IF DRYNESS IS GETTING IN THE WAY
Dryness making sex hard? Two HRT options
Vaginal estrogen and whole-body HRT both address dryness. Here is how they differ.
WHOLE-BODY HRT
Dryness is one symptom on a longer list
The NHS lists vaginal dryness among the symptoms HRT relieves effectively, along with hot flashes and night sweats.
VAGINAL ESTROGEN
Aimed at the dryness itself
- The NHS says vaginal estrogen helps with vaginal dryness
- The dose is low
- Very little reaches the rest of your body
HOW THE RISKS COMPARE
Local vs whole-body
- NHS: vaginal estrogen does not raise breast cancer or clot risk
- NHS: combined HRT can slightly increase breast cancer risk; estrogen-only HRT (for those who've had a hysterectomy) shows little or no increase
- NHS: HRT tablets can raise clot risk, which it calls very low; patches, sprays and gels do not
HOW LONG IT TAKES
Timing and staying power
- The NHS says symptoms should improve a few days or weeks into whole-body HRT
- The NHS says low-dose vaginal estrogen is safe to use for a long time
Bring this to your appointment
Questions for your doctor
- Would vaginal estrogen suit my dryness, or whole-body HRT?
- Does my health history change which option is better for me?
- How long could I use each one?
As slides
Sources
General information, not medical advice.