Research shows that almost half of women experience hormonal deficiency, and 72% only learn the cause of their symptoms later. Testosterone deficiency is also prevalent, affecting men of many ages. Our hormones are responsible for many bodily functions and can affect everything from mood to energy levels!
With this in mind, it’s also possible that you could be experiencing some negative symptoms due to hormone imbalance without even realizing it.You should feel good in your body! The exciting news is there are treatments available through HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy).
At Touch MedSpa in Myrtle Beach, we help our clients feel good on the inside and out and prioritize educating clients about their treatment options. We’re going over everything to know about HRT, including:
- What is HRT?
- Synthetic hormones vs. bioidentical hormones
- How it works
- Frequently asked questions
What is HRT?
HRT stands for Hormone Replacement Therapy, and there are many forms of this type of treatment. The goal of hormone therapy is to restore and rebalance your hormone levels for optimal performance to improve a wide variety of symptoms.
There are several delivery methods for HRT that include:
- Injections
- Creams
- Subcutaneous pellets
At Touch MedSpa, we use Biote hormone pellets. We find this product to be the most effective for a few reasons, but perhaps the most important is because it is a bioidentical hormone.
Synthetic vs. bioidentical hormones
Synthetic hormones are exactly what they sound like; they are synthetic substances that are not naturally occurring or made from anything naturally occurring. When it comes to your body, synthetic hormones are a foreign substance.
Bioidentical hormones are biologically identical and are made from natural plant substances (fun fact, some HRT pellets are made from yams!). As the name suggests, these hormones are biologically the same as the hormones your body naturally produces—or at least was producing at one time.
The advantages of subcutaneous pellet HRT
One of the other questions we receive besides “What is HRT?” is “What the heck is a pellet?”
Pellet therapy is an exciting form of HRT that helps deliver the hormones at a balanced, slow release pace. We insert the pellets underneath the skin, typically in your arm or on your hip.
Controlled dosage
With pellet therapy, we can easily control your specific dosage of the hormone therapy. This allows us to customize your treatment plan to your specific hormone deficiencies. With other HRT methods such as creams, the dosage is much more difficult to control.
Plus alternative delivery methods like cream means that the hormones can be transferred easily with skin to skin contact, which is not ideal for a treatment that’ll easily integrate into your lifestyle.
Less maintenance
Most people are not a fan of injections, especially injections they have to receive often. Pellet therapy negates this issue with much less maintenance or need for injection appointments and pesky bruising at injection sites.
Treatable symptoms with HRT
Hormone therapy can improve a wide variety of concerns, which makes it very special and even life changing for candidates. As men and women age and experience changes in their body, a lot of hormone production slows down and causes changes. You may notice this in the form of hair loss, sagging skin, and less muscle mass, but your hormones can cause many other concerns, such as:
For women:
- Low energy and fatigue
- Night sweats
- Hot flashes
- Lowered sex drive
- Unexplained weight gain
- Difficulty sleeping
- Mood swings
- Vaginal dryness
For men:
- Lowered sex drive
- Less energy and fatigue
- Loss of muscle mass
- Unexplained weight gain
- Erectile dysfunction
- Decreased bone mass
- Mood changes
- Irritability
- Brain fog
Learn more: Hormone Replacement Therapy for Men →
If you’ve experienced one or more of these symptoms without an easy-to-identify cause, hormone imbalance could be the culprit. Your best bet is to have a consultation with a hormone specialist to assess where you’re at and get you where you need to be to feel like yourself again.
Out of all of these symptoms, one of the most life changing for our clients is increased energy.
Boosting your energy with HRT
If you struggle getting out of bed and getting going every morning, your energy levels, motivation, and even mood can be enhanced through HRT. Your hormones are responsible for regulating your ATP production, which produces cellular energy.
By upping your energy on a cellular level, you can improve your focus and physical endurance!
While HRT provides more motivation for you to exercise, it also keeps your metabolism, hunger, and fat distribution in check. With more energy comes many more lifestyle improvements, like more energy for a better social life, productivity, and even your sex life.
How HRT Works
Hormone therapy can improve your wellbeing, but it’s important to go to a good provider who will treat you with a personalized approach. At Touch MedSpa, we take a very customized approach to HRT. Here’s how it works:
Consultation
Before recommending HRT for you we will always begin with a thorough consultation. We only recommend this treatment if we feel that you will truly benefit, and we also use data to back this up. We may have you complete lab work to get a full understanding of your current hormone levels.
We’ll have a candid conversation with you about symptoms you’ve been experiencing and what improvements you’d like to see. Our providers will answer any questions you may have to help you feel comfortable and confident in your decision. We will also be realistic about what you can expect and the timelines for treatment.
Some factors that may affect your candidacy include:
- Age
- Medical history
- Medications
- Lifestyle
After all of these steps, we’ll draft a customized HRT treatment plan personalized to your specific needs. No two patients are the same when it comes to hormone therapy; we take great care to ensure great outcomes.
Treatment Process
The treatment process is pretty simple: you’ll meet with your provider for the pellet insertion. We can provide a local numbing agent at the insertion site to keep the process as comfortable as possible. Most people find the process extremely tolerable. We make the insertion process quick and precise.
After beginning your hormone therapy, we’ll check in with you to assess your symptoms and adjust any dosage if needed. The slow release of the pellets helps to ensure you don’t feel drastic changes too quickly, but a nice, steady improvement.
Results and Maintenance
Many clients start feeling immediate changes or relief within the first couple of weeks. We’re on your team and will continue communication with you. We may also include follow up lab work to check on your progress and compare your pre and post data.
HRT Frequently Asked Questions
How old do I need to be for HRT?
This is dependent on your lifestyle and current hormone levels, but many of our female clients begin HRT around the time they experience menopause, between the ages of 40 to 55. Men may begin HRT in middle or late middle age as well.
Do you offer HRT for both women and men?
Yes! We treat women and men with hormone replacement therapy. We’ve even found that after one spouse has hormone replacement therapy and experiences better energy, the other spouse begins HRT too!
Does the pellet insertion hurt?
We work hard to make the process as quick and painless as possible. Our providers can use a local anesthetic to numb the area before pellet insertion and will provide instructions on aftercare.
When will I see results?
Since the pellets slowly dissolve over time, results are not immediate but they will take effect within a couple of weeks.
Finding the best HRT provider
It’s always important to go to an experienced provider when it comes to your body, and Touch MedSpa is a premier bioidentical HRT provider in Myrtle Beach. We employ the following to ensure the best client care and results possible.
Personalized treatments
At Touch MedSpa, you’re not just another number to us. You’re an individual who we’ll get to know; we love getting to see and visit with our clients every day. We’ll tailor your HRT treatment plan to your lab work, medical history, symptoms, and desired results. And we’ll make it a positive (dare we say fun?!) experience while doing so.
Follow ups
We don’t leave you high and dry after your appointments. We’ll continue checking in on your progress and results, make tweaks as necessary, and work hard to ensure optimal outcomes from your hormone therapy.
Elevate your overall health with the help of Touch MedSpa’s HRT experts
Take control of your health! Whether you’re experiencing the physical or mental effects of hormonal imbalance, Touch MedSpa’s medical professionals are here to transform your everyday life by targeting the problem at the source.
Experience unmatched results and one-of-a-kind experience to match for yourself! Contact us today to further discuss the question “What is HRT?” and beyond with our experts.
We always recommend that you begin your journey with us with a free in-person consultation. Here, we’ll discuss your struggles, goals, budget, and timeline so we can create the optimal treatment plan for you! For on demand treatment recommendations, our virtual consultation tool offers exclusive insights right at your fingertips. We’re thrilled to help you redefine your overall wellness!
