What Is EstroGel Used For?
EstroGel® (estradiol gel) is a prescription medication that contains an estrogen hormone in a gel that is applied to the skin on the arm. It is approved for treating certain menopausal symptoms.
Menopause is a normal change in a woman's life when she stops having her period. Technically, a woman has reached menopause when she has not had a period for 12 months in a row and there are no other causes for this change. For some women, these symptoms are quite severe, and some form of
menopause relief may be necessary. This may include medications,
natural menopause relief remedies, or non-medical ways to deal with the symptoms.
Although there are many different types of
menopause symptoms, EstroGel is approved to treat only the following two types of symptoms:
- Moderate to severe itching, burning, or dryness in or around the vagina due to menopause
- Moderate to severe hot flashes or night sweats due to menopause.
EstroGel Use in Children and Teens
EstroGel is not approved for use in children or teens. Discuss the risks and benefits of using EstroGel with your child's healthcare provider.
On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend EstroGel for something other than the conditions listed above. This is called an "
off-label" use. At one point,
hormone replacement therapy was used off-label for
preventing heart disease and
dementia (such as
Alzheimer's disease), but these are no longer considered legitimate off-label uses. Sometimes, hormones are used to promote youthfulness. Again, this is not generally accepted as a legitimate off-label EstroGel use.
