HRT patches

What are HRT patches?

HRT patches are an easy-to-use and effective treatment for the symptoms of menopause. You stick one on your skin, usually below the waist, and it supplies you with hormones. These hormones can help to treat the frustrating symptoms of menopause and support your long-term health. And they come in either combined or oestrogen-only options, so they can be tailored to your specific needs.

You’ll use two different patches each week - one will be on for four days and the other for three. This helps to make sure that you’re getting the right amount of treatment from your patches. So although you’ll have to remember to change your patch on these days, you might find it easier or more convenient than taking something like a tablet (for example) on a daily basis.

How do HRT patches work?

HRT patches work by delivering hormones transdermally. This means that when you stick the patch on your skin the hormones kept in it are gradually released into your body by being absorbed through your skin. So, basically, when you’re using a HRT patch you’ll be getting a steady dose of treatment until it’s time for you to swap it out for a new one.

So how does this help with menopause? Well, symptoms of menopause occur when your body stops producing oestrogen at the same level that it did before. This usually starts happening before your last period, when they start to become irregular. This stage, known as perimenopause, tends to last for around four years. And then at some point you’ll get your last period (though you won’t be aware of this at the time); the 12 months following this is the stage known as menopause. After this you’ll be postmenopausal – which means you won’t get any more periods, and you’re no longer fertile. During this stage symptoms of menopause tend to improve, but the decreased amount of oestrogen can make you more likely to get certain health issues such as osteoporosis.

By delivering a steady flow of oestrogen into your system, HRT patches can both improve the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause such as hot flushes, as well as reduce the risk of long-term problems like osteoporosis.

What are the benefits of using HRT patches?

HRT patches can be a good option for you for a number of reasons but, ultimately, it all comes down to preference.

So if you’re someone who’s not great at remembering to take daily tablets, patches can offer you at least a few days respite between having to remember your medication. They can be discreet too, and you don’t need to take them off or change them when you take a bath or shower.

Another positive of HRT patches is that they don’t come with the risk of getting certain side effects that come with tablets, such as heartburn or indigestion. And, also unlike tablets, they don’t increase your risk of blood clots.

They also deliver hormones to your whole body, which gives them the edge over vaginal oestrogen, which only treats localised symptoms such as vaginal dryness.

How long do HRT patches take to work?

It usually takes a few weeks for you to start feeling the benefits of any form of HRT, and patches are no different. But this isn’t the same for everyone – you may notice that you start to feel better in a shorter time-frame.

If you’re still not feeling the benefits after a month or two, it may be that you need to increase your dose, or switch to a different HRT.