---
title: "SERMs for Skin vs. Estrogen"
description: "Learn how SERMs affect skin, how they differ from estrogen, and why topical estriol may better improve collagen, hydration, and elasticity."
url: "https://www.myalloy.com/knowledge-base/serms-for-skin-vs-estrogen"
---

# SERMs for Skin vs. Estrogen

> Learn how SERMs affect skin, how they differ from estrogen, and why topical estriol may better improve collagen, hydration, and elasticity.

## What is the role of SERMs for skin, and how do they compare to estrogen?

SERMs, or selective estrogen receptor modulators, are often talked about as an alternative to topical estrogen, so it makes sense to wonder how they stack up. In short, they behave very differently from estrogen when it comes to skin.

A SERM isn’t estrogen. It’s a compound that can attach to estrogen receptors in certain tissues, including skin, but it doesn’t trigger the same hormonal pathways that actual estrogen does. In the YouTube chapter where Dr. Ellen Gendler discusses this, she explains that SERMs interact with skin estrogen receptors without behaving like true estrogen in the rest of the body. They were originally explored partly because of fear around estrogen after the WHI era, not because they worked better for skin.

Topical estrogen, especially estriol, is much more straightforward. Your skin has estrogen receptors in every cell, and estriol directly boosts collagen, increases hydration, and improves elasticity. Here at Alloy, we use estriol in the M4 line because it acts locally on the skin and doesn’t raise systemic estrogen levels. That local action is what gives you the improvements in firmness, bounce, and texture that showed up in our clinical studies. SERMs simply haven’t shown that same level of visible skin benefit.

If you want to hear Dr. Gendler explain this difference in her own words, the SERMs section is here: [SERMs & Alternatives](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOzPrwnwsFA).

If you’re curious about using estrogen directly on your skin, our prescription M4 Face Cream Rx is a good place to start. You can read more about it here: [M4 Face Cream Rx](https://www.myalloy.com/solutions/m4).

---

This answer was created using the following resources:

- [Topical Estrogen's Role in Healthy, Radiant Skin | Dr. Ellen Gendler & Dr. Corinne Menn - SERMs & Alternatives](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOzPrwnwsFA)
- [Why Your Skin Changes in Perimenopause and Menopause - Role of Estrogen and Estriol in Skin Health](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-muvssSSReM)
- [The Science Behind Topical Estrogen: Doctors Review M4 Cream - Topical Estrogen for Skin](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss6SwpqS1vA)
- [Unpacking the Latest Research on Topical Facial Estrogen | Caroline Yu & Monica Molenaar - The Science Behind Estrogen and Skin](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHF-GD91RMc)
- [A New Approach to Aging with Alloy - Estrogen and Skin Health](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voedsMd4Zsc)
- [Couldn't agree more with Dr. Kelly Casperson! - Estrogen and Skin Health](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MedW84AmzNg)
- [The secret to skin longevity? It’s been in dermatology journals for 20+ years 🤯 - Estrogen and Skin Health](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfMSbSYV4zU)
- [Dr. Ellen Gendler on Why You Should Put Estrogen On Your Face - Estrogen and Skin Health](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1dwbvcJn08)
- [What is estrogen's role in health?](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/what-is-estriol-and-what-is-estrogens-role-in-skin-health)
- [The Science Behind Putting Estrogen On Your Face](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/the-science-behind-putting-estrogen-on-your-face)
- [Topical Estrogen: Tips from Dr. Ellen Gendler](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/why-topical-estrogen-should-be-part-of-your-skincare)
- [Collagen & Estrogen: How Are They Connected?](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/what-women-need-to-know-about-the-link-between-collagen-and-estrogen)
- [Estrogen-Deficient Skin: What It Is and How to Revive It](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/what-is-estrogen-deficient-skin-and-how-to-treat-it)
- [Skincare Routine | M4](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/why-estrogen-belongs-in-your-skincare-routine-and-not-just-in-your-hormone)

---

*This is a markdown version of [https://www.myalloy.com/knowledge-base/serms-for-skin-vs-estrogen](https://www.myalloy.com/knowledge-base/serms-for-skin-vs-estrogen) for AI/LLM consumption.*