CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Desert Sands Aesthetics & Laser is ready to help women of all ages break free from the burden of low testosterone and hormonal imbalance. Whether you’re living with fatigue and brain fog or low libido and weight gain, they’ll provide the tools you need to look and feel your very best.

“Women need to start understanding that testosterone isn’t just important for men,” said Ally Tippetts, PA-C, the hormone replacement therapy and weight loss specialist at Desert Sands Aesthetics & Laser. “Testosterone is important for men but even more important for women because it protects your heart, brain, breasts and bones, to name a few.”

Testosterone, like other hormones, is a chemical messenger that tells the cells in the body what functions to perform. Produced by the ovaries, testosterone levels are highest around puberty and start to decline after age 25-30.

Testosterone is vital to the production of bone and muscle mass in both males and females. It changes how the body stores fat and influences blood cell production along with impacting brain function, overall mood and wellbeing, and libido and energy levels. 

“Testosterone is a huge player in our health,” Tippetts said. “It helps to restore sexual function and so much more.”

A woman’s body actually produces more testosterone than the “female” hormones estrogen and progesterone. By age 30, however, testosterone production begins to decrease. Testosterone levels can decline anywhere from 3% to 10% yearly and may drop as much as 50% by age 40. Numerous bodily functions are adversely affected by this lack of testosterone. 

The symptoms of low testosterone in women include fatigue, joint pain, low energy, decreased strength and muscle mass, low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis), poor memory and concentration, low libido and sex drive, weight gain, depression, anxiety, agitation, difficulty sleeping and more. Cholesterol may increase, and women can develop insulin resistance and high blood sugar as a result of low testosterone levels. 

Failing to replace testosterone and other hormones that are at suboptimal levels can have detrimental long-term effects as well, including possible impacts on brain function.

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia can first present as mild cognitive impairment starting in your 30s and 40s. Brain imaging studies performed on 40- to 60-year-old perimenopausal and postmenopausal women show Alzheimer’s characteristics demonstrated by decreased metabolic activity and increased accumulation of B-amyloid deposits when compared to premenopausal women of the same age. 

Don’t wait until menopause – or until symptoms develop – to start hormone replacement therapy. It’s essential to take advantage of this window of opportunity and replace your hormones when they start to decline, Tippetts said. Along with helping prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia, studies show that optimizing testosterone in women can improve verbal learning and memory. 

Additional long-term benefits of hormone replacement therapy include protecting against breast cancer, increasing bone density to delay the development of osteopenia and osteoporosis, and preventing heart disease. 

“Women will age healthier and live happier as they optimize their testosterone,” Tippetts said. “It’s never too late to start hormone replacement therapy.” 

Desert Sands Aesthetics & Laser recommends that all women over age 18 get their hormones checked, but especially if you’re older than 30 or are experiencing symptoms of low testosterone. The lab test to check hormone levels is a simple blood draw. 

After starting testosterone replacement, you’ll likely notice symptomatic relief within weeks to months. The most common changes are increased energy, elevated mood, improved concentration and memory, enhanced libido, reduced joint pain, accelerated weight loss, fewer hot flashes and night sweats, and better sleep and mental clarity. Patients are encouraged to continue hormone replacement therapy as long as they want to enjoy the short- and long-term benefits of optimizing their testosterone. 

Hormones play a significant role in how people feel and how they function. Women in every season of life can be affected by hormonal imbalance, but the symptoms aren’t something you just have to live with.

Patients throughout the area visit Desert Sands Aesthetics & Laser to rejuvenate their health and beauty with the help of nonsurgical, noninvasive therapies. This cutting-edge medical spa won gold for aesthetics during the 2023 and 2022 Best of Southern Utah contests, as well as silver for med spa in 2021 and again this year. Owner Shannon Evans and her team of wellness specialists aim to help everyone learn to love the skin they’re in.

“Treatments are selected and optimized to meet the specific needs of each patient with the most innovative and comprehensive products and technologies,” Evans said. “I consider it an art.”

Call 435-522-5190 or visit DesertSandsAesthetics.com to learn more and schedule your consultation today. 

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Resources

• Desert Sands Aesthetics & Laser | Address: 346 E. 600 South, St. George | Telephone: 435-522-5190 | Website.

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