Female skin, male skin: what are the differences?

Under the influence of steroid hormones , namely theoestrogen and progesterone, hormones typically associated with females, and testosterone, a hormone typically associated with males, the structure of men's and women's skin differentiates during puberty. The following distinctions can be made.

The thickness of the skin.

The thickness of the epidermis is the first difference between male and female skin. For men, it tends to exceed 60 μm, while it rarely reaches 50 μm in women. Thus, a man's skin is approximately 20% thicker than that of a woman. This is largely due to the fact that the male dermis contains more collagen than the female dermis. This molecule of the extracellular matrix contributes to the mechanical properties of the skin, particularly its firmness.

As we age, collagen synthesis decreases, leading to skin thinning. In men, skin thickness reduces throughout life, by approximately 9% every 20 years. This process is initially slower in women, with a thinning rate of 3% every 20 years. However, after menopause, collagen loss accelerates and a decrease in skin density is observed at a rate of 20% every 20 years. Ultimately, men's skin is and remains thicker.

The typology of the skin.

Men's skin tends to be oilier than women's. Testosterone, which is 6 to 7 times more prevalent in men, targets receptors in the sebaceous glands. The activation of these receptors triggers a signalling pathway involved in the production of sebum. Sebum secretion is therefore hormone-dependent. Under the influence of a high amount of sebum, the pores dilate. The skin then appears oilier and is more prone to imperfections and colonisation by certain microorganisms. The areas of the face most affected by this phenomenon are the forehead, nose and chin, or the T-zone, where the most sebaceous glands are found. Thus, it is observed that men produce twice as much sebum as women.