How Are Hormone Pellets Inserted?

Low testosterone in women is more common than many people realize, so unless you’re familiar with the symptoms you might not be aware that you could be suffering from it.

There are several key symptoms that can indicate low testosterone levels in women. In addition to decreased libido, low testosterone can also manifest as decreased energy, vaginal dryness, and low mood. Treating low testosterone doesn’t just address these problematic symptoms – it can also have additional benefits for your cardiovascular health and bone density.

If you suspect that you might have low testosterone, we’ll work together to schedule labs that determine your hormone levels. Once we have an understanding of your hormone levels, we’ll be able to determine the best treatment and dosage plan to help you achieve balance.

At AVLR, we offer a type of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) called SottoPelle. Unlike traditional HRT, Sottopelle is a form of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) and uses pellets as the hormone delivery method. “Bioidentical” means that the hormones are chemically identical to the ones you produce naturally in your body, and hormone pellets are often preferable to oral or topical hormone delivery methods because the hormones are consistently released over time rather than sporadically in large doses.

If you’re interested in trying Sottopelle, you’re probably curious about how and where the pellets are inserted. For reference, each individual pellet is about the size of a grain of rice and the procedure for placing them is very straightforward with minimal downtime. In fact, most patients can resume normal activities the same day as the procedure.

Here’s how it works: first, we’ll determine the proper dosage for you based on your lab work. Then, when it’s time for your appointment, we’ll start by prepping the area of insertion – typically around the hip or buttocks – with an injection of local anesthetic. From there, we make a small incision and place the pellets within the fatty tissue.

Once the pellets are inserted, a waterproof dressing is placed over the incision and compression is applied for a few minutes. We’ll send you home with an ice pack and ask that you keep the dressing on for three days.. and that’s it!

While every patient has different needs, pellet dosing is typically done every 3-6 months. You’ll generally know that it’s time to come back because you’ll notice the symptoms of low testosterone returning. In some instances, you might also need an oral supplement to optimize pellet dosing.

If you suspect you have low testosterone, let’s connect! Reach out to us to learn more about low testosterone, hormone replacement therapy, and Sottopelle. We’re just a phone call away – contact us today.