Testosterone Pellet Therapy in Metairie, LA

At Swing Women’s Health & Wellness, we offer hormone replacement therapy through testosterone pellet implantation. Dr. Swing will guide you through the process and ensure the pellets are placed properly and safely in the subcutaneous tissue of the buttocks. The testosterone pellet implantation procedure is minimally invasive and can provide a consistent delivery of testosterone that avoids large fluctuations. 

If you are interested in learning more about testosterone pellet implantation, please contact our office in Metairie, LA at 504-582-9010 to request an appointment with Dr. Swing. Our team is dedicated to providing personalized care and helping you experience the full benefits of hormone replacement therapy.

The Benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy by Pellet Implantation

Hormone replacement therapy by pellet implantation has been used with great success in the United States, Europe, and Australia since the 1930s. Testosterone pellets deliver consistent, physiologic levels of hormones, avoiding large fluctuations. They are placed in the subcutaneous tissue, just beneath the skin in the buttocks. This form of testosterone bypasses the liver and does not increase clotting factors. Testosterone pellets have been shown to improve numerous peri- and postmenopausal symptoms and conditions, including insomnia, sex drive, hot flashes, heart palpitations, migraine headaches, irritability, depression, joint pain, vaginal dryness, bone density and cardiac and lipid profiles.

No Increase in Breast Cancer Risk with Testosterone Pellet Therapy

Testosterone pellets do not increase the risk of breast cancer, as opposed to synthetic progestins or synthetic methyltestosterone, which do.  In fact, studies show a reduction in the incidence of breast cancer with testosterone pellet therapy.  Even after 20 years of therapy with testosterone implants, the risk of breast cancer is not increased.  In breast cancer survivors, pellet therapy has not been shown to increase the risk of cancer recurrence or death, as does estrogen in combination with the synthetic progestins.  However, some experts recommend caution with certain forms of breast cancer that could potentially be stimulated by testosterone (e.g., ER negative, Her 2 positive) or in tumors that may become resistant to therapy.

Low Side Effects & High Patient Compliance

Testosterone pellet therapy has a low rate of side effects and a high rate of patient compliance.  At typical doses, 20% of women may experience a slight increase in facial hair and 5% may complain of mild acne.  Pellets are usually placed every 3 – 4 months.  The routine doses for women range between 75 mg – 225 mg.  Typically, therapeutic testosterone levels are achieved in the bloodstream at 1 month.  Female patients often experience symptom relief when blood levels of total testosterone are between 250 and 375 ng/dL, but these numbers can vary significantly among laboratories.  Symptoms often return when women’s testosterone levels reach the upper end of the normal range.

In–office procedure

Testosterone pellet insertion is an in-office procedure that typically takes 10-20 minutes.  The patient lies on her stomach and a local anesthetic is injected into the subcutaneous tissue of the upper buttocks.  Once the area is numb, a small incision is made with a scalpel.  Next, a metal trocar is inserted just beneath the skin and the pellets are placed through this device.  Pellets are similar in size to a grain of rice.  The trocar is then removed, small paper strips (steri-strips) are placed over the incision, and  gauze is applied for pressure and held in place with paper tape.  The bandage can be removed that evening before bed.  I typically recommend leaving the steri-strips on for 3-7 days or until they fall of in the shower.  Some patients can experience bruising or pain which resolve with time.

The above information was taken in part from an article by Rebecca Glaser, MD