When do i use progesterone cream

Although they are becoming more popular, it's too soon to recommend progesterone creams or ointments for health purposes. Speak with your healthcare provider if you're considering using progesterone cream. They can help you fully understand the benefits, risks, and limitations of treatment. Progesterone cream is an alternative hormone replacement therapy. It may help reduce menopause symptoms and prevent bone loss. Although it seems like progesterone cream is weaker than pills, it's really not.

Be wary of using doses that are too high. Talk to your healthcare provider to determine the right dose for you. The progesterone used in creams comes from diosgenin, a plant-based estrogen. This hormone is naturally found in wild yam and soy.

The diosgenin is chemically converted to progesterone in a lab. That progesterone is then used to make progesterone cream. Some companies try to promote wild yam products as natural progesterone "boosters. Avoid these products. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Fugh-Berman A, Bythrow J. Bioidentical hormones for menopausal hormone therapy: variation on a theme.

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Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. Stevenson S, Thornton J. Effect of estrogens on skin aging and the potential role of SERMs. Clin Interv Aging. Transdermal natural progesterone cream for postmenopausal women: inconsistent data and complex pharmacokinetics. J Obstet Gynaecol. A double-blind placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effect of progestelle progesterone cream on postmenopausal women.

Menopause Int. Over-the-counter progesterone cream produces significant drug exposure compared to a food and drug administration-approved oral progesterone product. J Clin Pharmacol. Br J Dermatol. Prior JC. Progesterone for symptomatic perimenopause treatment - progesterone politics, physiology and potential for perimenopause. Facts Views Vis Obgyn. Update on medical and regulatory issues pertaining to compounded and FDA-approved drugs, including hormone therapy.

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West J Med. Estrogen-deficient skin: the role of topical therapy. Int J Womens Dermatol. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Database. Updated August 28, Dalal PK, Agarwal M. Postmenopausal syndrome. Indian J Psychiatry. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth.

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I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. If you suspect you have low progesterone, we first and foremost recommend testing your levels via a progesterone blood test or PdG testing.

From there, you should consult your doctor on the next best course of action. There are several ways you may try to improve your progesterone levels and luckily, progesterone creams are common and available over-the-counter. Progesterone cream is a form of hormone replacement therapy, intended to relieve menopausal symptoms. It usually contains bio-identical progesterone and is applied on the skin, in hope of:.

Creams were initially marketed to premenopausal and menopausal women, but lack of access to prescription progesterone supplements made creams appealing to women who were trying to conceive and needed to boost their progesterone levels. So far, despite some anecdotal evidence of success, research shows contradictory results concerning the efficiency of progesterone cream for fertility.

First of all, most of the studies on transdermal progesterone cream have been done on menopausal women.

This makes it hard to evaluate the necessary dosage needed to sustain a healthy luteal phase and pregnancy. Second, the skin is a thick barrier, meaning that only a small amount of the cream applied reaches your bloodstream or uterus, where progesterone is needed. How long it takes for progesterone creams to work depends on many factors.

The first — and most important — question is: how much progesterone do you need? If your progesterone deficiency is slight, trying an over the counter cream may be a good first step. However, if your body is producing little to no progesterone, a transdermal cream may not be strong enough to solve your problem.

It also depends on the quality of the cream. This means you may have to do your own research to find the best quality products on the market. On the other hand, a study published in found that women who have been administered progesterone cream in quantities that equaled 40 mg of progesterone daily noticed improvement of menopausal symptoms at their and week check ups.

This research suggests it could take several months for progesterone cream to work. A woman trying to conceive may not have months to wait for the cream to work. If you are trying to conceive and suspect you have low progesterone, we recommend consulting your doctor, who may be able to provide prescription-level progesterone supplements. If you are interested in trying progesterone cream, here are a few things to consider before purchasing:.

Progesterone oils may actually be a better alternative to progesterone creams since they are better absorbed by the skin.

Seeking treatment for menstrual irregularities can therefore be essential to protect your health and your quality of life. While these may require different treatment approaches, a common factor is often low progesterone.

Progesterone is a building block of other hormones, including testosterone, estrogen, and cortisol. Among other things, progesterone triggers the uterine endometrial lining to release proteins that either nourish an implanted egg or, if there is no egg, cause the lining to break down.

In other words, it gets your body ready to have your period. When there are low levels of progesterone in the second half of your cycle—after ovulation—it can throw things off balance. Low levels of progesterone can also have effects beyond your menstrual cycle, such as headaches , mood changes , loss of libido, and sleep disturbances. If you do have an irregular period, it is important to seek guidance from a health care practitioner to determine the cause of your irregularity and get the right treatment.

An irregular cycle could be a symptom of other health issues that need to be treated. When it comes to your health, you should never make assumptions. However, if you are experiencing low progesterone levels, the progesterone cream might be your best option.

Most women know that progesterone cream can be used as a treatment for menopause symptoms , but it is also commonly used to correct menstrual irregularities in younger women and during perimenopause.

As such, consulting a professional to determine if progesterone replacement therapy is appropriate, getting access to safe, effective products, and continuing to be monitored over time is essential.

The amount of cream you use will depend on your individual needs. Your healthcare practitioner can adjust your dose as necessary to ensure optimal efficacy and minimize any side effects.

Many women prefer custom bioidentical progesterone therapy to conventional HRT because it can be formulated according to your exact specifications rather than relying on standardized dosing, potentially improving results and tolerability.