‘AN UNSETTLING TIME’

Dr Shirin Lakhani (drshirinlakhani. co.uk) is a leading cosmetic doctor with a specialist interest in hormones, menopausal health and intimate health.

The perimenopause and menopause are a natural part of ageing, but can be an extremely unsettling and worrying time. Symptoms vary hugely, as does their severity. There are over 30 recognised symptoms of menopause, including excessive sweating, hot flushes, mood swings, fatigue, weight gain, lack of concentration, decreased libido, painful sex and vaginal dryness.

Many women suffer in silence with common menopausal symptoms because they are either too embarrassed to speak to their doctor, or, when they do, they are met with a lack of understanding. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy with treatments like O-shot, where your vagina is injected with your body’s own PRP, have shown to have a positive result in treating atrophy (thinning, drying and inflammation of vaginal walls) as well as incontinence, while hyaluronic-acid injections and localised oestrogen can also offer relief from symptoms. HRT can also offer support in rebalancing your hormones.