COSMETIC ASPECTS OF ESTROGENIC HORMONES 409 Figure 1.--Average response of senile female skin to continuous application of ointment containing 242 international units of estrogen per gram (7500 international units per ounce). A, Biopsy specimen of the skin of the back before treatment. Note the thin epidermis, the absence of pegs and the cubvidal cells of the basal cell layer B, biopsy specimen of the skin of the back after application of an estrogen-free ointment for thirty days. There are thickening of the epidermis, greater cellulacity and slight wariness of the basal cell layer C, biopsy specimen after application of estrogenic ointment for thirty days. Note the increased sizes of the epidermal cells and the pronounced wariness of the basal cell layer, indicating prolifera- tire activity. (Reproduced from the paper by Eller and Eller in the Archives of Dermatology and $yphilology, 59, 449 (1949).)

410 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS Figure 2.--Absence of response in skin of a young woman. •/, Biopsy specimen from the skin of the back before treatment. Note the essentially normal epidermis with large, well-developed pegs and vesicular cells B, biopsy specimen taken after inunction of estrogen- free ointment for sixty days. There is no perceptible change C, biopsy specimen taken after inunction of ointment containing 242 international units of estrogen per gram. There is no difference between this and the control biopsy specimen. (Reproduced from the paper by Eller and Eller in the Airchives of Dermatology and Syphilology, 59, 449 (1949).)