More wrinkles may mean weaker bones--study

Researchers at the Yale College of Medicine in the Connecticut, United States have revealed that wrinkles on a woman's face can detect how likely she is to suffer from bone fractures.

For instance, women with wrinklier skin are more likely to have brittle bones. This condition can raise the risk of suffering from osteoporosis and hard-to-heal fractures in old age.

This is because both skin and bones are made up of protein called collagen, and with age, the level of protein in our body decreases. So, if a woman's face and neck are severely wrinkled, she faces a higher risk of fractures due to bone density loss, the researchers say.

Dr Lubna Pal, associate professor of reproductive endocrinology and fertility at the university's medical school, said in a written statement, “Skin and bones share common building blocks--proteins, and aging is accompanied by changes in skin and deterioration of bone quantity and quality.”

114 women studied
To test the hypothesis, Pal and her colleagues enrolled 114 post menopausal women in their 40s and 50s as a part of ongoing clinical trial, the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS).

Women who had used Botox or other cosmetic procedures to smooth out their furrows were excluded from the study.

The investigators measured the number and depth of wrinkles at 11 points on participants' face and neck area.

The researchers then measured bone mass and density using a portable ultrasound and X-ray. In addition, they also assessed skin rigidity at the forehead and cheek using a device called durameter.

Findings of the study
The study found an inverse relationship between wrinkles and bone density, which meant worse the wrinkles, lower is the bone density.

Conversely, higher durameter score or higher skin rigidity was linked to better bone density.

Study author Pal, also an expert in sex hormones, said, “We found that deepening and worsening skin wrinkles are related to lower bone density among the study participants.

“The worse the wrinkles, the lesser the bone density, and this relationship was independent of age, or of factors known to influence bone mass.

“Although the connection between bones and skin may seem unclear, they share common building blocks – collagens. As we age, changes in collagen occur that account for age-related skin changes, including worsening skin wrinkles and sagging skin.

“They also contribute to deterioration in bone quality and quantity."

The study was presented at The Endocrine Society's 93rd annual meeting in Boston on Monday.

Study findings helpful
Scientists are hopeful that findings of the study may lead to development of simple test that would help predict high risk of fractures.

In future, diagnosing brittle bones could become as simple as looking into somebody's skin.

Pal added, “Ultimately, we want to know if intensity of skin wrinkles can allow identification of women who are more likely to fracture a bone, especially the hip, an often fatal injury in older people.”