Preliminary Evidence of Potential Association Between Exposure to Estriol-Containing Skincare Cosmetics Sold in China and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease

Liu, L; Li, C; Liu, C; Qian, T; Jing, M; Gao, Y; Sun, R; Zhao, M; Che, W; Hou, X; Xie, H; Liu, P

doi:10.1177/10507256251382545

Preliminary Evidence of Potential Association Between Exposure to Estriol-Containing Skincare Cosmetics Sold in China and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease

ThyroidPublished 7 Oct 2025Mixed-methods study: product analysis, animal experiment, population-based cross-sectional study and hospital-based case-control study

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Authors' conclusion

Estriol was found in some skincare cosmetics sold in China. Dermal estriol application could induce thyroid autoimmune reactions in nude mice. Preliminary population-based study data suggest that skincare cosmetic use may be associated with AITD.

Study context

Population: Skincare cosmetics sold in China; nude mice; Chinese population in four districts or counties (cross-sectional) and four district and two city hospitals (case-control)240 cosmetic products

Comparison: Skincare cosmetic users vs nonusers; estriol-containing creams vs controls in mice
Outcome: Estriol in skincare cosmetics

Methodological detailsanimal experiment (nude mice)

Animal experiment (nude mice)

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

Products with estriol detected

73 of 240

Median estriol concentration

34.58 µg/g

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

TPOAb in mice — Estriol creams vs Controls · significantly increased with estriol

P < 0.05

Low estriol cream31.07 ± 6.89 ng/L

High estriol cream32.22 ± 8.92 ng/L

Controls21.27 ± 6.32 ng/L

TgAb in mice — Estriol creams vs Controls · significantly increased with estriol

P < 0.05

Low estriol cream20.94 ± 6.12 ng/L

High estriol cream19.56 ± 8.35 ng/L

Controls11.28 ± 1.43 ng/L

Outcome	← Lower odds with cosmetic users ←→ Higher odds with cosmetic users →	OR (CI)	P value
AITD (case-control)Adjusted for other related variables	0.512	1.577 (1.037–2.400)	P = 0.033
	0.512Odds ratio (log scale)

Thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) and thyroid function (cross-sectional) · no difference: P > 0.05

Original publication

Preliminary Evidence of Potential Association Between Exposure to Estriol-Containing Skincare Cosmetics Sold in China and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease. Thyroid. Published 7 October 2025. doi:10.1177/10507256251382545

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