There are several FDA approved testosterone medications on the market for men. Zero for women. At the center, we only prescribe medications that have been approved by the FDA and are bioidentical. Testosterone pellets are a great alternative for women who have been using topical testosterone products and are tired of applying testosterone gel to their skin. The pellets are about the size of a tic tac and are inserted into the subdermal fatty layer of your buttocks. Most women only need 1-2 pellets. They are designed to deliver testosterone for 3 to 4 months and some women feel the effects up to 6 months.
The first question I always receive is, “How much is it going to hurt?” Having done this procedure on both men and women I can tell you that women tolerate the procedure a lot better! The pain comes only from the injection of the numbing solution lidocaine. Most of my patients describe it as a pinch and sometimes a burning sensation from the lidocaine. Once the injection is finished, the entire area is numb and you won’t feel a thing. I promise!
After the area is cleaned and the numbing medication is injected, a small incision is made and the pellet is implanted into the subdermal fat layer. The incision is then sealed with steri-strips and a bandage. No sutures are needed. The procedure is performed in the office and takes approximately 15 minutes.
There are many benefits to this procedure, there is no risk of transfer of the testosterone to others using this method and absorption of the medication is excellent. Testosterone pellets are a good option for patients who have difficulty reaching goal levels with the topical products or those who are tired of applying gels. There is a small chance of pellet extrusion or infection although these risks are low. Some women report feeling soreness in the area around the incision site but that typically resolves within a couple of days.
Tired of applying gels…call us!
