Many people have heard of “hormone therapy,” but few know which hormones can impact your health or what hormone therapy can help with. At Medical Grade Aesthetics, we offer customized BHRT in Beloit to address your specific needs and help you feel like yourself again.
In this blog, we explain what hormones we can include in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) and how your provider works with you to help you get the most out of your care.
What is BHRT?
BHRT is a wellness treatment we offer at Medical Grade Aesthetics for those that are struggling with a hormone imbalance. Hormone imbalances can occur any time in your life for a number of reasons, but we most often treat individuals going through menopause or the male version of menopause (andropause).
During this time in your life, many of the sex hormones are impacted—like estrogen and testosterone. But this phase can also affect other hormones like serotonin, cortisol, adrenaline, and more. These changes can cause uncomfortable symptoms, such as:
- Hot flashes
- Pain during sex
- Irregular periods
- Vaginal dryness
- Erectile dysfunction
- Night sweats
- Mood swings
- Fatigue
- And more
Bioidentical Hormones
You may not be familiar with the term “bioidentical hormones.” Bioidentical hormones use plant-derived hormones that look chemically identical to the hormones your body naturally makes.
Artificial hormones look chemically different from your naturally made hormones, and artificial hormones can cause uncomfortable side effects. But because they are more chemically similar to your naturally made hormones, bioidentical hormones cause less side effects and deliver more effective results. Plus, we personalize your treatment with BHRT in Beloit to your specific needs, whereas typical artificial hormone treatments have pre-established levels of hormones that are not personalized to your body.
What Hormones Can Be Used in BHRT
Among our patients, no 2 hormone treatments have the same formula. We take the time to understand what hormones your body needs to establish balance, and we provide personalized care that is specific to you. So here are the most common hormones our experts at Medical Grade Aesthetics can include in your BHRT treatment.
Testosterone
Many people refer to testosterone as “the male sex hormone,” since men’s bodies produce it in higher doses, and it controls the development of male characteristics during puberty, like the deepening of the voice and dropping of the testicles. When men begin going through andropause, their testosterone levels can begin to drop, causing issues like:
- Reduced sex drive
- Erectile dysfunction
- Decreased muscle mass
- Difficulty sleeping
- Fatigue
- Mood changes
Testosterone is naturally produced in the testes in men and the ovaries in women (though the ovaries produce a much smaller dose of the hormone). When you receive BHRT in Beloit, your provider will complete a blood draw to evaluate your testosterone levels, compare them with your other hormone levels, and determine how much to include in your treatment.
Estradiol
Estradiol is the most potent and primary form of estrogen, commonly known as the female sex hormone. Estrogen also impacts cholesterol, bone density, blood sugar levels, blood circulation, and much more. Men do produce this hormone as well, just in much smaller doses than women. There are 3 types of estrogen:
Estrone (E1): After menopause, your body makes this as your primary form of estrogen.
Estradiol (E2): This form of estrogen is primarily made during your reproductive years and is the most potent form of estrogen your body makes.
Estriol (E3): This form of estrogen is only made during pregnancy.
When women have decreased levels of estrogen, which most frequently occurs during the transition into menopause, this hormonal decline can cause a myriad of symptoms.
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness
- Mood changes
- Difficulty sleeping
- Irregular periods
By balancing your levels of estrogen using BHRT in Beloit, our providers help you create a smoother transition into menopause. This way, you can have an easier transition into menopause and not have to deal with the uncomfortable symptoms caused by these hormonal fluctuations.
Progesterone
Progesterone, a naturally occurring steroid hormone, prepares the body for menstruation and pregnancy. During your reproductive years, this hormone prepares the lining of your uterus before menstruation by thickening it. Some symptoms of low progesterone include:
- Irregular periods
- Mood changes
- Fatigue
- Difficulty sleeping
With bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, using progesterone to create a gradual decline in your hormone levels helps to protect the uterus from overgrowth from estrogen and endometrial cancer. Progesterone and Estrogen balance each other out, and since endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease, too much of it can cause an increase of endometrial tissue in the uterus. During menopause, your hormone levels become unbalanced and increase your risk of developing endometriosis or endometrial cancer. By adding progesterone, you can maintain the balance of these hormones and lower your risk of developing serious diseases like endometriosis. Balanced progesterone levels will also help manage the symptoms of menopause.
Thyroid Hormones
We also typically include some thyroid hormones in BHRT in Beloit. The thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), are responsible for a wide range of bodily functions, including:
- Regulating your base metabolic rate
- Slowing or speeding up your heart rate
- Managing brain development
- Raising or lowering body temperature
- Maintaining skin and bone health
Both men and women make and need thyroid hormones, and lower levels of these hormones can increase your risk of health conditions that affect any of the listed functions. Your thyroid hormones can become unbalanced during menopause and andropause, so to maintain your health, you may need to undergo BHRT.
When we conduct blood testing, we check your base levels for thyroid hormones and make sure you don’t have any underlying medical condition that might cause the imbalance. If your hormone imbalance results from something other than menopause or andropause, then BHRT in Beloit would only treat the symptoms rather than the cause. When it comes to your health, we make sure to leave no stone unturned.
Other Hormones
Our expert providers can supply whatever hormones you need. Changes like menopause and andropause can impact any of your hormones, like cortisol, serotonin, and more. When you visit our team for a consultation, we can look at all your hormone levels and cater your treatment to your specific needs.
The BHRT Process
While we personalize the hormones to your specific needs, the rest of the process for BHRT in Beloit remains consistent, so here is what you can expect.
Consultation
During your consultation, your provider learns more about your symptoms and develops a more in-depth understanding of your health history. They talk with you about what hormones they believe would best benefit you for your BHRT plan, and why. You’ll both work together to create the ideal hormone plan that works with your needs and lifestyle.
Testing
Before your consultation, your provider asks you basic questions about your health history. Then, they can draw labs and send them in to learn more details about your body. These tests help your care team understand your base hormone levels and create a care plan to best suit your needs. After your labs are drawn, your pellet insertion is scheduled for two weeks later. This is also when the lab review is done.
Treatment
For treatment, we can administer your hormones in a variety of ways:
- Injections
- Oral tablets
- Patches
- Gels/creams
- Vaginal ring
- Pellet therapy
While we offer a variety of options to fit your lifestyle, we do specialize in pellet therapy, because it provides a consistent level of hormones over a long period of time. But your provider will talk to you about your options for BHRT in Beloit and work with you to find the method you feel most comfortable with that delivers effective results.
Results
Many patients see long-term health benefits of BHRT like improved cognition, decreased osteoporosis, and improved cardiac health. Because of this, we highly recommend staying on treatment indefinitely.
No matter how long you are on treatment, your provider checks in with you regularly so you can find relief from the symptoms of your hormone imbalance. They can adjust your hormone levels as needed to help you see consistent improvements.
Why choose Medical Grade Aesthetics for BHRT?
Our providers at Medical Grade Aesthetics have years of experience in both traditional medicine and medical aesthetics. They understand how hormones can impact your health, and they have the capability to expertly and precisely calibrate your treatments to fit your body.
Their care goes beyond experience and capability. At Medical Grade Aesthetics, our team understands that your time spent with our team is just as important as the results you achieve. So we take the time to curate an environment where you feel understood, heard, and supported while you work to improve your health and wellness.
We prioritize your safety and comfort, so you feel at home in our med spa and wellness clinic. When looking for the ideal team to provide your BHRT treatment, you won’t need to look any farther than Medical Grade Aesthetics.
Restore Balance to Your Health
Your hormones determine more about your health and wellness than you might realize. Thankfully, our team helps you through every step of the process. You can request an appointment with one of our expert providers to see if BHRT is right for you.
If you don’t feel quite ready for an appointment, that’s okay too! We also offer a complimentary treatment planning tool that helps you find the best solutions based on your specific concerns. Our team makes sure to give you the tools and resources you need to look and feel your best every day!
Request an Appointment Treatment Planning Tool
