Osteoporosis, a unitary hypothesis of collagen loss in skin and bone

Because of the comparable changes in skin and bones, the hypothesis implies that skin collagen could be used to predict the state of the bones and their response to treatment. It also implies androgen should be an effective treatment of osteoporosis, and growth hormone even more effective (likewise, of course, skin aging). More importantly, skin collagen and the production of collagen by skin fibroblasts could be used for the assay and industrial development of more potent, if not less toxic treatments and prevention of loss of bone (and skin) substance.