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Estrogen and Progesterone in Greensboro, NC

Many women are benefiting from estrogen and progesterone replacement therapy to improve their health and quality of life. Coley Cosmetic & Hand Surgery Center offers estrogen and progesterone replacement therapy to rejuvenate and enhance your appearance while providing relief from hormone-related concerns. Double board-certified surgeon Dr. H. Christopher Coley specializes in estrogen and progesterone replacement therapy for residents of Greensboro, Burlington, and surrounding communities in North Carolina.

Estrogen Treatment

Doctors have been prescribing estrogen for women for menopausal symptoms for years.  Studies demonstrate that estrogen makes women not only feel better but healthier.  Estrogen improves the quality of day-to-day life for women by making them more youthful and energized.  Women have better muscle tone, fewer wrinkles, stronger, shinier hair, a more enjoyable sex life, and do not suffer the typical bone loss of osteoporosis.  Estrogen users have less risk of heart disease and stroke, and have a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and senility.

However, in 2002, the news media alarmed the public by reporting that hormones have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease and breast cancer.  This information, however, was reporting the possible effects of synthetic estrogen and synthetic progesterone, not natural hormones.  Natural or bioidentical hormones do not pose the same risk.

Estrogen is produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands.  Men actually produce small amounts of estrogen from testosterone.  There are three types of estrogen: estrone, estradiol, estriol.  The levels of all of these fall at the onset of menopause, which is why symptoms of hot flashes, insomnia, vaginal dryness, anxiety, difficulty concentrating and others occur.  Disease processes such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s only increase in the absence of estrogen.

After menopause, with the decline of estrogen, osteoporotic fractures cause significant morbidity and mortality.  Loss of estrogen results in the development of heart disease, which is the number one killer of both men and women.  Post menopausal women on estrogen have a 70% decrease in mortality from heart disease.  Estrogen also has been shown to lower total blood cholesterol and raise HDL, the good cholesterol.  Many scientific articles have documented the cardiovascular benefits of estrogen.  One recent study, The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), where the combination of synthetic estrogen and progestin (Premarin and Provera) showed an increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease.  However, in the estrogen- only trial there was no increased risk of cancer or heart disease.  Therefore it was the synthetic progestin (Provera) that was to blame and not estrogen.

In summary, estrogen protects against heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease and memory disorders.  It protects against vaginal atrophy, urinary incontinence and urinary tract infections.  It prevents symptoms of menopause and improves overall well-being.  My recommendation is to replace estrogen with natural or bioidentical estrogen, not a synthetic estrogen such as Premarin which is made from horse urine and contains many products that are not found naturally in the body.

Progesterone Treatment

Women in menopause, lose progesterone, which protects against uterine cancer, breast cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease.  However, this loss should not be replaced by a synthetic product like Provera, rather, a natural or bioidentical progesterone.

Progesterone is produced by the ovaries and is used to naturally balance estrogen.  It can safely and effectively relieve menopausal symptoms, protect against cancer, prevent osteoporosis, and improve overall well being, but not in a synthetic form.  The recent JAMA study in 2002 was terminated early because of the significant increased incidence of breast cancer.  This study demonstrated that it was actually the progestin (Provera) that was responsible for the increased incidence of breast cancer.  The estrogen only arm of the study demonstrated a decreased incidence of cancer.

Natural progesterone enhances the action of estrogen as these two hormones are meant to work together to maintain the normal hormone balance.  It is available in a capsule form as Prometrium, and in the sublingual form.

Natural progesterone is also used to treat many symptoms of PMS such as irritability, moodiness, bloating and headaches.  It has a mild tranquilizing effect and enhances overall well being.  Natural progesterone offers protection against uterine and breast cancer as evidenced by European studies whereas Provera increased breast stimulation and breast density.  Natural progesterone results in a reduction in cholesterol levels and an increase in HDL (the good cholesterol).

Estrogen and progesterone therapy, if right for you, may improve your quality of life by treating hormone-related disorders. If you’d like more information about estrogen and progesterone replacement therapy, contact the Coley Cosmetic & Hand Surgery Center, serving residents of Greensboro, Burlington, and neighboring communities in North Carolina.


Cosmetic Surgeon in Greensboro, NC

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Christopher
Coley

Coley Cosmetic & Hand Surgery Center
Coley Cosmetic & Hand Surgery Center
Coley Cosmetic & Hand Surgery Center
Coley Cosmetic & Hand Surgery Center
Coley Cosmetic & Hand Surgery Center
Coley Cosmetic & Hand Surgery Center
Coley Cosmetic & Hand Surgery Center
Coley Cosmetic & Hand Surgery Center