Researchers from Yale University have discovered if a woman’s face and neck are severely wrinkled, she faces a higher risk of bone breakage due to low bone density.

Researchers examined 114 early post-menopausal women in many sites in the U.S., and measured the women’s skin on the face and neck, both visually and using devices, to assess how rigid the skin was.

“We found that deepening and worsening skin wrinkles are related to lower bone density among the study participants,” said Lubna Pal, lead author of the study and associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science at Yale School of Medicine.

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

The level of proteins in the skin and bones are linked, and during menopause, the loss in collagen contributes to both wrinkles and lower bone density, according to the study.

Researchers hope this initial research could provide a new perspective in an earlier detection of conditions such as osteoporosis.

“Our findings that the appearance and physical properties of the skin can reflect the quality of the skeleton are noteworthy because this may allow clinicians to identify fracture risk in post-menopausal women ‘at a glance’ without depending on costly tests,” said Pal. 

On Xinhua Web site: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/health/2011-06/08/c_13917099.htm