What Is Hormone Therapy?
Hormone replacement therapy is a treatment that uses bioidentical hormones to supplement hormones the body is missing and restore balance to the hormonal system. At The Beauty Lounge of Peoria, we use Biote pellet therapy for both men and women. Pellet therapy has many benefits and requires no work on the patient’s part. It’s simple, seamless, and effective and will balance the hormones to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life.
What Are the Benefits of HRT?
Patients who begin an HRT treatment plan will notice improvements in their symptoms within the first several weeks of undergoing pellet therapy. Each hormone pellet contains the exact amount of hormones necessary to balance estradiol, testosterone, and thyroid hormones. Some of the treatment benefits include the following:
- Safe, customizable, and adjustable treatment plans
- Improved body composition
- Healthy weight loss
- Balanced hormone levels
- Quick and virtually painless treatments
- Long-lasting results
- Alleviation of negative symptoms
- Increased energy levels
- Improvements in mental, physical, emotional, and sexual health
Pellet Therapy: The Biote Method
We design BHRT treatment plans with Biote pellets to resolve both major and minor hormone deficiencies. These hormone pellets are smaller than a grain of rice and are inserted into the subcutaneous tissue, typically on the hip or buttocks.
These pellets are so effective because they address the root cause of an imbalance, not just the symptoms. They contain the exact amount of hormones each patient needs to maintain balanced hormone levels for three to six months.
How It Works
During the treatment, we make a tiny incision in the skin, insert the pellet into the subcutaneous tissue, and secure it with a suture. Some patients notice benefits within the first few weeks, while others notice the best results after a few treatments.
Over time, these hormone pellets consistently release hormones directly into the bloodstream as the body uses them. They will slowly and gradually balance the system without causing severe hormone surges or crashes. Patients will notice improvements in physical and mental health after beginning treatment.
A Closer Look at Hormones and How They Change With Age
Throughout your life, hormones like estrogen and testosterone regulate many of your body’s functions, from energy levels to mood and even metabolism. During adolescence, these hormones rise rapidly, helping to develop secondary sexual characteristics like breast development in women or facial hair in men.
As we age, hormone levels gradually decline, with some sharper drops occurring around middle age. Estrogen levels fall significantly in women during menopause, leading to hot flashes, mood swings, and other uncomfortable symptoms. Men experience a slower decline in testosterone, often referred to as “andropause,” which may affect energy levels, muscle mass, and libido. This hormonal shift is a natural part of aging, but when symptoms become bothersome, hormone therapy can be a solution to help bring balance.
Hormones Commonly Used in Pellet Therapy
In pellet therapy, we often supplement testosterone and estrogen because of the broad impact these hormones have on the body. Testosterone isn’t just for men—it helps maintain bone density, muscle strength, and mood in both men and women. Estrogen, though typically associated with women, also supports heart health, skin elasticity, and even brain function in both sexes. Both men and women need these hormones but in different amounts. In pellet therapy, the goal is to maintain these delicate balances to help support the natural functions that keep your body feeling and functioning at its best.
Hormone Therapy for Men
Men who suffer from hormone deficiencies typically have inadequate testosterone levels. These symptoms typically become noticeable during andropause, a life stage similar to menopause in which testosterone levels naturally decline. Men in this life stage often experience low libido, decreased sexual function, anxiety, mood changes, sleep disturbances, brain fog, weight gain, decreased sexual performance, inability to maintain muscle mass, elevated blood sugar levels, decreased bone density, abnormal heart conditions, and low energy levels.
While andropause is one of the most common reasons to begin hormone therapy for men, hormone deficiencies also affect men in other life stages, and testosterone deficiencies can result from diet, high stress levels, a sedentary lifestyle, environmental factors, and genetic predisposition. A customized hormone therapy for men treatment plan will safely resolve these symptoms by supplementing the testosterone hormones.
Hormone Therapy For Women
Women also suffer from hormone deficiencies, and these imbalances typically are the most noticeable during menopause. During this life stage, the hormones begin to decline, but hormone therapy for women will resolve the symptoms women experience during the three stages of menopause: perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause.
We also offer hormone therapy for women to meet the needs of women outside of these age ranges suffering from a hormone deficiency as a result of other factors, including the side effects of medications, genetic predisposition, stress, lifestyle factors, and postpartum imbalances.
Preparing for Your First Appointment
When you come in for your first appointment, we’ll start by gathering information about your hormones through a series of tests. This typically includes blood work to measure your current levels of hormones like estrogen and testosterone which gives us a baseline to work from. Once we have those results, we’ll review them to determine what your body needs and plan for the correct dosage.
From there, we’ll order the specific hormone pellets from Biote based on your test results. We’ll also talk about what to expect during the insertion process, how long the pellets last, and the next steps in your treatment. By taking these measures, we can develop a plan to support your well-being and help you feel more like yourself again.
What to Expect From Your Pellet Therapy Appointment
During your pellet therapy appointment, we make sure you’re comfortable and well-informed throughout the process. First, we clean and sterilize the treatment area, usually located on the upper part of your buttock or hip, to minimize the risk of infection. Then we apply an injectable local anesthetic to numb the area so that you won’t feel any discomfort during the treatment.
Once the area is numbed, we make a small incision about the size of a grain of rice. Using an instrument called a trocar, we gently insert the anti-aging hormone pellets beneath the skin. After the pellets are in place, we close the incision with sterile adhesive strips to help the area heal. You’ll be able to leave the appointment shortly after, with simple aftercare instructions to follow at home.
How to Promote Hormonal Health
While you’re undergoing hormone therapy, lifestyle habits can support your treatment. A balanced diet rich in leafy greens, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, and omega-3s like salmon gives your body the fuel it needs and maintains steady energy levels. Regular exercise manages stress which helps regulate other hormones such as cortisol and insulin while releasing endorphins that affect your mood and metabolism.
Managing stress and prioritizing sleep are just as important. Activities like yoga, meditation, or walking can help reduce stress, and getting seven to eight hours of quality sleep allows your body to recover and maintain better hormone levels. Staying hydrated is another simple way to support hormonal health since drinking plenty of water keeps your body’s systems functioning smoothly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hormone imbalances in women can result from too many or too few hormones in the bloodstream. This imbalance often results in noticeable symptoms that often affect daily life. The most common symptoms affect the reproductive, emotional, and physiological spheres.
For many women, weight gain is the most noticeable symptom that results from excessive estrogen production. Hormone imbalances that affect the reproductive system often cause severe PMS symptoms, low libido, and pain during intercourse. Some of the most common emotional-related symptoms of an imbalance include mood changes, anxiety, chronic fatigue, feeling like you’re on an emotional roller coaster, trouble concentrating, depression, and irritability.
Biote pellets will reduce the symptoms of a hormonal imbalance by giving each woman the exact amount of hormones necessary to correct the deficiency. When your body gets a daily, consistent dose of hormones, you’ll no longer be consumed by the negative symptoms impacting physical, emotional, and mental health. The treatment also has anti-aging benefits and will improve skin health, body composition, sex drive, and energy levels.
The best candidates for hormone replacement therapy are patients with noticeable symptoms of a hormone imbalance. Patients looking for a simple solution that will safely balance hormone levels without requiring that they self-administer hormones will benefit from this form of HRT.
We perform lab work during the consultation process to identify each patient’s deficiency and design the right HRT treatment protocol to adequately resolve that deficiency. We also perform additional bloodwork during follow-up treatments after you’ve begun the BHRT treatment plan to ensure your dose gives you the hormones your body needs and maintains hormone balance.
Meet Your Provider
At The Beauty Lounge of Peoria, we are proud to have Melissa Jones, APN-FPA leading our hormone therapy and aesthetic treatments. With her background in emergency medicine, Melissa brings a calming touch to her practice, making sure every patient feels both cared for and in expert hands. Known for her sharp attention to detail and her dedication to staying on top of the latest medical advancements, Melissa approaches each treatment with the perfect balance of art and science. Specializing in injectables and bioidentical hormone therapy, Melissa is committed to helping her patients look and feel their best by offering treatments that go beyond skin deep. She is passionate about providing transformative care that focuses on wellness from the inside out.Learn More About the Anti-Aging Benefits of BHRT
You don’t have to let the symptoms of a hormone deficiency affect your life any more than they already have because there is a solution that’s safe and effective. If you want to learn more about Biote pellets and our customized treatment plans for men and women, we’ll schedule an initial consultation to discuss your symptoms, perform the necessary bloodwork, and design the right treatment protocol to restore balance to every area of your life.
Ready to feel your best with personalized hormone therapy? Contact us at The Beauty Lounge of Peoria. Call us at (309) 338-1762 or reach out online to schedule your consultation in Peoria, IL, today!