What Is Estrogen Cream?
Estrogen cream is any cream or lotion that contains different forms of estrogen, which, up until menopause, are produced naturally in the healthy female body. These creams are applied to the body either on places like the thigh, where they are absorbed transdermally or through the skin. Alternately, some creams can be inserted into the vagina with special applicators. Wherever the cream is applied, it has a whole body effect when reaching the bloodstream. There are several of forms of estrogen cream on the market; some are prescription only, but a number are over the counter substances, and they may differ in preparation or types of estrogens they contain.
Sometimes people may have lower estrogen than is necessary at any time of life. As women reach perimenopause, estrogen levels naturally decline, which can produce symptoms like irregular periods, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, and alterations in mood. Until recently, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with estrogen was fairly standard in the medical community, especially for menopause symptoms.
Yet HRT has been shown to lead to health risks for women, including higher risks for certain cancers. It has been argued but remains unproven that HRT is much safer if it lacks supplementation with progesterone, but there are those who argue the opposite and offer estrogen/progesterone creams. One working premise is that any estrogens or other female hormones delivered in cream form are likely to be less risky, and that greater risk is associated with taking HRT orally. This premise is unproven.
With all the differing opinions on estrogen cream, it’s hard to determine which medicines might be beneficial and which would not. There are a number of companies that manufacture “natural” creams, which they claim are derived from natural sources and are thus more healthful. It’s unclear these claims are true, and use of any estrogen cream may carry a certain amount of risk. This may need to weighed against potential benefits, and there can be extraordinary benefit from some creams to arrest extremely uncomfortable conditions like severe vaginal dryness.
One thing pointed out by those critiquing estrogen cream is that it’s difficult to determine level of absorption among individuals. Even with the same prescribed dose, women may absorb more or less of particular creams, and that makes determining hormone level challenging. Over the counter natural creams may have fewer quality controls because their products are frequently not subject to evaluation by safety agencies, such as the US Food and Drug Administration.
It’s also important not to see an estrogen cream as simply a benign lotion. These creams are medicines that can impact other medications taken. People should discuss with their physicians the list of drugs they already take before using even an over the counter estrogen cream. Those at risk for cancers or heart disease should also plan to discuss their conditions with doctors before using one of these creams, to determine if benefits outweigh potential risks.
Written by Tricia Ellis-Christensen
