Women's Skin throughout Lifetime

The distinction between skin of men and women stems as much from biologic differences as from their different social roles and status in various societies. Currently, there is agreement among clinicians and researcher scientists to distinguish between different episodes in female life according to their hormonal status. They influence the skin physiology and the risk of diseases and possibly alter the quality of life. The present special issue contains ten papers focused on recent developments in the field of women’s skin and mucosae. Two papers deal with physiological aspects of breasts prior to surgical intervention, as well as the skin response to seasonal environmental changes. One paper is focused on new developments in toxicological aspects related to selected hormone disruptors. Seven other papers focus on peculiar aspects of a series of skin disorders developed in women.

The paper entitled “A methodological evaluation of volumetric measurement techniques including three-dimensional imaging in breast surgery,” by H. Hoeffelin et al., describes objective and noninvasive methods for assessing breast volume. The 3D LifeViz system (Quantificare) was used in various settings (in situ on corpse dissection, on control prostheses, and in clinical conditions). Such a system was compared to other methods (CT scanning and Archimedes’ principle) under the same conditions. The parameters of feasibility, safety, portability, minimal patient stress, and limitations (underestimation of the in situ volume, subjectivity of contouring, and patient selection) of the LifeViz 3D system indicate similar benefits compared to other measurement methods. The prospects of this method appear promising for a series of applications in clinical practice in order.The paper entitled “The weather-beaten dorsal hand clinical rating, shadow casting optical profilometry, and skin capacitance mapping,” by M. Delvenne et al., is an original work about a common condition linked to seasonal skin presentation associated with environmental changes. The withered skin surface changes were assessed during the four seasons. Among 47 menopausal women completing the study, 31 volunteers were on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and 16 did not use HRT. Skin xerosis and scaliness were rated following clinical assessments. In addition, skin withering of the dorsal hands was assessed by computerized shadow casting optical profilometry. Skin capacitance mapping was also performed. Marked changes over the seasons were recorded corresponding to the combination of patchy heterogeneous stratum corneum hydration and heterogeneous skin surface roughness. These features likely resulted from variations in the environmental temperature and moisture. Daily stress due to alternate outdoor and indoor conditions was possibly involved in the skin condition. The severity of changes revealed by clinical inspection was not supported by similar directions of fluctuations in the instrumental assessments. Such contradiction was in fact due to different levels of scale observation. The clinical centimetric scale and the instrumental inframillimetric scale possibly provided distinct aspects of the biological impact.

The paper entitled “Measurement of urinary biomarkers of parabens, phthalates, and benzophenone-3 in a Belgian population,” by L. Dewalque et al., addresses the concerns about hormone disruptors. Phthalates, parabens, and benzophenone-3 (BP3) are commonly present in plasticizers, antimicrobial conservatives, and UV-filters, respectively. They exhibit endocrine disrupting properties yielding, for instance, to skin malignant melanoma. Humans are exposed to such chemicals through different sources.The paper entitled “Streamlining cutaneous melanomas in young women of the Belgian Mosan region,” by T. Hermanns-Lê and S. Piérard, is a review article focused on sporadic cutaneous melanomas (SCM) developing in women during their childbearing age. This neoplasm has shown an increased incidence over the past few decades. The vast majority of these SCM were of the superficial type without any obvious relationship with a large number of melanocytic nevi. Signs of frequent and intense sunlight exposure were not disclosed by the extent in the mosaic subclinical melanoderma. A series of investigations point to a possible relationship linking the development of some of these SCM with the women hormonal status including the effect of hormonal disruptors. These aspects remain, however, unsettled and controversial. It is possible to differentiate and clearly quantify the SCM shape, size, scalloped border, and variegated pigmentation using computerized morphometry as well as fractal and multifractal methods.