FAQ

Bioidentical hormone pellets are custom-made by a pharmacist according to your doctor’s instructions. They will typically contain plant-based hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and/or DHEA, that have been engineered to match your body’s own hormones. They will also contain inert ingredients, including binders and lubricating agents such as stearic acid or cholesterol. The exact formulation and dosage will depend on your needs.

Hormone pellets are implanted during a 15-minute procedure in your doctor’s office. A small area on the hip or buttock is cleaned, and a local anesthetic is injected to numb the site. Through a small incision, the prescribed number of pellets are implanted in the fatty tissue just below the skin. A sterile dressing is then applied, and you leave the office with instructions to ice the implantation site and keep it dry for a few days. Most people find the procedure to be quick, easy, and pain-free.

Insertion schedules vary by individual. Various factors impact the rate at which the pellets dissolve. For most women, pellets will last 3 to 5 months, requiring approximately three to four visits per year. For most men, pellets will last 5 to 7 months, requiring two to three visits per year.

The primary benefit of hormone pellet therapy is that it effectively relieves the uncomfortable symptoms of hormonal fluctuation or decline. While many forms of HRT can do this, pellets are unique. Convenience: Because hormone pellets last for 3-6 months, patients typically find them very convenient. When you’re able to set it and forget it, it’s easy to adhere to treatment. This is very different from oral or topical therapies that must be taken or applied daily or injections that require visits to your doctor’s office every few weeks. Predictability: The steady rate of hormone release helps you avoid the hormonal fluctuations that often occur with other delivery methods. These benefits help explain why more and more patients are choosing pellet therapy.

Hormone pellets have been in use for many years and are generally considered a very safe delivery method. Complications are usually mild and temporary. These may include redness, bleeding, dermatitis, and scarring at the implantation site. More serious complications from hormone pellets are rare. The most common is pellet extrusion, which happens in less than 1% of cases, and over 90% of patients continue to use hormone pellets after their first treatment. As with any procedure, aftercare instructions should be followed carefully to avoid side effects. Applying an ice pack and keeping the incision site dry will help to speed healing. To minimize the risk of complications and support better outcomes, some doctors are now using pellets that include a very low dose of triamcinolone, a corticosteroid that acts as an anti-inflammatory at the implantation site. Triamcinolone promotes long-term success in a number of ways: Scar tissue and pellet extrusions are minimized. The number of booster doses for new patients is reduced. Hormone absorption is enhanced, leading to faster symptom relief. Hormone absorption is more consistent.