By Belmar Pharma Solutions

When it comes to menopause, a once-taboo topic, the tide has finally changed. Women now have access to an abundance of information about perimenopause, menopause, hormone replacement therapies and all the misinformation that goes along with it. If your patients are searching for information about these topics, it’s likely they’ve scoured social media looking for answers, reading what other women “of a certain age” have experienced and what they recommend. But is social media really the most reliable source of expert menopause advice?

It can be confusing to sift through the extremists, the alarmists, the on-the-fencers and the uneducated-about-hormone-therapy providers (who sometimes have a loud voice on social media) to get to the true menopause experts for information you can trust, so you can guide your patients toward real menopause options.

Show your patients how addressing the root causes of perimenopause symptoms can help improve skin health

As you know, hormone therapies address the root causes of perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Many well-meaning medical providers focus on alleviating the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause but miss the fact that addressing the root causes—the decline of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone during the natural aging process—can not only relieve symptoms but also have a positive impact on women’s long-term well-being, skin health and aging.

In fact, helping your patients address the root causes of their skin concerns can have a positive effect, both inside and out. Belmar Pharma Solutions Director of Women’s Health, Andi Roths, PharmD, notes, “As estradiol levels normally decline beginning around age 30, and especially during perimenopause and menopause, estrogen deficiency directly impacts skin health. Low estrogen affects your skin on a cellular level, which can lead to collagen loss/loss of elasticity; wrinkles and lines; uneven pigmentation/age spots. That’s why you often notice major changes on the surface of your skin as you get older. During menopause, what’s happening under the surface can become visible on the outside.”

Even if your patients are doing all they can to enhance their outward appearance, they may see even better results if they address their inner hormonal deficiencies, as well. When you help them make the connection between hormone health and skin health, you’re building trust as a reliable source of holistic information for the women you serve at your practice.

Help your patients put their fears of hormone therapies to rest

Many women in perimenopause and menopause have fears about hormone therapies. This is largely because of all the misinformation and fear from the decades-old Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) studies. These reports were inaccurate in the way they lumped synthetic hormones in with bioidentical hormones and fostered alarm for women wanting relief from perimenopause symptoms and the many other long-term health benefits that are associated with hormone optimization.

The WHI study has since been debunked. A 2024 review in the Journal of the American Medical Association scrutinized 20 years’ worth of WHI study data. It concluded that menopausal hormone therapy is appropriate for women in early menopause who are struggling with symptoms.

When you help your patients understand the differences between synthetic hormones and bioidentical ones, and answer their questions about the WHI study, you’re again gaining their confidence in you as a trusted source of information and menopause provider.

It’s also noteworthy to mention that, just recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) called for a removal of the “black box” warning on estrogen products. After 23 years of erroneously informing women of the potential adverse effects of estrogen (based on the faulty WHI study), this hormone will finally be available without the proclamation of alarming and unwarranted cautions.

Where can you find reliable menopause information that builds patient trust?

If you’re considering offering hormone replacement therapies to your patients, the first thing you should do to build your own knowledge and credibility is to invest in provider education. Make it a priority to take the necessary classes. Get certifications from reputable hormone educators, such as the Hormonal Health Institute, Worldlink Medical Academy or The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M).

The more you increase your own knowledge of perimenopause, menopause and associated therapies, the more your patients will come to rely on your expertise when they have questions.

Work with a compounding pharmacy that specializes in women’s hormonal health
and wellness

Once you’ve put patient fears to rest and obtained provider education, partnering with a trusted compounding pharmacy is the next step in best serving your patients with personalized hormone therapies.

Experienced compounding pharmacies, such as Belmar Pharmacy, understand that bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is a personalized form of care. They typically offer a variety of dosage forms—including creams, oral tablets, vaginal applications and pellets—that make it easy for women to get started with hormone therapy. Compounded BHRT options allow you to personalize each patient’s experience, allowing them to get the dose and dosage form that works best for their individual needs.

And, if you’re new to prescribing hormone therapies, a trusted compounding pharmacy has an expert clinical team that can help you understand which hormones to prescribe and answer your questions, as well as patient questions. This kind of clinical support can further boost patient confidence in your ability to prescribe therapies and support their perimenopause and menopause journeys.

Becoming a hormone therapy provider can be challenging if you don’t know where to begin. It’s Belmar’s goal to help you take the guesswork out of the equation, so instead of sifting through the information overwhelm, you can focus on helping women look and feel their best from the inside out.

Founded in 1985 in Golden, Colorado, Belmar Pharma Solutions is a leading compounding pharmacy organization focusing on women’s and men’s hormone health and longevity. With a special focus on women’s hormonal health and wellness, Belmar Pharma Solutions has a dedicated women’s clinical health team to help providers and patients navigate hormone replacement therapies and personalized medications. Belmar sets a high standard for safety and compliance at its six 503A Compounding Centers of Excellence across the country, located in Colorado, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Utah, and Wisconsin, as well as two 503B FDA-registered outsourcing facilities in Colorado, serving healthcare providers and patients in all 50 states.