uncomfortable and hard to deal with psychologically and emotionally. And, the average age of menopause is only 51. That means we can live around one-third of our lives after menopause (5)! We deserve to look and feel good during the post-menopausal years, and estriol face cream can help us do that.

Benefits of estriol cream

Estrogen plays a key role in your skin’s hydration, oil production, and amount of collagen and elastin. As your estrogen decreases as you approach menopause, you can help replace the estrogen lost with a topical estriol cream. Estrogen creams can improve your skin in several ways, including:

• Improving skin elasticity: Estrogen cream can increase the amount of collagen in your skin, which helps your skin remain firm and youthful (6).
• Enhancing hydration: Dry skin is wrinkle-prone skin! Estrogen improves the skin’s barrier, which helps hold in moisture, keeps your skin soft, and reduces uncomfortable dryness (7).
• Reducing fine lines and wrinkles: Estrogen face cream has been shown to significantly improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and pores after six months of consistent use (2)!
• Improving skin thickness: Keeping your skin plump and supple can help keep it looking youthful! Estrogen cream helps improve your skin’s thickness and reduces laxity and sagging (8).

We could go on and on about the specific benefits of estriol face cream! But, the essential fact remains that estrogen creams target the source of many menopausal skin concerns: lower estrogen levels. And, consistency is key when it comes to your skincare routine! Because your skin renews itself every 40 to 56 days, it can take at least that long to start noticing benefits (9).

Best time of day to apply estrogen cream

When it comes to incorporating an estrogen cream into your skincare routine, the time of day is up to you! Wisp’s Estriol Face Cream should be applied once daily, either in the morning or at night, after any serums you use, and before retinol or moisturizers.

As with all good things, good results take time and consistency. Choose to apply your estrogen cream at the time you’ll be most consistent with. And, be sure to use SPF 30 or higher during the day.

How to apply estrogen cream

Everyone has their own skincare preferences, but here are some general guidelines for how to apply estrogen cream during your routine!

• Cleanse your skin: Wash your face with a gentle cleanser to remove any oil, makeup, or other residue.
• Apply serums: If you use any serums, apply them before using your estradiol cream.
• Apply estrogen cream: Apply one to three pumps of Estriol Face Cream, gently rubbing it into your face and neck.
• Follow up with additional moisturizer or retinol: Apply any additional moisturizers or other anti-aging creams like retinol or prescription strength tretinoin.
• Don’t forget SPF: Never leave the house without some good sun protection! If you’re applying products in the morning, make SPF the last part of your routine.

Estriol side effects

When compared with systemic HRT, topical estrogen creams are thought to have fewer associated risks and side effects. In general, adverse effects are rare and mild if they do occur (4). But, it’s important to note that there aren’t many studies on the long-term safety and efficacy of estriol face cream–especially for those who are between the ages of 35 and 40 and typically have regular estrogen levels.

Should I use estriol face cream?

Estriol cream is a great option to consider if you’re concerned about the skin changes that come along with approaching and going through menopause. We love it because it addresses the root cause of these skin changes–declining estrogen–and can help improve skin in some seriously impressive ways.

But, there are tons of skincare products on the market these days, and which ones you use is up to you! If you think Estriol Face Cream is right for you, reach out to a Wisp provider to get started today. Look good, feel good, on your terms.