For Kids
The questions are answered by an obstetrician-gynecologist of the highest category, Doctor of Medical Sciences, leading researcher of the Department of Gynecological Endocrinology of the National Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology of academician Kulakov ” Svetlana Yureneva.
– What signs can be accompanied by menopause? How to deal with dry skin of the face and hands, with a feeling of tightness and cracking of the skin?
Svetlana Yureneva: – Indeed, the menopausal period and estrogen deficiency, especially if it occurs at the reproductive age, leads to dry skin, cracks, wounds heal more slowly, scars heal worse. Therefore, if we are talking about women who are quite young, that is, under the age of 59, and especially those who have menstruation turned off before the age of 45, then one of the most optimal solutions is the use of sex hormone preparations. If a woman’s thyroid function decreases, she is necessarily prescribed replacement therapy with thyroid drugs, but if a woman at a young age turns off the function of the ovaries, then for some reason she is asked to be patient, wait, adapt. The fact is that a woman’s life is directly related to the quality and functioning of ovarian hormones, so we strongly recommend taking sex hormone preparations for such patients.
Drugs are selected individually in each case. It depends on the initial problems of the woman, because each drug has its own characteristics, there is no class-effect. Those estrogens that are currently on the market in the Russian Federation are all wonderful. They contain estradiol and its esters, but the choice of the gestagenic component requires a lot of attention, because there are certain features of the effect of gestagenic components on certain aspects. For example, in postmenopause, one of the problems is an increase in blood pressure, its instability. It must be said that in women, the tendency to develop arterial hypertension is observed during this period of time after the ovarian function is turned off.
In addition, the increase in body weight, its redistribution is very undesirable, the waist volume increases, the stomach appears. We know the secret of how to solve this issue easily and calmly, and prevent this distribution, because it is not only not aesthetically pleasing, but also the development of abdominal type of obesity – a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and many other problems in the body of a woman. Today, there are drugs that help a woman not to gain weight, blood pressure decreases. That is, we can control this situation, not to mention the beneficial effects for the skin, because there is another secret of changes in the skin of women in this period of time.
The fact is that at the time of menopause, the level of estrogens decreases quite quickly, and the level of male sex hormones (androgens) decreases much more slowly and there is a relative androgyny. Because of this, we often see that suddenly tendrils begin to grow, pimples appear, this is the clinical manifestation of hyperandrogenism. So the use of special drugs helps us not only to control weight, pressure, not to mention the fact that the very first appointment is the treatment of menopausal symptoms, but also significantly improve the quality of the skin and prevent the manifestations of hyperandrogenism, which, unfortunately, appears in many women during this period.
Prevention in bed
– Does regular sex life help to postpone the onset of menopause?
- Yu.: – Regular sex life is very good, it allows a woman to maintain the quality of life, to feel like a woman. It has been shown that those women who maintain this function for a long time are much less likely to have urogenital atrophy, because during sexual contact, blood supply improves and this contributes to the prevention of urogenital atrophy, so I am only for it, it is very good.
– When can a woman give up hormonal contraception and stop being afraid of the undesirable consequences of unprotected sex?
- Yu.: – During menopause, the probability of pregnancy is quite low, but everything is individual. That is, some women may become pregnant. I would advise you not to decide for yourself, but to contact a gynecologist. Today, we have every opportunity to determine the risk of pregnancy, that is, to assess the function of the ovaries. If we consider that the probability of pregnancy is high enough, then there are drugs, including for hormonal contraception, that can be well and widely used. I note that I prefer low-dose drugs.
Does menopause happen in men?
– And is there a menopause for men? And how does it express itself?
- Yu.: – Men have no such thing as andropause, they all pass gradually. But how do women navigate? A man himself understands when erectile dysfunction occurs. Androgen production decreases with age, although this is a very individual function in men. What can indicate a deficiency of androgens?
Menopause at 40: why so fast?
Attention, men! An increase in the volume of the waist, that is, the appearance of the abdomen, is one of the signs of metabolic syndrome in the future, and for women this is an exclamation point. A man with this appearance is a candidate for weaker sexual activity compared to men with a purely male physique.
Therefore, the struggle for weight and the struggle for the preservation of sexual function concerns not only women, but also men. Controlling your weight is extremely important to ensure that you are not only active, but also healthy. the appearance of such a belly in men is closely associated with a violation of lipid metabolism, and with a higher risk of developing diabetes, arterial hypertension and many other problems.
– Do men have mood swings?
- Y.: – Yes, of course. This is not just about women. Unfortunately, there is such a problem as prostate cancer, and some men are forced to receive suppressive therapy. Taking androgen drugs, they are necessary for the treatment of such a disease. but from them, in addition to the fact that there is obesity, sometimes gynecomastia, the mood changes significantly, and men can even have hot flashes.