MOST ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY

Will I Become Less Feminine After The Menopause?
 
The menopausal ovary produces very little oestrogen but continues to make male hormones. This produces a hormonal imbalance where a menopausal woman has a relative excess of male hormones.
In some women this may result in an increase in masculine features — more facial hair, thinning of the scalp hair, coarsening of the skin and facial features, shrinkage of the breasts and a slight deepening of the voice.
In most cases this imbalance is easily fixed simply by taking natural oestrogen replacement which will increase your body"s female hormones and at the same time reduce the production of male hormones from the ovaries. This will greatly lessen the development of masculine features.
If oestrogen replacement alone is not sufficient to prevent excess facial hair or thinning of the scalp hair it may be necessary to use a special hormone called an ""anti male hormone"". The most effective anti male hormone is called "Androcur" and its chemical name is cyproterone acetate. Androcur is a remarkable drug that reduces the production and action of male hormones in the body. As well as this it also acts like the female hormone progesterone and can be prescribed along with oestrogen to regulate and balance a menstrual blood flow.
The most effective HRT for a menopausal woman troubled with facial hair and/or balding is a combination of natural oestrogen and Androcur.
If you still have your uterus your doctor can prescribe Androcur for two or three weeks of every calendar month along with oestrogen every day and this will bring on a light menstrual flow. If you have had a hysterectomy you may take oestrogen and Androcur every day.
Androcur has been shown to cure excess facial and body hair in 80% of women after nine to twelve months of use and around one in every two women with balding of the scalp will obtain a regrowth or thickening of the hair after nine to twelve months of taking Androcur.
Pregnancy must be avoided while taking Androcur as it can reduce male sexual development in a foetus.
Because Androcur is a potent anti male hormone high doses of it may cause a reduction in sex drive, reduced concentration, fatigue and mild depression. Generally, such side effects can be avoided if Androcur is used in a small dosage and once you have noticed an improvement in your skin and scalp hair the dosage can be reduced way down to say 2.5-5mg daily when side effects should disappear. In the long term the lowest possible dose that can control facial hair should be used and your own doctor can guide you on this. Androcur is available on an authority prescription for women suffering with the effects of excessive male hormones and in such cases is not expensive.
The drug Aldactone, also known as spironolactone is another variety of
Anti male hormone, although it is less powerful than Androcur. Some women may find Aldactone is sufficient to control their facial hair, either alone or with natural oestrogen.
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