2009-07-24T20:24:00.004-04:00

Should I take Hormone Replacement?

The average age of menopause is 52 and symptoms are mostly caused by a decrease in estrogen. Women wonder if they should take hormone replacement or not. If a women chooses to take hormone replacement therapy and has a uterus she must take progesterone in addition to estrogen to prevent uterus cancer. Most women experience menopause as a process of decreased menses and increased symptoms but menopause is different for everyone.

There are risks and benefits of hormones. Hormones can help symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, vaginal dryness, mood and skin changes. Medical advantages of hormones are they can help prevent osteoporosis and colon cancer. Hormone replacement may increase the risk of breast cancer, blood clots and stroke, especially if you smoke, or are overweight and inactive. So each women needs to discuss with her doctor what her personal risks are based on her history and family history before starting hormone replacement. There are man made hormones, bio-identical and natural phytoestrogens. Hormone replacement therapy can come in the form of pills, creams, vaginal rings and patches.

What if you do not want to take traditional hormone replacement therapy. There are diet changes such as decreasing caffeine and alcohol that can help. Studies have shown that women who exercise regularly have fewer menopausal symptoms and feel better.

Phytoestrogens are plant estrogens and are currently being studied. While they can be considered natural they may not be safer than traditional hormone replacement for women with estrogen dependent uterus or breast cancers. They probable are lower in equivalent dose. Foods that are high in phytoestrogens include flax seed and bread , soy beans and milk, tofu, yogurt, sesame seeds, multigrain bread, hummus, garlic, bean and alpha sprouts, sunflower, olive oil, almonds, green beans, onion, and blueberries.

Besides phytoestrogens Black Cohosh and Ginkgo bilobo have been shown to be effective. The problem with over the counter supplements is there is a lack of standardization so it is hard for a consumer to know the exact dose, quantity and purity. Herbal remedies can have potential side effects especially in combinations. It is a good policy to try supplements one at a time and at small doses at first. This way you can tell what is working and what gives you a side effects.

Other medications that have been found to help relieve hot flashes are a class of antidepressant medications known as selective-serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, or SSRIs (Prozac, Paxil, Effexor). Sleep disturbances may be helped with sleep aids such as Ambien or Lunesta.

In conclusion, women must work with their doctor to access their personal risk and benefits of taking hormone replacement therapy, natural remedies or other medications.

Photo Rejuvenation - Is It Right For Me?

2008-07-18T11:48:00.001-04:00

If you are looking for a safe, hassle free alternative to chemical or laser peels, you might want to consider Intense Pulsed Light Therapy, or IPL. IPL is a non-surgical, no downtime skin rejuvenation procedure.

IPL consists of emitting high intensity pulses of light to the skin and is able to treat various skin complaints on the neck, face, hands or chest such as freckles, redness, port wine stains, flat birthmarks, tattoos, age spots, facial flushing, purple or blue veins on the face, hypo-pigmentation, broken capillaries, minor sun damage, and hair removal. This treatment has also been shown to increase collagen production by up to 50%. IPL is a quick, non-invasive, and virtually painless procedure that only takes 15 to 30 minutes per session and it not as costly as other skin correction treatments.

The best part about IPL is that there is practically no downtime and most clients report smoother skin and pore reduction after undergoing therapy. Given the growing popularity of IPL in recent years, you should have no problem finding a doctor to perform this procedure.

Once you have selected a doctor for your IPL treatment, the two of you will meet prior to your therapy to discuss your goals and to answer any questions you may have. Your doctor will also need to make sure that your skin type is compatible with this therapy. The procedure itself is very simple. Your doctor will most likely place a topical anesthetic over the area to be treated in order to ensure your comfort.

A cool, soothing gel will then be applied and a glass hand piece, resembling a pyramid, will be laid directly on the skin. The hand piece contains several different filters that are able to control the wavelength range and allow for different applications and skin types. A machine will then emit several pulses of bright light that will pass through the glass piece and into the skin where it will be absorbed by either blood or melanin.

The body's natural processes will remove the injured tissue, resulting in fresh, healthy looking skin. Different machines are used for different levels of penetration. Your doctor will decide the intensity level necessary to treat your condition. In an effort to not aggravate the skin, your first session will not be very aggressive. You will most likely have treatments every 3 to 4 weeks and the intensity will increase gradually.

One of the biggest benefits of IPL is that there is absolutely no downtime. However, there are certain precautions you must take to ensure proper healing. It is vital that you protect your skin from any UV light, including tanning beds, after being treated.

You also need to keep the skin clean by washing it twice a day with cool water and following up with a moisturizer. It is best to not exfoliate the treated area for 3 to 4 days and make sure you avoid using any products containing Retin-A, Vitamin C, or Alpha-Hydroxy for 24 hours. After your procedure you may notice slight swelling and your skin may be a little pink but this should cease within a few days.

Most of the people who undergo IPL experience no side effects. However, all treatments have risks. In rare cases scabbing, scarring, and bleeding have been reported. It is also possible that your skin may blister. If this happens, apply a topical antibiotic ointment to the affected area. You may also notice skin pigmentation problems. In this case, normal pigmentation should return within a few months.

For most people, IPL is a very safe and pain-free route to better skin and is a treatment that you should consider if you feel your skin could use some improvement.

Radiance MedSpa of Exton

Photo Rejuvenation - Is It Right For Me?