Physiological Changes in Women's Skin During the Menstrual Cycle: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Multiple physiological changes occur during the menstrual cycle; many are attributed to fluctuations in estrogen, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and progesterone. These hormones differentially affect the menstrual cycle's follicular, ovulation, and luteal phases. Skin is one of the organs affected by changes in a woman's menstrual cycle. However, the understanding of the impact of these composite changes on skin biophysical and physiological parameters is limited. This scoping review was performed to help clarify the extent of physiological changes in the skin during a woman's menstrual cycle. Skin elasticity, hydration, temperature, blood flow, and sweating were the parameters assessed in this review. Embase, Ovid MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), and Web of Science databases were used to search for peer-reviewed articles in English relating to skin physiological changes during healthy women's menstrual cycles. The initial search yielded 666 unique articles that met the inclusion criteria. After critical appraisal, further screening produced 192 full texts that resulted in 26 articles that were investigated for skin elasticity, hydration, temperature, blood flow, and sweating during the menstrual cycle. The review clarifies the connection between female reproductive hormone fluctuations, phases of the menstrual cycle, and its subsequent impacts on the skin's physiological properties. An increase was seen in skin elasticity during ovulation compared to women in the follicular phase. No significant changes were seen in skin hydration across the three menstrual cycle phases. A higher basal skin temperature has been reported during the luteal phase than the follicular phase. A statistically significant increase in skin blood flow was also seen during the mid-luteal phase compared to the follicular phase. Lastly, an increased sweating rate was also observed in the luteal phase compared to the follicular phase for the parameter of sweating. However, higher sweating rates were also reported during the early follicular phase than in the mid-luteal phase. The overall findings of this review highlight how skin physiology varies within the menstrual cycle. This information can be useful in aligning treatment for women with abnormal menstrual cycles or possible maintenance of healthy menstrual flow. This review provides valuable information in a dermatological context to further explore how healthcare providers can apply personalized therapeutic approaches that align with certain phases of a woman's menstrual cycle, allowing for better skin condition management and improved patient care.

Keywords: menstrual cycle; skin blood flow; skin elasticity; skin physiology; skin sweating; skin temperature; tissue hydration.

Figure 1. PRISMA diagram showing the search and screening

PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; MEDLINE: Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online