What are hormonal patches?

It's no secret that any woman who even took oral contraceptives for a short time, at least once forgot to drink a pill. Undoubtedly, this fact will always reduce the effectiveness of the contraceptive, and also very badly affects the state of the gastrointestinal tract. Today, this problem is easily solved by hormonal patches, which quite effectively combine the convenience of the plaster and the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. They refer to drugs with prolonged action and ensure a uniform supply of hormones during the day. Hormonal, like keratolytic patches, are pasted onto the dry skin of the abdomen or buttocks, sometimes on the outer surface of the shoulder or on the upper part of the trunk, where they will be minimally in contact with the adjacent clothing.

Principle of hormonal patches

The contraceptive patch, like the headache patch, contains an active substance that gradually enters the body through the skin. The plaster emits a daily dose of hormones in the bloodstream, acting on the principle of contraceptive pills. Their main purpose is to stop ovulation.

Advantages of

hormonal patches The main advantages of the hormonal patch are the following:

• It is easy to use.
• It is not necessary to think about it before or after sexual intercourse.
• You do not need to think about it every day( the adhesive is stuck once a week).
• Unlike tablets, for the mastering of the patch is absolutely unimportant state of the gastrointestinal tract.
• The patch allows you to adjust the menstrual cycle, making it less painful and plentiful.
• The plaster greatly facilitates the flow of PMS.
• The patch reduces the risk of cancer of the ovaries, uterus and colon.
• The patch reduces the risk of developing fibroadenomas and cysts in the mammary glands and in the ovaries.

Side effects of

Sometimes hormonal patches can cause side effects from the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system: migraine, dizziness, paresthesia, hypesthesia, tremor, convulsions, emotional lability, drowsiness, anxiety, depression. The sensory organs can also react in the most undesirable way to a hormonal contraceptive with conjunctivitis, a visual impairment. From the cardiovascular system, palpitations, edema, and vein dilatation are possible. The digestive system can react to the administration of the hormone by gastritis, gastroenteritis, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, flatulence, diarrhea, or constipation. There may be violations in the reproductive system - vaginitis, an increase in mammary glands, a violation of the function of the ovaries, a violation of the menstrual cycle, fibroadenoma of the mammary glands, infection of the urinary tract. From the side of the skin, the hormonal contraceptive can cause itching, hives, acne, skin rashes.

Hormonal patches. Contraindications to the use of

The main contraindication for the use of hormonal patches is venous thrombosis, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular diseases, severe arterial hypertension, acute impairment of cerebral circulation, thrombosis of the retinal arteries, and hypersensitivity to the components of the drug. Often the cause for contraindication to the use of hormonal patches is diabetes and severe arterial hypertension. Hormone-dependent tumors, including endometrial and breast malignancies, liver adenocarcinoma, endometrial hyperplasia are also considered a contraindication for the use of the drug.

Hormonal patches are not recommended for use in the following conditions:

• retinopathy, microangeopathy;
• migraine with aura;
• age is under 18 years;
• uterine bleeding of any etiology;
• pregnancy, lactation;
• early postpartum period;
• of postmenopause.

In no case is it recommended to use hormonal patches in the area of ​​the mammary glands, as well as on irritated or hyperemic areas of the skin. Caution should be applied to patches for women over 35 years of age, as well as women who are in a state of prolonged immobilization, with obesity and expressed thrombophlebitis.

Given the above facts, every woman can now fully consciously draw the appropriate conclusions regarding hormonal patches: for or against.