by SXHH Marketing | Jan 25, 2019 | Aesthetics, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Wellness
This past week, I went to the hair salon for the first time in 11 months. It had been nearly a year since my last appointment, and for a woman with long, color-treated hair, that is an exceptionally long time.
As I sat there getting my hair washed, dried, and generally pampered, I thought about how amazing it feels to get your hair done. You leave the salon refreshed, relaxed, and feeling fresh. When you really think about it, our hair is a huge part of our physical appearance, and so for many of us, it is also tightly linked to our self esteem. It can also, however, give us a clue as to the health of the rest of our body. For some problems, like hormones, hair might be one of your first signs of a problem.
Hormones affect hair in a big way. Think about when you were pregnant, if you have ever been pregnant. For me, pregnancy was the one time in my life that my hair was thick, long, and dare I say…luscious. I couldn’t get enough of my pregnant hair. I curled it, and it stayed. I straightened it, and it didn’t lie flat against my head. It was glorious. Then came baby. And very soon after baby, there went my beautiful, thick, to die for hair.
The hair that I had after baby is another great example of how hormones affect your hair. It was the opposite of glorious. It fell out in chunks. It was flat, dry, splitting at the ends, and as thin and lifeless as it had ever been. And, just like that my self esteem flipped from one extreme to the other. While these sorts of hair extremes are common around pregnancy, having these sorts of problems other times may indicate some sort of hormonal problem. Luckily, however, you don’t have to just live with it. If your hair woes are hormonally driven, there may be an answer out there.
So, how do you know if your hair is just going through a rough patch or suffering from hormonal problems? For starters, you know your hair and body best. Have you had a sudden change in hair that seems to have come out of nowhere? Do you have other accompanying symptoms such as mood swings, night sweats, weight gain, or fatigue? If so, then you might suspect hormones to be the culprit of your changing tresses.
If you suspect a hormonal problem in your life, get to HerKare and let a treatment professional help you. A physician may be able to determine whether a hormonal imbalance is causing your hair problems or other symptoms. If it is, they may be able to get a treatment plan in place that is just for you. Get your hair, your body, and your self esteem back on track with the help of a physician at HerKare.
by SXHH Marketing | Jan 25, 2019 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Wellness
Most of us know about the most famous of all the hormones. We are familiar with testosterone, the “manly” hormone. And, we are familiar with estrogen and progesterone, the 2 female hormones. When something goes awry with any 3 of these, it is not necessarily a surprise. They are in the news and public eye enough that we know to watch for signs and symptoms. What may come as a surprise, however, is that our hormonal imbalance can branch out a lot further than just these hormones. To keep your health on track and your hormones in perfect balance, take a look at these 3 hormonal problems that you may not even have known existed.
Vitamin D
This one is becoming just a little more prevalent in recent years. It has come to light that a great number of people suffer from a deficiency in Vitamin D hormones. That may not be surprising considering this vitamin occurs naturally in very, very few foods. Our main source of Vitamin D is actually the sun. If you have a problem with Vitamin D, you may experience depression ranging from the blues to severe, extreme fatigue, and aching so severe it feels as though it is in the bones. Take note if you have any or all of these symptoms.
Vitamin B12
For a long time, I thought that this was a problem that only affected the aging population. Actually, however, this can affect anyone at any age. B12 is responsible for a whole wealth of functions in the body, so when it goes awry, it is a pretty big deal. Some symptoms of a B12 deficiency include weakness and fatigue, numbness and tingling in the hands, anemia, and paranoia. Perhaps the scariest symptom of a B12 deficiency is cognitive problems. Those lacking B12 may feel confused, may experience hallucinations, and may show dementia type symptoms. This one is a pretty big deal, so if you suspect a problem, vitamin optimization therapy is critical
Folate
This is something that they stress in pregnancy, but rarely outside of that. Folate, otherwise known as folic acid or Vitamin B9, is important for the development of an unborn child, but an imbalance can cause problems in any person. Symptoms include depression, anemia, pale skin, heart palpitations, weight loss, and loss of appetite. Folate is most often found through the diets that we eat, but can generally be supplemented with a simple pill or vitamin injections.
While an imbalance in one of the main 3 hormones still absolutely matters, it is still important to pay attention to other cues that your body may be sending you. If you suspect a problem within your body, get help at a facility like HerKare. A physician there may be able to help determine the cause of your symptoms, and subsequently a treatment plan to help you feel better.
by SXHH Marketing | Jan 25, 2019 | Aesthetics, Wellness
Dr. Rick Westbrook of HerKare discusses Vivace, an in-office, skin tightening treatment that does not require surgery. Vivace combines targeted microneedling with radio-frequency electrical energy for a non-surgical skin tightening treatment even the skin’s deepest layers. Vivace microneedling can be used on nearly any area of the face or body, on any skin type, and is especially helpful in eliminating acne scarring.
HerKare Southlake is the exclusive provider of Vivace treatments in Texas. For more information on Vivace treatments, please view the following video here.
by SXHH Marketing | Jan 25, 2019 | Wellness
By: Dr. Carolyn Moyers, DO, FACOG
One question I hear from my patients often is, “Is there something I can do to keep from getting cervical cancer?” Thy answer is simple: Yes. There are two ways to stop cervical cancer from developing: 1) The first is to find and treat pre-cancers before they become actual cancers. 2) The second is to prevent pre-cancers altogether. How do you do this? The best way is to have regular well woman exams and pap smear screening tests starting at age 21.
Stop cervical cancer before it starts with these two tests:
Cervical cancer is a potentially fatal disease but can be prevented by undergoing two simple screening tests to find pre-cancers before they turn into invasive cancer: the Pap test (or Pap smear) and the human papilloma virus (HPV) test. If a pre-cancer is found, it can be treated and the cervical cancer can be stopped in its tracks. Most cases of cervical cancer are found in women who were either never screened or were not screened in the previous five years.
1) The Pap test: The Pap test (or Pap smear) is a procedure that collects cells from your cervix so they can be examined under a microscope for signs of pre-cancer or cancer. Cell changes on the cervix may become cervical cancer if not treated appropriately. These cells can also be used for HPV testing. A Pap test is usually done during your pelvic exam as part of your annual GYN checkup.
If your Pap test results are normal, your chances of getting cervical cancer in the next few years are very low. For that reason, your doctor may tell you that you do not need another Pap test for the next three years. If you are 30 years old or older, you may choose to have an HPV test along with the Pap test. If both test results are normal, your doctor may tell you that you can wait five years to have your next Pap test; however, you should still see your GYN every year for a checkup.
2) The HPV test: The human papilloma virus (HPV) test checks for the virus that can cause the cervical cell changes that can lead to cancer. HPV is a very common virus, passed from one person to another during skin-to-skin sexual contact, including vaginal, oral and anal sex. It is most common in people in their late teens and early 20s, and almost all sexually active people will get HPV at some time in their lives, though most will never even know it.
Another way to prevent cervical cancer: The HPV Vaccine
HPV infection can cause cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers in women; penile cancer in men; anal cancer, cancer of the back of the throat (oropharynx) and genital warts in both men and women. Many of these cancers could be prevented with vaccination.
HPV vaccines can prevent infection from both high-risk HPV types that can lead to cervical cancer and low-risk types that cause genital warts. The CDC recommends all boys and girls get the HPV vaccine at age 11 or 12. The vaccine produces a stronger immune response during preteen years. For this reason only two doses are required up until age 14. The vaccine is available for all males and females through age 45 but, for those 15 or older, a full three-dose series is needed. Clinical trials have shown HPV vaccines provide close to 100% protection against cervical pre-cancers and genital warts.
NOTE: Even after you are vaccinated against HPV, you still need to have regular Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer.
Lowering your risk for cervical cancer:
In addition to regular Pap and HPV tests and getting the HPV vaccine, there are other things you can do to prevent pre-cancerous cells from developing:
- Don’t smoke.
Use condoms during sex. (The HPV vaccine does not protect against other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) such as HIV, Chlamydia, and Gonorrhea).
Limit your number of sexual partners.
If you are concerned about cervical cancer, please contact us.
If it has been awhile since you’ve had a Pap or HPV test or if you’ve never been tested, or if you would like to get the HPV vaccine, please contact us at HerKare to see one of our providers. We’re here for you.
by SXHH Marketing | Nov 5, 2018 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Wellness
In case you didn’t know, there are actually a lot of hormones at work in a woman’s body. Like…a lot. Actually, there are a lot of hormones at work in everyone’s body. Even though hormones are responsible for a huge number of functions in the body, only a few hormones are well known enough to get any recognition. Hormone replacement therapy is a popular topic and you need to understand why.
For men, it’s the T word: Testosterone. For women, it’s two hormones that get a lot of recognition: progesterone and estrogen. You’ve probably heard of both of these. But, do you even know what they do? Do you know their jobs and functions? Do you know what happens when they get out of balance?
As women, it is important to be informed about our own bodies. Take a look at the 2 most famous hormones and their roles in the lives of women.
Progesterone
This hormone has quite a few roles in the body. For starters, progesterone helps a woman nourish a pregnancy. The lining of the uterus needs preparation in order to hold, keep, and nourish a pregnancy. This is where progesterone steps in. It preps the lining, getting it ready to grab onto a fertilized egg should it be present. Without proper amounts of progesterone, the lining won’t be ready and the pregnancy won’t be viable. If pregnancy does occur, it is progesterone that helps your body hold onto it, keeping the fetus firmly attached. Progesterone is also responsible for preparing the milk glands during pregnancy, so that they produce adequate nourishment for your child. When it comes to progesterone, preparation seems to be one of its main jobs and there are progesterone replacement therapy options available post-hormone testing.
Estrogen
When it comes to estrogen, think of growth and development. When puberty in women occurs, it is usually the result of a rise in estrogen. It causes the reproductive organs to grow, develop, and mature. It is also responsible for thickening the uterus lining during the first half of the menstrual cycle. Without estrogen, period would not occur or would be irregular at best. Estrogen also causes an egg to mature each month, and as estrogen drops, the egg is released. If your body is growing or developing, estrogen is probably a significant hormone behind it.
When Levels are Off
Most women don’t really think about the specific roles of their hormones. As long as they are functioning normally, there really isn’t a whole lot of need to know the gory details. It’s only when the levels become unbalanced that women may feel the need to learn more. So, what does happen when the body experiences hormone imbalance? It could cause a number of symptoms, and unfortunately, they can be confusing. A woman may lose her hair, or she may start to grow hair in weird places. You may have trouble either losing or gaining weight. You may have mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, extreme fatigue, insomnia, and the list goes on and on.
What To Do
If you have any of the above symptoms or suspect and imbalance for any reason, there is help available. A physician at HerKare may be able to test your hormones and determine if an imbalance is present. If it is, they may be able to help find a treatment plan that works for your. For your own health and wellbeing, get to know your hormones and their roles in our body. Then, if a problem comes about, you can get the help and attention you need to get back on track and healthy again.
