SYSTEMIC EFFECT OF TOPICALLY APPLIED COSMETICS 287 of ointment were applied between eighteen to twenty-four weeks. Con- trol rabbits were similarly rubbed with 2 grams of the ointment base. Each gram of ointment contained 0.15 mg. of alpha-estradiol, and 2 rag. methyltesterone. At intervals of three weeks the abdominal skin of the rabbits were shampooed and the border surrounding a twenty-four square inch area was clipped and the hair discarded. After this, the hair from the twenty-four square inch area was closely clipped and dried to a con- stant weight in an oven at 56øC. Twenty-one rabbits, partly castrated, partly noncastrated, were used in this study. Several clippings, varying in number from three to twenty, were made and the weights averaged. Discussion OF THE EFFECT OF ESTROGENS AND ANDROGENS It was clearly demonstrable in this experiment that estrogenic hormones produced an increased activity of the hair papillae and reduction of the size of sebaceous glands and also a stimulation of hair growth. This was evident in increased weight of clipped hair in contrast to the lesser weight of an equal sized clipped hair in the control animals and in those animals which were treated with male sex hormones (Fig. 1). The fact that the increase of hair occurred not only on the inuncted area, but on the opposite side as well, indicates a general, rather than a local effect (Fig. 2). In this experiment castrated and noncastrated rabbits were used, and we not only could demonstrate the same phenomenon in both group of animals, but also the reversibility of the estrogenic effect by subsequent applica- tion of male sex hormones (Fig. 4). It is of interest to note that castrated male rabbits treated with the ointment base showed a similar histological pattern, as the male rabbits revealed after applications of progynon oint- ment (alpha estradiol) (Fig. 3). It is apparent that the absence of male gonads caused an appreciable reduction of the size of sebaceous glands which is generally associated with an increased growth of hair. The latter findings correspond with the observations made by Hammilton (14, 15), Roony and Zakon (16, 17) on humans. According to Hammilton, andro- genic hormones are usually implicated in extensive baldness, but alopecia does not develop in eunuchs and in those men who fail to mature sexually. Roony and Zakon also demonstrated microscopically that methyltestos- terone stimulates the sebaceous glands of males and that diethylstilbestrol has a depressive effect the sebaceous glands of the adult male. Our findings were confirmed by Light (18) in a brilliantly executed study on rats. He stressed especially the anabolic effect of androgenic hormones to cause connective tissue infiltration of the vascular bed about the hair roots which are supposed to interfere permanently with the immediate nutrition of hair follicles. Our histological studies on rabbits did not reveal similar changes. Although we did not include biochemical data, which would corroborate

288 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS *:':' Z..•"•-,* '. • *•- '•** •1, .... •.• • • • ' : . .•- -• .•g • • • ...• -..... • .. .. • .. . . ... -2: .• ' • • ' ••:'•"• • ' • "•"'•.• . ß .-fl.- .• • • - : •,. . .- . - .. . ..... ..?t t • ... -•... '•. . •"• • .. •', --, • : .. •: .... • .... :: -., . ' ,.• .:' .:- ,. ' ':", "c*•' :*-':?": ..... •'"'". ':" -' "' .. :• ...•,, - •, . . . .... . , • -... ::• •...... •......_ ... •%-• • • • ß •. •---.•, .• .•- :• • •::-• . •: •.• :•. : . ....• ..•.•' . • ..... •. - . •. .. .: ., •.:-* r .. ,•..•,-• .•., :½ '•• .... : . .• .-... ' * :-- *• • ,.•"* ..•' ' -• t * .• •-% * -.* -•- •::-. •. -'• .... . -. _.. • .. •._ ß . • . •, ß %. .."• Figure 1.•Section of skin of a testosterone treated male rabbit. Note m•ked hype•lasia of the sebaceous glands and the reduced activity of the hair papillae. .•. 'Z:' '..:• • ,: :,-•:d. : :' -" '"' - Figure 2.--(A) Non-castrated, control rabbit showing poor growth of hair three weeks after clipping. (B) Male castrated rabbit treated with testosterone showing scanty growth of hair. (C) Male castrated rabbit treated with alpha-estradiol showing profuse growth of hair on both sides of abdominal wall.