Dermal Changes in Osteoporosis Following Prolonged Treatment with Human Growth Hormone

Five patients with osteoporosis were treated with human growth hormone (hGH) for a year, resulting in changes in their skin. The treatment appeared to normalize the abnormally thin skin associated with osteoporosis, with increased blood vessel proliferation, and a higher number of mast cells and fibrocytes. Collagen bundles and elastic tissue fibers became hyperplastic and more horizontally oriented. The fine, vertical elastic fibrils of the papillary dermis, which were decreased before treatment, seemed restored to normal after treatment. The study suggested that hGH's direct action on the skin was limited to mesenchymal structures, as there was no stimulation of hair, sebum, or melanin.