• Perimenopause is the time before a woman’s last menstrual period when hormone levels fluctuate, leading to various symptoms.
• Common symptoms of perimenopause include hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, brain fog, joint pain, hair loss, pain with sex, decreased libido, and irregular periods.
• Hormone therapy, specifically estrogen and progesterone, can help alleviate symptoms and prevent long-term health issues like osteoporosis, heart disease, and diabetes.
• The best time to start hormone therapy is during perimenopause or early menopause, before the age of 60 or within 10 years of the last menstrual period.
• There is a knowledge gap among practitioners regarding hormone therapy, and it is important to find a healthcare provider who is up-to-date and comfortable prescribing hormones.
• Social media and increased awareness are empowering women to demand better research and treatments for perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Topical estrogen cream can be used in the vulva region to address the changes in vaginal tissue that occur due to decreased estrogen levels in postmenopausal women.
• Vaginal estrogen cream helps prevent infections, bladder infections, and recurrent UTIs by maintaining the health of the vaginal tissue. Vaginal estrogen cream is safe and not systemically absorbed when used topically.