Estrogen Cream Uses

January 04, 2021

Estrogen Cream Uses

Staying healthy is hard when you have low estrogen levels. Estrogen is a crucial hormone that provides mental, emotional, and physical balance for both men and women. Symptoms and signs of low estrogen include everything from hot flashes to weak bones. Estrogen comes in vaginal creams inserted into the vagina or topical estradiol applied to the skin. Estrogen creams have many vital uses that help alleviate many painful conditions.

 

Relieves Menopausal Symptoms

Menopause is the natural time when women stop having their period. Most people believe menopause happens over a short time, but it actually occurs over many years. Estrogen plays a critical role in the development of menopause.

 

The reason women stop having their periods is that estrogen levels plummet due to menopause. Symptoms of menopause include one or more of the following:

 

• migraine headaches
• hot flashes
• weight gain
• mood swings
• dry skin
• insomnia
• vaginal dryness
• depression
• night sweats

 

Even postmenopausal women continue to have some of these symptoms, and the depth varies for each person. Women may even experience painful intercourse due to menopause. Low estrogen levels dry out vaginal tissue and change the shape of the vagina, making sexual activity painful at times.

 

If you suspect you're experiencing menopausal symptoms, ask doctors for medical advice on using estrogen creams. Before, it was thought that estrogen therapy after menopause may increase the risk of blood clots, uterine cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

 

However, a landmark study that followed 53,000 nurses over 20 years showed low-dose topical estrogens do not increase the risk.

 

Improves Vaginal Issues

Estrogen provides critical moisture and elasticity to the vaginal walls and tissues. The vaginal issues could entail one or more of the following:

 

• unusual vaginal bleeding, it may occur when not menstruating
• vaginal atrophy (dryness), a condition that causes dry, inflamed, and thin vaginal tissue
• atrophic vaginitis, a medical condition that inflames the vaginal tissues
• vulvar atrophy, a health concern that results in soreness, dryness, and urinary incontinence

 

All of which can cause painful intercourse and sexual health concerns. Estrogen creams may help improve vaginal issues.

 

 

Improves Fertility

 Most female estrogen is generated in the ovaries and plays a vital role in women's sexual health. As a woman travels through her menstrual cycle, she has varying levels of estrogen. When the egg comes out of the ovaries in expectation of becoming fertilized, estrogen and progesterone make this happen during ovulation.

 

If there’s low estrogen or high progesterone or any kind of hormonal imbalance, there could be problems with egg quality and other fertility issues. Not having enough estrogen can come from the following conditions:

 

• failure of both ovaries
• decreased function of the ovaries or female hypogonadism
• oophorectomy or removal of both ovaries

 

For any of these reasons, talk to your doctor about using estrogen cream; it may be the answer you need.

 

Balances Menstrual Cycles

 The critical ingredients of birth control are estrogen and progesterone. In the first part of the cycle, estrogen is higher, and progesterone increases as the egg is released from the ovaries. These hormones provide necessary balance, and if one is out of whack, it can cause irregular menstrual cycles and even breakthrough bleeding.

 

Breakthrough bleeding can happen during pregnancy or in between cycles and can become common as women near menopause. Vaginal estrogens can help balance menstrual cycles.

 

Keeps Bones Strong

 Those who are familiar with estrogen typically associate it with menopause and fertility regulation. However, estrogen and bone health have a strong connection that may be surprising for some.

 

Estrogen helps build strong, healthy bones and protects them from breaking down. Osteoporosis, a debilitating bone disease, is more common for women, and low estrogen increases the risk.

 

The reason estrogen is important for bone formation is that it regulates bone metabolism in men and women. It exerts a protective layer on bones, and any loss of estrogen results in poor bone resorption and formation. Loss of the sex hormone estrogen has an effect on the cellular level.

 

Improves Cardiovascular Health

 Heart disease is a risk for anyone as they age but becomes even more concerning for postmenopausal women. Estrogen may have a healing effect on the artery walls' inner linings, improving blood vessel flexibility.

 

Tight and constricted arteries may lead to chest pain, a heart attack, or complete heart failure. Other reasons come into play when looking at cardiovascular health, such as diet and lifestyle choices, but low estrogen can contribute. Transdermal estrogen creams may help prevent heart disease.

 

Side effects of Estrogen Therapy

 There are different types of estrogen therapy and should elicit medical advice about side effects. Also, there's a distinct difference between using an estradiol topical cream or a manufactured estrogen pill. Estrogen pills can come with many serious side effects, including:

 

• Increased breast cancer risk
• High blood pressure
• Blood clots
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Allergic reactions
• Trouble breathing

 

However, a low-dose topical estrogen cream comes with fewer risks when taken for shorter periods and new studies show there’s a decreased risk for the above common side effects. In fact, the benefits may outweigh the risks.

 

If you have any of the above symptoms, tell your doctor immediately.

 

Types of Estrogen Creams

 

Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) can take different forms of treatment and names, including:

 

• Estradiol vaginal suppositories
• Conjugated estrogens (a mixture of different estrogens)
• Estradiol topical creams
• Estrogen vaginal creams
• Estradiol vaginal cream

 

Topical estrogen creams are considered safe in low doses and are overcoming the stigma of the past few decades when they were thought to pose health risks. While taking any supplement poses some health risks, estrogen cream therapy is beginning to become more accepted again in the medical community because it works.

 

The dosing schedule and amount will be different for each person. You should follow the package instructions and ask your healthcare professional for additional information and medical advice.

 

If you're suffering from low estrogen, using a topical estrogen cream either applied directly to the skin or as a vaginal suppository may help you lead the life you deserve. There's no reason to suffer if you don't have to.

---

Also in Educational Content