Influence of Menstrual Cycle on Aromatic Composition Behavior After Skin Application by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry.

Hormone secretion during the menstrual cycle changes per phase, influencing skin characteristics. These cutaneous modifications alter applied fragrances’ behavior. This research aimed at analyzing the influence of menstrual cycle phases on a fragrance’s volatile components’ variation after skin application on women. We analyzed the variation of the emitted volatile components from an aromatic composition applied on the skin of 29 female participants during all menstrual cycle phases (follicular, ovulatory, luteal, and menstrual). The emitted volatiles were collected immediately after application and at intervals of 1 h 30 min, 3 h, 4 h 30 min, and 6 h, in a tube filled with Tenax® (Tenax Therapeutics, Morrisville, NC) coupled to a thermal desorption unit. The components were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The raw ion-chromatogram data after “area normalization” were tested to principal components analysis and chemometrics tools. Statistical analysis showed no distinct variance pattern among the samples collected at different hormonal phases. However, the analysis of the individual scorer plots showed a distinct pattern for the release of aromatic compounds specific to each subject and associated with menstrual cycle phase. Although the results did not generate a model for skin’s release of aromatic compounds in the population, the data showed that sex hormones have a unique effect on skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]