SKIN PIGMENTATION IN RELATION TO MENSTRUAL CYCLE

[摘要] Skin pigmentation in relation to the menstrual cycle was investigated in 29 normal women. A questionnaire, skin reflectance measurements and abdominal skin biopsy specimens were used. Each subject was examined on 4 occasions during one complete menstrual cycle. In answer to the questionnaire, 18 women (62%) consistently noticed darkening of the periocular skin towards the end of the menstrual cycle, i.e. immediately prior to the onset of menstruation; of these, 3 also noticed darkening of the nipple areolae, 2 the forehead skin and 1 the perioral skin. None of the women noted any change in the pigmentation of the anterior abdominal wall or axilla. The results from the skin reflectance readings did not show any great changes. The readings obtained from the cheek and lower eyelid indicated that the melanin content of the skin in these regions tended to rise in the latter part of the cycle in many of the women. The melanocytes of the anterior abdominal wall skin over the linea alba showed no changing pattern of activity at different phases of the menstrual cycle. The melanocyte counts did not significantly change during the cycle. In any one individual, wide ranges of melanocyte activity and great variations in melanocyte numbers were seen at different times during the cycle. It was concluded that a proportion of normal women, especially dark-skinned brunettes, have darkening of the facial skin during the later days of the menstrual cycle and this mainly involves the periocular skin. The nature and control of the hyperpig-mentation is discussed.