These days, if you wish to undergo hormone replacement therapy, you have plenty of choices as to how to administer it. You can put a patch on your skin once or twice a week, apply a daily cream to your legs or stomach, or even take injections. However, the classic hormone replacement pills are still an option, and they're an option a lot of women are still choosing. Here are a few benefits associated with sticking with pills for your hormone replacement needs.
You don't have to worry about skin irritation
Although many people tolerate hormone replacement patches and creams well, others do experience some skin irritation as a result of these products. The irritation is not always so serious as to cause women to stop using these products, but it is still an annoyance. With hormone replacement pills, this irritation is not an issue since you swallow the pill as you would any other.
Your hormone levels may be more consistent day to day
Hormone patches are designed so that the hormones absorb through your skin slowly throughout the day. However, some women do feel that there is some fluctuation as to the number of hormones released. They may get a little more estrogen on the first day with a patch than on days six or seven, for example. With the pill, you take your hormone supplement every day, which means your levels stay more consistent day-to-day. This can help cut back on mood swings, breast tenderness, and some other side effects associated with hormone replacement that, in some cases, may be due largely to fluctuations in hormone levels.
Sometimes it's easier to remember something that you do daily
Some people find that it is easier to remember to keep up with daily habits than with ones they only engage in weekly or monthly. You may find that you forget to replace your hormone patch on Monday because you have not had to think about it for the past six days. However, you remember to take a pill because that's something you do each and every day at the same time. There's some individual variation in the psychology here; some people do find it easier to remember once-a-week hormone replacement options. But if you're a person who has an easier time with daily habits, then hormone replacement pills are a smarter option for you.
There are plenty of options for hormone replacement these days. The patch, various creams, and injections are all good choices for a lot of women. But don't write off the pill as an option, either, because it still has some distinct advantages.
To learn more about hormone replacement therapy, contact a local medical professional.
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