Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) at Cosmetica Med Spa in Boca Raton is a $100 monthly membership for women and men, prescribed after a consultation with lab work. For women in perimenopause or menopause, HRT usually means estrogen, plus a progestogen if you have a uterus, to treat hot flashes, night sweats, related sleep problems and vaginal dryness. For men, hormone therapy means testosterone, prescribed only when blood tests confirm it's low.
HRT for women and men at a glance
| Women | Men | |
|---|---|---|
| Main hormones | Estrogen, plus a progestogen if you have a uterus | Testosterone |
| What it treats | Hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems from them, vaginal dryness, and bone loss | Low testosterone confirmed by two early-morning blood tests, with symptoms |
| Best time to start | Before 60, or within 10 years of your last period | When labs and symptoms confirm low testosterone |
| Follow-up | A check at 3 months, then once a year | Labs at 3 to 6 months, at 12 months, then yearly |
HRT for women: menopause hormone therapy
What HRT treats
- Hot flashes and night sweats. Hormone therapy is the most effective treatment for them (The Menopause Society).
- Sleep problems caused by hot flashes. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) strongly recommends it for these in its October 2026 guideline (ACOG guideline coverage).
- Vaginal dryness and painful sex. If these are your only symptoms, low-dose vaginal estrogen is usually the first choice.
- Bone loss. HRT has been shown to prevent bone loss and fractures.
Symptoms can start years before your last period, so perimenopause is treated too.
Low sex drive
Estrogen can help by making sex more comfortable. For low desire after menopause, ask about adding testosterone therapy for women. See how HRT and testosterone work together below.
Who's a good candidate
For most healthy women with symptoms, the benefits outweigh the risks when HRT starts before age 60 or within 10 years of menopause (The Menopause Society). Women with early menopause are usually advised to stay on it until at least the average age of menopause. There's no set age when you have to stop; it's decided with your provider.
HRT usually isn't used if you've had a stroke, heart attack, blood clot, breast or endometrial cancer, or liver disease (MedlinePlus). Unexplained vaginal bleeding needs to be checked first.
Estrogen and progestogen
If you still have a uterus, you take a progestogen (such as progesterone) with estrogen. Estrogen alone thickens the uterine lining and raises the risk of endometrial cancer, and the progestogen protects it (MedlinePlus). If you've had a hysterectomy, estrogen alone is usually used.
Your treatment options
| Form | How it's used | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Pills | Once a day | Simple, but a higher blood clot risk than skin forms |
| Patch, gel or spray | On the skin, daily or a few times a week | Lower blood clot and stroke risk than pills |
| Vaginal cream, tablet or ring | In the vagina | For vaginal dryness and painful sex, with very little reaching the bloodstream |
Bioidentical hormones
"Bioidentical" means the hormone is chemically the same as the one your body makes. FDA-approved bioidentical options already exist, including estradiol pills, patches and gels and micronized progesterone (ACOG).
Your provider will explain your options, including whether a product is FDA-approved or made by a compounding pharmacy, and adjust your plan based on how you feel.
Risks to know about
- Blood clots and stroke. The risk is higher with HRT, and lower with patches, gels and vaginal forms than with pills.
- Breast cancer. Short-term estrogen plus progestogen doesn't raise the risk much, and estrogen alone may lower it. The risk may rise with longer use, and HRT can make mammograms harder to read.
- Endometrial cancer. Raised by estrogen alone in women with a uterus, which is why a progestogen is added.
- Heart disease and gallstones. Heart risk may rise if HRT starts more than 10 years after menopause, and gallstones may become more likely.
In November 2025, the FDA began removing the boxed warning about heart disease, breast cancer and dementia from menopause hormone therapy labels, and approved the first updated labels in February 2026. The boxed warning about endometrial cancer stays on estrogen-only products, and the other risks are still listed in the label (FDA).
HRT during perimenopause
You can still get pregnant in perimenopause, and HRT isn't birth control. ACOG advises using contraception until age 55 if pregnancy is possible (ACOG guideline coverage).
HRT and testosterone: how they work together
Estrogen and testosterone do different jobs, so for some women they work best as a pair rather than a choice between the two. Menopause hormone therapy treats hot flashes, night sweats, the sleep problems they cause, vaginal dryness and bone loss. Low-dose testosterone has one well-supported use in women: low sexual desire after menopause that causes distress, called hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). In the research behind it, most women were also taking estrogen (Global Consensus Position Statement).
| Estrogen-based HRT | Testosterone for women | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Hot flashes, night sweats, related sleep problems, vaginal dryness and bone loss | Low sexual desire after menopause |
| Dose | Standard menopause doses, with a progestogen if you have a uterus | A small fraction of a man's dose, kept in the normal female range |
| FDA status | FDA-approved for menopause symptoms | Prescribed off-label, since no testosterone product is FDA-approved for women in the U.S. |
| Follow-up | A check at 3 months, then once a year | A level at the start, again at 3 to 6 weeks, then about every 6 months |
| If it isn't helping | Your provider adjusts the dose or form | Stopped if there's no benefit by 6 months |
How a combined plan usually works
- Treat the main menopause symptoms first. Estrogen often improves sleep, comfort during sex and overall well-being, which can lift desire on its own.
- Look at other causes of low desire. Your provider asks about pain with sex, sleep, mood, stress, relationship factors and medications such as some antidepressants.
- Add testosterone if low desire continues. It's dosed to keep your level in the normal female range, with labs to confirm it stays there.
- Review at 6 months. If it's helping, you continue with regular labs. If not, it's stopped.
Testosterone is prescribed for desire, not as a general energy or anti-aging hormone. The Global Consensus Position Statement found the evidence doesn't support using it for mood, memory, bone density or muscle in women (Global Consensus Position Statement). At normal female doses, the most common side effects are mild acne and some extra hair growth. Read more on our testosterone therapy for men and women page.
HRT for men
For men, hormone replacement therapy means testosterone replacement when the body doesn't make enough (Cambridge University Hospitals). Testosterone drops gradually with age, about 1% a year after 40 (Mayo Clinic), and two early-morning blood tests show whether yours is low. See our testosterone replacement therapy in Boca Raton page for diagnosis, treatment options and monitoring.
Estrogen matters for men too. The body turns some testosterone into estradiol, a form of estrogen. In a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, 2013, estrogen mainly controlled body fat in men, while testosterone drove muscle size and strength, and both supported sexual function. That's why your provider looks at your whole hormone picture, not testosterone alone.
How the program works
- Consultation and labs. We review your symptoms, health history, medications and bloodwork.
- Your plan. If you're a candidate, your provider explains your options, risks and costs, and prescribes the form that fits you.
- Follow-up. Women are seen at 3 months, then once a year. Men follow the testosterone lab schedule. Your plan is adjusted based on your symptoms and safety checks.
Membership pricing
The HRT membership is $100 per month for medical supervision. Hormones and bloodwork are billed separately, and your provider will review costs before you begin. A $100 deposit is collected when you book and credited to your visit.
Related treatments
You may also be interested in testosterone replacement therapy, peptide therapy, IV therapy or our medical weight loss program. Coming from nearby? See hormone therapy near Delray Beach or hormone therapy near Boynton Beach, or call (561) 621-1578.
Sources
- The Menopause Society: 2022 hormone therapy position statement
- ACOG Clinical Practice Guideline No. 13 (Oct 2026), via Contemporary OB/GYN
- MedlinePlus: deciding about hormone therapy
- FDA: labeling changes for menopausal hormone therapy (2026)
- ACOG: bioidentical menopausal hormone therapy
- Cambridge University Hospitals: hormone replacement therapy for men
- Global Consensus Position Statement on the use of testosterone therapy for women (2019)
- Finkelstein et al., Gonadal steroids and body composition, strength, and sexual function in men (NEJM, 2013)
When can you work out, drink alcohol or wear makeup? Our aftercare guide covers exactly what to do and avoid.
See the aftercare guide →Frequently asked questions
What symptoms can HRT help with?
For women, HRT is the most effective treatment for hot flashes and night sweats. It also helps sleep problems caused by them, vaginal dryness and painful sex, and it prevents bone loss. For men, hormone therapy (testosterone) treats symptoms of confirmed low testosterone.
Is HRT safe?
For most healthy women who start before 60 or within 10 years of menopause, the benefits outweigh the risks. HRT does carry risks, including blood clots, stroke and, with longer use, breast cancer. Your provider reviews these with you based on your age, health history and the type of therapy.
Is HRT for men too?
Yes. For men, hormone therapy means testosterone, prescribed when two early-morning blood tests and symptoms confirm low testosterone. See our testosterone replacement therapy page.
Can I take testosterone with HRT?
Yes. Many women use both: estrogen-based HRT for hot flashes, sleep and vaginal symptoms, and a low dose of testosterone for low sexual desire after menopause. Testosterone is kept in the normal female range, checked with labs and stopped if it isn't helping by 6 months. See our testosterone therapy page.
Does HRT help low libido?
Estrogen can help indirectly by easing vaginal dryness, painful sex, night sweats and poor sleep. If low desire continues after menopause, low-dose testosterone is the treatment with the strongest evidence, and it can be added to your HRT.
Do I need progesterone with estrogen?
If you have a uterus, yes. Estrogen alone raises the risk of endometrial cancer, and a progestogen protects the uterine lining. After a hysterectomy, estrogen alone is usually used.
Do you offer bioidentical hormones?
Yes. Bioidentical hormones, such as estradiol and progesterone, are chemically the same as the ones your body makes. Your provider will explain the options and what fits you.
Can HRT help with mood or brain fog?
Many women feel better overall once hot flashes and night sweats ease and sleep improves. HRT isn't approved specifically for mood or memory, so your provider will talk through what to expect for you.
What's the right age to start HRT?
Benefits are greatest and risks lowest when HRT starts before 60 or within 10 years of your last period. It can also be used in perimenopause.
How long can I stay on HRT?
There's no set age when you have to stop. You and your provider review the benefits and risks each year.
Is HRT birth control?
No. You can still get pregnant during perimenopause, so ACOG advises contraception until age 55 if pregnancy is possible.
What does the membership include?
The $100 monthly membership covers medical supervision and follow-ups. Hormones and bloodwork are billed separately.
How is HRT monitored?
Women are seen at 3 months, then once a year, and the dose is adjusted as needed. Men on testosterone have labs at 3 to 6 months, at 12 months, then yearly.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Andrei Gherghina, DO, board-certified by the American Board of Dermatology.
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