Anatomical and Dermatologic Manifestations of Estrogen Deficiency in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review
December 2025
in “
Pakistan Journal of Health Sciences
”
estrogen deficiency postmenopausal women estradiol selective estrogen receptor modulators xerosis pruritus dermatoses nail fragility female-pattern hair loss dermal thickness vaginal wall thickness local estrogen therapy fractional CO₂ laser radiofrequency estrogen SERMs dry skin itching skin disorders brittle nails hair thinning skin thickness vaginal thickness estrogen cream CO2 laser RF treatment
TLDR Estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women can cause skin and hair issues, but local estrogen therapies help improve vaginal health.
This systematic review of 18 studies explores the effects of estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women, focusing on anatomical and dermatologic changes. It finds that estrogen deficiency can cause vaginal atrophy, xerosis, pruritus, dermatoses, nail fragility, and female-pattern hair loss. Local estrogen therapies, such as low-dose vaginal estradiol, are effective in improving vaginal health with minimal systemic absorption. However, device-based treatments like fractional CO₂ laser and radiofrequency are still under investigation and need larger controlled trials for validation.
