WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU START TAKING ESTROGEN CREAM?

Estrogen is a powerful female hormone responsible for different bodily functions. The most important is the regulation of the menstrual cycle and fertility. But estrogen plays a vital role in bone and heart health as well. When levels drop, men and women can experience everything from weight gain to dry skin.

 

One way to mitigate symptoms related to low estrogen is to apply a high-quality estrogen cream. But what happens when you start taking estrogen cream? In this article, we’ll explore this question in more detail.

 

Benefits of Estrogen Cream

 Estrogen therapy has been around for over a hundred years. The efficacy of using estrogen cream to alleviate painful symptoms connected to different medical conditions is well known. Below are a few benefits of applying a transdermal estrogen cream.

 

Relieves Menopausal Symptoms

Growing older is a fact of life. For women, this means making the transition from being able to have children to becoming infertile. While this is a typical process, it can take years to go through, and some women need help making the transition.

 

The cause of menopause, besides age, is a severe drop in estrogen. The levels of estrogen vary in a woman's body as she moves through her menstrual cycle, but when menopause occurs, levels plummet or stay low, resulting in one or more of the following symptoms:

 

• Dry skin
• Insomnia
• Weight gain
• Mood swings
• Low sex drive
• Hot flashes
• Night Sweats
• Brittle bones
• Fatigue

When you start taking estrogen cream, these symptoms go away or become manageable. All of which help you live life naturally.

 

Improves Vaginal Atrophy

 Vaginal atrophy is extreme dryness in the vaginal tissues. When you have low estrogen, vaginal membranes thin and dry out, causing pain during intercourse. Women may also experience itching and are at a higher risk for vaginal and urinary infections. It can even make tampon insertion or a vaginal exam uncomfortable.

 

For vaginal atrophy or atrophic vaginitis, gynecologists usually prescribe oral, vaginal, or transdermal estrogen to rejuvenate vaginal membranes. Applying estrogen cream directly to the vaginal walls may be more useful for vaginal atrophy. The dose is usually lower and doesn't circulate to other parts of the body.

 

Strengthens Bones

 Bones are living things that continue to grow. However, osteoporosis is when bones break down faster than they can be replenished. Women are more susceptible to osteoporosis since they generally have thinner bones than men.

 

Estrogen helps protect bones, and low estrogen levels slow down bone regeneration, causing them to become porous and brittle. Women going through menopause may also have weaker bones. One benefit of estrogen cream is that it may boost bone density.

 

Helps Ovary Issues 

The ovaries produce estrogen. If there's an issue with ovarian function, estrogen levels may be low. When a woman has an oophorectomy (removal of ovaries) or a hysterectomy (removal of ovaries and uterus), estrogen levels plummet.

 

Removing the ovaries will thrust women into premature menopause. One treatment is estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). Another condition related to malfunctioning ovaries is female hypogonadism. It's when the ovaries have decreased function, resulting in low estrogen levels.

 

 

Estrogen Side Effects and Risks

Estrogen hormone therapy does have some risks. In the past, hormone therapy was widely prescribed for women with the above issues, but then a study by the Women’s Healthcare Initiative (WHI) found complications with long-term use. Some of these complications included cancer and heart risks.

 

However, later reviews of the data and additional studies showed that the increased risks were higher for women 10 plus years after menopause. 

Also, for women outside of this age group, the benefits were higher than the risks. The studies also helped medical researchers and doctors increase understanding of who would benefit the most from ERT and who would be better off trying other treatments.

It should be noted that healthcare practitioners generally recommend estrogen-only treatment to women who still have their ovaries but have had a hysterectomy. For women who haven't had a hysterectomy, a medicine that has estrogen plus progesterone is prescribed. The estrogen-only medications may increase the risk of endometrial cancer for women who still have a uterus.

 

Using Estrogen Cream

According to Harvard Health, low dose estrogen creams are safe to use once or twice a week. Estrogen creams, whether vaginal or topical, replenish missing hormones to alleviate symptoms of low estrogen.

 

The day and time to apply the cream will depend on the product instructions. Typically, the estrogen cream is applied in a thin layer in the morning or at least at the same time each day. If you've taken a bath or shower, apply the cream right after but only when you're dry.

 

The skin area shouldn't be too small, but rather the size of a small dinner plate. For example, apply it along the inside of your lower arm. Doctors recommend using it on your body's unexposed areas, such as the inner arm or thigh. These areas have the best absorption rate, and remember to rotate the application area each time.

 

You must follow the dose amount on the packaging or the instructions of your doctor. You don't want to save the cream to make it last longer. 

 

Tips for Boosting Estrogen

Estrogen cream boosts levels safely, yet you can increase estrogen with other natural methods. You can change your diet to include estrogen boosting foods. Or follow an exercise regime to increase activity levels. Regular exercise helps alleviate estrogen-related symptoms.   

Supplement with B-vitamins, DHEA, or vitamin D. All have an effect on estrogen levels. Research shows B-vitamins increase estrogen creation, DHEA is a precursor hormone to estrogen, and vitamin D works with estrogen to reduce cardiovascular disease. Increased levels of these vitamins and hormones will also have a positive effect on estrogen.

  

Estrogen cream helps you overcome many painful symptoms associated with menopause, vaginal atrophy, and ovarian concerns. When you start using estrogen cream, it may take a few treatments before you begin to experience the benefits. But when you do, you'll discover a new way to live.