Women’s Health| US Panel Says No to Hormone Therapy for Older Women

Women’s health is an ever changing subject especially as it relates to aging .Hormone replacement therapy has been controversial to say the very least. A new report from a US panel is reportedly recommending against women’s health hormone therapy for older women. According to a recent online article an advisory task force that reports to the government is making a recommendation that women’s health advice for post-menopausal women who are healthy, should not includehormone replacement treatment to prevent the development of chronic diseases. While hormones like progesterone and estrogen could slightly decrease  women’s health chances of invasive breast cancer and hip fractures, the drugs also demonstrated that they slightly increased a woman’s risk of dementia and stroke.

Women’s Health Must Look at The Best Overall Options

Subsequently, the U.S. Preventative Service Task Force gave hormone replacement therapy a grade D recommendation for women’s health, making the advisement against the use of progestin and/or estrogen for the prevention of a multitude of chronic conditions because the risks are considerably more than the benefits. The women’s health recommendation was published in the May 28 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Women’s Health Advice Prior to Plastic Surgery

Prescription drugs containing the hormones estrogen or progesterone are of concern for patients who are considering plastic surgery. Dr. Seify informs new patients that if they are taking birth control or other female prescription drugs that contain estrogen or progesterone it is advised that they discontinue the use of the drugs at least three weeks prior to surgery. This is a preventative women’s health measure because these hormones have been associated with increased risk for blood clots including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Patients who are considering procedures including abdominoplasty, liposuction, and facelift could be at an even higher risk due to the inactivity that is common for most patients immediately after surgery. However, even patients who are having shorter procedures such as breast augmentation are advised to discontinue all drugs containing progesterone and/or estrogen. While surgery complications are rare in plastic surgery when the surgery is performed in an accredited facility by a board-certified plastic surgeon, it is imperative that patients follow safe medical guidelines for the best women’s health surgical outcome, safety, and aesthetic results.