Ever wondered if testosterone treatments might be making your unwanted facial hair worse? Join us in this episode of the Uncomplicated Perimenopause Podcast, where we tackle the tricky topic of hair growth during perimenopause. One of our listeners voices her concerns regarding facial hair, sparking an honest conversation about social stigmas and the role of genetics. From my (Kate's) personal schoolyard struggles with teasing to a hilarious take on white hair woes, we aim to normalise and bring some humour to these all-too-common experiences.
In another segment, we navigate the labyrinth of testosterone treatment options for women, especially those post-menopause or without ovaries. Learn about the impacts on libido and overall well-being, and the challenges in acquiring female-appropriate dosages. We cover everything from private clinics and home tests to the contentious testosterone implants. Finally, we underscore the importance of community support, sharing practical tips for symptom management and stressing the power of positive influences. Whether you're dealing with perimenopause yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode offers a reassuring and comprehensive guide through this often confusing life stage.
For my information about my coaching: 1-2-1 coaching, group programmes, workshops, etc. please go to https://kategrosvenor.com.
If you would like to shop for perimenopause supplements, my book "The UncompliKated Guide to Perimenopause", bamboo nightwear & lingerie, chemical free cleaning products, etc. please visit: https://kategrosvenorlifestyle.com
If you would like to buy my perimenopause book on Amazon UK you can buy it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/UncompliKated-Guide-Perimenopause-Down-Earth/dp/B0CL6WYW4W
If you would like to buy my perimenopause book on Amazon US you can buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/UncompliKated-Guide-Perimenopause-Down-...
Ever wondered if testosterone treatments might be making your unwanted facial hair worse? Join us in this episode of the Uncomplicated Perimenopause Podcast, where we tackle the tricky topic of hair growth during perimenopause. One of our listeners voices her concerns regarding facial hair, sparking an honest conversation about social stigmas and the role of genetics. From my (Kate's) personal schoolyard struggles with teasing to a hilarious take on white hair woes, we aim to normalise and bring some humour to these all-too-common experiences.
In another segment, we navigate the labyrinth of testosterone treatment options for women, especially those post-menopause or without ovaries. Learn about the impacts on libido and overall well-being, and the challenges in acquiring female-appropriate dosages. We cover everything from private clinics and home tests to the contentious testosterone implants. Finally, we underscore the importance of community support, sharing practical tips for symptom management and stressing the power of positive influences. Whether you're dealing with perimenopause yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode offers a reassuring and comprehensive guide through this often confusing life stage.
For my information about my coaching: 1-2-1 coaching, group programmes, workshops, etc. please go to https://kategrosvenor.com.
If you would like to shop for perimenopause supplements, my book "The UncompliKated Guide to Perimenopause", bamboo nightwear & lingerie, chemical free cleaning products, etc. please visit: https://kategrosvenorlifestyle.com
If you would like to buy my perimenopause book on Amazon UK you can buy it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/UncompliKated-Guide-Perimenopause-Down-Earth/dp/B0CL6WYW4W
If you would like to buy my perimenopause book on Amazon US you can buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/UncompliKated-Guide-Perimenopause-Down-...
Speaker 1:
Welcome to the Uncomplicated Perimenopause Podcast.
Speaker 2:
I'm Kate Grosvenor, your friendly perimenopause expert and life coach, and I'm Gabriella Kate's daughter, representing all the women who are nowhere near perimenopause but want to understand it better.
Speaker 1:
Whether you're just starting your perimenopause journey deep into it, whether you're just starting your perimenopause journey deep into it, or you're a loved one trying to support someone who is, we've got you covered.
Speaker 2:
We'll be answering all of your burning questions, exploring the ups and downs and sharing expert advice and personal insights.
Speaker 1:
So grab a cup of tea, get comfy and let's dive into the wonderful, sometimes wild, world of perimenopause together.
Speaker 2:
And remember, no matter where you are on your journey, you are not alone.
Speaker 1:
Welcome to the Uncomplicated Perimenopause. Hello, my darlings, and welcome to episode 6 of the Uncomplicated Perimenopause podcast.
Speaker 2:
I'm Kate Grosvenor, perimenopause expert, and life coach and I'm Gabriella Grosvenor, kate's daughter. I can't say I don't know anything about perimenopause anymore, because I'm actually learning.
Speaker 1:
Well, that's good, and I hope you're all learning too, but let's give it a whirl. So, as always, I have no idea what the question is today, so hit me with it what are we talking about today, gabriella?
Speaker 2:
so it's from my favorite person ever, paula oh, hello Paula.
Speaker 1:
Paula's one of my beautiful clients in one of my memberships and we love Paula.
Speaker 2:
I think Paula's brilliant. We think she's amazing. Hi, paula. So Paula's saying that she has growing hair in places that women don't usually want, or speak about chin and top lip. Okay, she's had. She's been suffering like through puberty with it. Her question yeah, her not really I don't know, no, no not really say I'm half arab and half ginger.
Speaker 2:
I'm not a very no, my Arabs are normal very hairy, very hairy. Your sister's blessed. I'm not. I didn't take that gene. Paula's question is if taking testosterone will make the hair growth more excessive right, let's unpack this.
Speaker 1:
So, first and foremost, if you are hairy generally, so some people are just naturally some of them are just naturally more hairy. I've always been a hairy one, so no, it's a true story, though, so. I the boys in middle school, so I won't name them and shame them, but you know who you are.
Speaker 2:
I think we should. I think all the women will get behind it and go.
Speaker 1:
Yes, do you know what? No, it's Andrew, andrew and Steve and Chris. I actually remember who they were and I remember the boys that didn't. So I they were, and I remember the boys that didn't. So I feel like I should shout out the boys that didn't, that didn't make fun of you that didn't make fun of me.
Speaker 2:
No, let's call the ones out that did.
Speaker 1:
No, I'm more positive than that. So I'm still friends with a couple of boys that didn't make fun of me. So Andrew and David Bottery, who I'm still friends with on Facebook, are Goddardy, who I'm still friends with on Facebook. The brothers yeah, they're brothers, are twins and I'm still friends on Facebook now, and they were the nicest boys in middle school and they're still the nicest boys now. So I think, if you, I'll tag them in this post because I'll mention them, I really will. I'll. I'll. I'll mention them on Facebook and I'll tag them in this because I'm still friends with them do you think they'll remember?
Speaker 1:
well they're. I'm still friends with them, so they were just the nicest boys. But anyway, I got teased in middle school for being hairy. I grew hair under my armpits when I was probably about nine or ten.
Speaker 1:
Oh, that's young, and the boys used to sing Gillette adverts to me at school. That's so mean. Honestly, it was awful. So I used to put my hand up in class and put my other hand under my underarm because the boys would tease me about it. So I other hand under my underarm because the boys would tease me about it. So I get the whole hair in unwanted places because I've had it literally since for the last 40 something years. Why is there so much shame with women growing hair as well? Do you know what? And it's, I think some of it is because, being in the UK, the vast majority of women in the UK at that time, if you know, traditionally blonde hair, blue eyes. Very few of my friends looked like me in that I always had olive skin, dark hair and there were very few people like me and therefore didn't develop early, didn't have that kind of facial hair, hairy legs, because I always had hairy legs yeah.
Speaker 1:
I developed pubic hair really early.
Speaker 2:
If you've got dark hair naturally, like Paula as well it'll show more, and it does and I still I mean do you know?
Speaker 1:
can I just tell you, though, do you know what's worse and like properly worse than black hairs on your chin? Wow white hairs on your chin. I plucked about seven this morning seven out of my chin.
Speaker 2:
I get one every like three months and it winds me up.
Speaker 1:
No, no, I plucked like seven this morning white hairs, so you actually feel like a witch at that point because you get like these white wiry hairs and they grow really long because you can't see them.
Speaker 2:
But you can feel, yeah, but like annoying, but when you're white, it's like oh mate so you take the dark hair over white hair.
Speaker 1:
I would, because you can see them and then. But when they're white it makes you feel like what I'm going to do, grow a wart next like, honestly, anywho digress. So before you go through perimenopause, women actually have three to four times more testosterone than they do estrogen so where's the stereotype of us having like men so full of testosterone?
Speaker 1:
women have testosterone. Women have loads of testosterone, but we think of it as a male hormone. Okay, testosterone in women is responsible for their sexual arousal, their sexual response. It's responsible for their, in some ways, their muscle mass, their bone strength, their cardiovascular health, so how healthy their heart is, their energy levels. It can be just their well-being in general, their cognitive kind of brain power as well. All of these are linked to testosterone. Okay, although estrogen, you have estrogen receptor cells all over your body and so each and has a massive role in your body. Progesterone has its own role as well. So when we talk about sex hormones and women and we we talk about the decline of sex hormones and women and you go to the doctor and you eventually if you're lucky and do download my parametrials checklist because it will help you and the link is in always in the show notes you go to your doctor and you ask for HRT. You're going to be given oestrogen and progesterone, because those are the two main ones that we look at. You are not going to be given testosterone.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, you said that you could in one of the other episodes, that you could ask for it, but they won't give it to you unless it's like private and stuff.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, so you can ask for it and the answer is going to be no.
Speaker 2:
No no.
Speaker 1:
So how are you going to get testosterone and why would you want it? So testosterone, as I said, is basically, it's to do with your libido, your sexual response, your sexual health. This is going to be a hard thing. I'm going to say right next, right next Brilliant English Not, it's not just your sexual desire, it's also your sexual response. Sexual response, how much you enjoy it.
Speaker 2:
Oh, I know that changes.
Speaker 1:
I know the lack of want, they know. So yes and no, do you remember?
Speaker 1:
me saying to you that you sexually peak as a woman in your 40, right. But when you don't have much testosterone it can affect. Can affect your orgasms and if you peak and reach orgasm and how much orgasms, and if you peak and reach orgasm and how much enjoyment you get, as well can. Okay, right, some women find that post-menopausal, they get their sexual desire back. Some women don't. So that's the bad news. If you go to your gp and you ask for testosterone, they're going to probably say no. They may give it to you if you've had your ovaries removed, because if you have your ovaries removed you will be have zero testosterone or very, very little testosterone in one go, because you're actually your testosterone is produced in two places. It's produced in your ovaries and your adrenal glands. So if you have your ovaries removed suddenly you're going to be thrown into very, very short supply of testosterone. So they may give it to you if you have your ovaries removed. That's the good news. May may. That's the good news. Would you like the other bad news?
Speaker 1:
oh, go on then the female testosterone is not licensed on the nhs but you can get it privately.
Speaker 2:
Yes, that seems fair.
Speaker 1:
No, and it's not fair because the male testosterone is too strong for women, so the only testosterone available that's licensed on the NHS is male testosterone and you need to use such a small amount. It's really hit and miss, because the dosage that you would need as a woman is very, very small. It comes in a gel or a cream and you're going to be micro-dosing to get the right amount, so it's kind of a bit tricky.
Speaker 2:
I don't really like what you're saying. I don't know how to feel. I'm really, I'm really sorry for all these women. I know it's not the easiest thing in the world, so we have so much of it, but they'll only it's only for men.
Speaker 1:
I'm really sorry. I hate to be the first. I just need to just understand Messenger shooting. Bad news not me, but it is the way it is Now. The female testosterone is called something like oh gosh, androfem or something along those lines, and you can buy it privately. Bad news is it's quite expensive. Not massively expensive. It's not going to break the bank, but it doesn't seem massively fair because why should we pay for it? And the men can get it on the NHS. I can't remember exactly how much it is. I'm going to say it's like don't quote me on this, because I can't remember.
Speaker 2:
Don't shoot the messenger again.
Speaker 1:
Again please, because I'm pretty full of bullet holes at this point.
Speaker 1:
It's kind of like 60 70 pounds a month, okay, so it's like not great. But the good news is you can get it privately. You can go and see a private perimenopause person. There are clinics available, I think, or I think I'm right in saying that. You can do a test at home with places like super drug, okay, places like that. You can have a test at home and then you can do an online questionnaire and then you can get it on private prescription and you can get on repeat prescription every month, I think. If that's still the case. But check it out, I'll have a look at that after the show and if I, if I can find a link, I'll put it in. If not, you can go to a private menopause clinic. Now there's only one problem, you see. Here's the thing, right.
Speaker 2:
I'm just trying to tell you how it is sorry, I'm just not impressed for all these women okay so the only, the only thing is that it contains almond oil.
Speaker 1:
So if you're allergic to nuts, okay, don't please, um, buy the I can't remember. Is it called androfem, andro, I think it's androfem. But if you're allergic to nuts, please don't use that, because it does contain almond oil. Um, so that's female testosterone. You can get it privately. You can use the male testosterone if your doctor will prescribe it to you. They don't prescribe it in many cases because it is male testosterone, but if you have had your ovaries removed, you can put a case forward and you might get prescribed it.
Speaker 1:
okay, if you get prescribed male testosterone, you tend to find it will help you with your sexual desire, will help you the energy. It will help you with your cognition, like how well your brain works. It takes anywhere from three months to six months to see an improvement, right, so it's not going to be like instantaneous, like pow, I'm back to exactly how I was. But you will see that change. You will see that improvement typically and again, you know I always have to caveat it with typical, on average, because everyone's body is different, everybody has a different experience Typically within three to six months. There is also one other option which I don't like the research on okay personally.
Speaker 1:
I wouldn't do it personally when I've read the research again personal opinion, not a medical doctor. And what is that, kate? And what is that kate? There are implants that you can put under the skin for testosterone. I don't like the research for women.
Speaker 2:
I wouldn't personally do it, not a fan do doctors recommend it not met one that does okay, so it's not really a great option.
Speaker 1:
It's not really a great option, but you may find a an outlier, outlier doctor that does recommend it, not a fan okay, okay, would you recommend paula to take testosterone?
Speaker 1:
right, the three main side effects. So we know it is going to cause more hair growth, okay. Potentially you'll find more hair growth in the areas that a man would typically have more hair growth, so face, so facial hair. Sometimes it causes male pattern boredom, baldness, which is bizarre. Yeah, yeah, the research is a bit on it, but sometimes testosterone anyway, not necessarily but it can cause more facial hair. We know that it can also have two other undesirable side effects, which is weight gain, okay, and acne, acne, okay. What I would say. If you're thinking about taking testosterone, I would say, like all hrt, like all medicine, quite frankly, do your own research. Talk to people, see. I mean, we have a perimenopause group on facebook, right? Everybody's welcome, every woman, and just caveat that, or everyone that presents as female, or everyone that was going through perimenopause is welcome to join, because no woman should go through perimenopause on their own. Yeah, as gabby's always teasing me, it's a little bit of a shit show obviously listen, I'm here to make it easier.
Speaker 1:
I'm here to make it more tolerable. I'm here to make it just as uncomplicated literally that you know it does what it says on the tin. But we're here to make it not so mysterious and not so scary and to give you as many answers as we can, and to make it with a dose of humor and everything else, but just give you the answers so that you don't have to feel like you're on your own. And that's one of the most important things about what. What we're trying to do is give women that feeling that they're not on their own. There is somebody out there that's trying to help them, but in the perimenopause group especially, you can go in there and ask the questions, and we know paula's in the group so she will be able to ask the questions. But one of the great things about the group is to go in there and say this is what I'm doing.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, this is what the doctor said. This is what my, my husband has said. This is what my nurse has told me. This is what I've been recommended. Who else has done this? Who else has felt like this? Who else has had this recommended to them? What do you think, if I start this, has anybody tried this people?
Speaker 2:
are quite responsive and people.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, you know, there's thousands of women in that group. There's always something to go. Oh, I tried that, didn't like it. Or I tried that, absolutely loved it. Recommendations as well, yeah, everything. You know, what would people do if this was them? And it's just a lovely community and yeah and so if you are thinking about taking something like testosterone or you're worried about taking HRT, do reach out yeah whether it's our group or whether it's some someone else, because not someone else our group can't be very territorial, but territorial I like my women, my community we are a good bunch.
Speaker 1:
It's realizing that the generation above us, our mums, never told us anything. I don't think they were taught anything. No, oh god. No, but it. We need to have that conversation. We need to have that dialogue and we need to teach our daughters about this dialogue. We need to have that conversation with our daughters so they don't have this mystic.
Speaker 2:
You know, I'm not worried anymore since, like like being with you and working with you, I just think, okay, thank god, when I go through this phase of life, it won't be, I'll go. I know what this is, I know what this symptom is. Got it okay. It's a lot less scary for someone my age that knows that it's inevitable, it's going to happen, yeah, but this is what you can do exactly, and it's always like that.
Speaker 1:
This is what happens. This is what you can do, and the one thing about writing the book as well was the whole book shameless plug, for the uncomplicated guide to menopause is this is what it is. This is what it looks like. This is what you can do medically. This is what the professionals can do for you.
Speaker 1:
This is what you can do for yourself yeah because I feel, as a life coach and my background in psychology, what we know for sure is that if you feel like you have an element of control not even you have a have control, but you feel like, yeah, you have an element of control there is something you can do to help yourself. It makes it massively less stressful. And do you know, when you, when you have your period and you're really upset or you're really stressed or you're really anxious, the pain gets worse. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:
This is the same thing in perimenopause, in that if you feeling really down, you're feeling really stressed, you're feeling just upset, in general, you'll always feel more in pain, you'll always feel more confused, the whole thing will be more stressful. And perimenopause is that time in our lives where we are going to feel overwhelmed, we are going to feel stressed and we need to do whatever we can to reduce that anxiety, to reduce that stress, to reduce all those feelings of confusion. So, hanging around with other women not in a negative way, though. So if you've got friends, we have to be really, really, really careful about the women that we hang around with sometimes, because if you've got friends that are going through it and everything's a problem. Yeah, we've all got those friends, yeah, that just want to make everything a problem. Yeah, but don't actually want the help yeah yeah, so they've got more.
Speaker 1:
They've got a problem for all. Every solution, yeah, rather than the other way around.
Speaker 2:
But this these are people that don't actually want to help themselves. If I'm being harsh for a second, you're not trying to help yourself. Yeah, you're upset and you want to complain about it, and that's fine, but you're not wanting help absolutely but in perimenopause, quite frankly, we have enough problems, yeah.
Speaker 1:
So just be aware of those friends that calm, serenity are gonna go a really long way. At no other time in my life have I craved peace yeah, like I do now.
Speaker 2:
You always hear me saying I just want to be at peace I think I'm not no, I'm not being funny, but like, especially at your age as well, you've been through a lot. All every woman that's been, that's like 50 years old. You've done everything now. You've had your babies, you've dealt with your husbands, you've had all the periods. True story yeah enough, now enough yeah, you don't need it anymore.
Speaker 2:
No, I'm really good like I've got a few more years of crap I can take and then I'm done. Yeah, well, you've got mate you've not started, I know.
Speaker 1:
Good luck, but yeah. So, paula, what my best piece of advice is? Look at the pros and cons. If you feel like your energy is really, really low, and if libido is an issue, if the brain fog is an issue, then look at it. However, if it's, for example, brain fog, I would say, start with something like lion's mane and ginkgo biloba. So I'd start with lion's mane. Lion's mane would give you a better night's sleep, but it would also give you a clearer brain, more mental clarity. We're launching our perimenopause collagen, which is very, very exciting in a matter of days now, and the great news is the next launch after that will be one specifically designed for brain fog. It's in production now. We're creating our own bespoke kind of formula for it. What's an?
Speaker 2:
exclusive piece of gossip you've just shared.
Speaker 1:
I think we have to like a little bit more celebrate like well, I know it's very, very exciting because I'm so proud and so blessed that I've been lent some, some beautiful, beautiful, beautiful humans to help create. Create that with me, for us, really, and for all of you, and for all of you as well. So it's all good, it's all natural, and they've sat down and helped us create our own proprietary kind of formula that's just based on superfoods, so and and just gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous ingredients, all natural to help. So I would start with something like that rather than go down.
Speaker 1:
If it is to do with the brain clarity, brain fog, I would start that way first, rather than add testosterone, if that's what the issue is. If it's bone density, bone mass, that's a different story. If it's cardiovascular health, that's a different story. If it's libido, I would start even with macaroot and maybe ginkgo biloba first. Ginkgo biloba is also good for energy. Ginkgo biloba is also good for brain health as well. So it depends on why you would want to take testosterone. But with all of these things, with HRT in general or with just medicine in general, as always, I'd go old-fashioned piece of paper, line down the middle, close ponds and weigh it up, because there's always potential benefits, potential side effects. Weigh them up. For me personally, hrt was a no-brainer. I was having big issues and I thought hey, yeah it.
Speaker 1:
For me it was.
Speaker 2:
It was the way to go but that's like anything, you do your research before.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, you would yeah, yeah, but for the people, the cons outweigh the pros. That's what I would. But, yes, paula, thanks for your question, my darling, and, as always, if you've got any question for us, you can text, or what sorry whatsapp us on the telephone number that'll be in the show notes, or you can pop into our perimenopause group and leave a question for us. We look at your questions every single week and we're answering them for you and, yeah, we love to get your questions. I hope you've enjoyed this week's episode and we hope to hear from you soon. Do, if you can, subscribe to the podcast as well, because you will then make sure you don't miss an episode. Thanks for watching and listening and we'll see you next week, thanks, bye. Thanks for joining us today on the uncomplicated perimenopause podcast. We hope you found this episode helpful and inspiring don't forget.
Speaker 2:
If you have any questions or topics you'd like us to cover, you can reach out through our perimenopause group or on WhatsApp.
Speaker 1:
For more information on my coaching, perimenopause supplements, books or upcoming events, please visit wwwkaterovenercom.
Speaker 2:
And if you've enjoyed today's episode, please subscribe, rate and review our podcast. It really helps us reach more listeners, just like you. Until next time.
Speaker 1:
Remember, perimenopause doesn't have to be complicated. We're here to help you every step of the way. Stay uncomplicated. We're looking for a
