Differences in Corneocyte Surface Area in Pre- and Post-Menopausal Women

Abstract

The differences between pre- and postmenopausal women and men on corneocyte surface area were investigated by a noninvasive exfoliation method. Surface corneocytes were collected with a modified detergent scrub technique. Separated corneocytes were analyzed by videomicroscopy and image analyses (NIH Image^TM 1.59). Additionally transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and stratum corneum hydration, water-holding capacity and moisture accumulation velocity were measured. 21 postmenopausal females without hormonal substitution (age 50.6 years), 33 premenopausal women (age 41.0 years) and 25 men matched for age (age 44.0 years) were included in this study. The smallest corneocyte surface area was seen in premenopausal women (368.0 pixels). For postmenopausal women and the male control population almost equal values could be detected (postmenopausal women 401.1 pixels; men 401.8 pixels). Significant differences were calculated with the ANOVA test (p = 0.0050) and post-hoc analyses (Dunn test); premenopausal vs. postmenopausal women (p < 0.05) and premenopausal women vs. men (p < 0.05), but not postmenopausal women vs. men (p > 0.05). No statistically significant differences could be detected for TEWL, stratum corneum hydration parameters. No correlation could be found between the corneocyte surface area and barrier or hydration parameters. The detected differences support the hypothesis that sexual hormones have an impact on corneocyte surface area, because sex hormone levels are higher in premenopausal women than in non-hormone-substituted postmenopausal women or men.

A two‐dimensional morphological study of corneocytes from healthy dogs and cats and from dogs with atopic dermatitis

“…Differences in corneocyte size may be due to the variation in the turnover time of the stratum corneum, intercorneal cohesion or the thickness and shape of the corneocytes 46 . In man, corneocyte size may be influenced by body site, age, sex and inflammatory skin disease 25,47–49 . However, no significant difference between black, white and oriental skin has been found 50 .…”

Gender-Related Differences in the Physiology of the Stratum Corneum

“…There are indications that most of the reported differences in skin physiology between women and men might be related to hormonal effects [43]. For instance, one study measured changes in TEWL and cutaneous blood flow during the menstrual cycle [44] and another reported differences in the corneocyte surface area between pre- and post-menopausal women [45]. …”

Topical Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor Activators Accelerate Postnatal Stratum Corneum Acidification

“…The strippings were performed with 22 mm DSquame 100 tapes, purchased from CuDerm (Dallas, TX). To assess the importance of sPLA 2 , neonatal animals were treated topically twice daily for 3 days with BPB (4 mg/ml) in propylene glycol:ethanol (7:3, v/v) vehicle or the vehicle alone applied to the backs and flanks of the newborn rats (≈10 µl/cm 2 ) as described previously for hairless mice (Mao-Qiang et al ., 1996; Fluhr et al ., 2001b). The inhibitor doses that we employed have been shown previously to inhibit secretory PLA 2 activity selectively in different tissues and cell types (Jain et al ., 1991; Hornfelt et al ., 1999; Longo et al ., 1999; Okamoto et al ., 2007) and to be nontoxic to murine skin, without evidence of inhibition of other synthetic activities (Mao-Qiang et al ., 1995, 1996).…”