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Hormone Pellets · Women & Men · Gonzales, LA
Hormone pellet therapy, without the daily routine.
Hormone pellet therapy places bioidentical hormone pellets just under the skin in a quick in-office visit, where they release steadily for months — no daily creams, no weekly injections. For women and men, in Gonzales and a straightforward drive from Baton Rouge and Prairieville.
Insertions are performed in our Gonzales office by Dr. Adams, Sarah Dottolo, FNP-C, or Cristel Capone, FNP-C.
1 · The basics
What are hormone pellets?
Hormone pellets are bioidentical hormones — structurally identical to the ones your body already makes, derived from plant sources — pressed into a pellet about the size of a grain of rice. A pellet is placed just under the skin in a short office visit.
From there it works quietly. The surrounding tissue gradually absorbs the pellet, and that is how the hormone is released: continuously, rather than in the rise and fall that comes with a daily cream or a periodic injection. A single insertion lasts about 3½ to 4½ months for women and 5 to 6 months for men.
Pellets are one of the ways we deliver bioidentical hormone therapy — for women with menopause and perimenopause symptoms, and for women and men with low testosterone. Your dose is worked out from your labs, symptoms and history, and adjusted over time.
2 · Why pellets
Why patients choose them
People often arrive asking about hormone pellet therapy by brand name — Biote and EvexiPEL are the two most have heard of, and both are pellet systems we are familiar with. What matters more than the name on the box is how the dose is worked out for you and who follows up on it. Dr. Adams is a Biote Platinum-Certified Provider.
3 · What to expect
A clear, unhurried path
- Free consultationA relaxed conversation about your goals — no obligation.
- Labs & evaluationYour provider reviews your history and labs to confirm pellets fit you.
- Quick insertion visitAbout 20 minutes in our office, with a local anesthetic — you can drive yourself home.
- Follow-up & re-dosingWe recheck labs 4 to 6 weeks after your first insertion, then time your next pellets around you.
4 · The part everyone asks about
What the insertion is actually like
Most of the worry about pellets is about this part, so here it is in detail.
The whole visit takes about 20 minutes. We clean a small area of the upper hip — or, for most men, the flank (the “love handle” area) — and numb it with a local anesthetic. Through a small opening, the pellets, each roughly the size of a grain of rice, are placed in the fatty tissue just under the skin, and the site is closed with steri-strips.
Most patients describe pressure rather than pain. There are no stitches to come back for, and you can drive yourself home.
For 3 days afterward
- Keep the site out of the water — no swimming or baths. Showering is fine.
- Skip strenuous lower-body and glute exercise.
- Avoid anything that makes you sweat heavily.
Otherwise, you go back to your day.
5 · Timing
How long pellets last — and when you’ll notice
In women, pellets typically last 3½ to 4½ months. In men, 5 to 6 months. Exactly when you are due for the next insertion is set by your symptoms and labs, not a fixed calendar.
Most women start noticing a difference around 3 to 5 days after insertion; most men, around 10 to 14 days.
We recheck labs 4 to 6 weeks after your first insertion. That visit is where the dose gets fine-tuned: the first round is an informed starting point, and the next is tailored to you.
| Timing | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| How long they last | 3½–4½ months | 5–6 months |
| When most notice a difference | 3–5 days | 10–14 days |
| First lab recheck | 4–6 weeks after the first insertion | |
6 · Safety & staying on track
Are hormone pellets safe?
The largest published safety analysis of the method looked at more than 1.2 million pellet insertions across 376,000 patients and reported an overall complication rate under 1%.
The figure we find most telling from the same analysis is adherence: 93.3% of patients were still on therapy after their second insertion. Compliance is where hormone therapy most often fails, and a pellet works whether or not you remember it.
Worth knowing about the source: the study’s author founded a pellet therapy company, and the data come from that company’s provider network. It is still the largest published series available. Whether pellets are right for you depends on your own history and labs — which is why we review both before recommending them.
Pellet therapy near Baton Rouge
Pellet insertions happen in person at our office on South Burnside Avenue in Gonzales — a straightforward drive from Baton Rouge, Prairieville and the rest of Ascension Parish. Your first visit is here too. After that, lab review and follow-ups between insertions can happen by secure video anywhere in Louisiana, and labs can be drawn at LabCorp (our preferred lab) or any lab you choose.
7 · Common questions
Questions about hormone pellet therapy
What are hormone pellets?
Small, custom-dosed bioidentical hormone pellets — about the size of a grain of rice — placed just under the skin, where they release hormones steadily over several months. Bioidentical means the hormone is structurally identical to the one your body already makes.
Do you use Biote or EvexiPEL pellets?
Both are pellet systems we are familiar with, and people very often arrive asking about them by name. The brand matters far less than the two things that actually decide how you do: whether the dose was worked out for you specifically, and whether anyone follows up to adjust it. That is the part we would rather be judged on. Dr. Adams is a Biote Platinum-Certified Provider, listed in Biote’s provider directory.
What is hormone pellet therapy used for?
Pellets are one of the ways we deliver bioidentical hormone therapy — for women with menopause and perimenopause symptoms, and for women and men with low testosterone. Your provider decides whether pellets fit you after reviewing your labs and history.
Do hormone pellets dissolve?
Yes, gradually. The surrounding tissue slowly absorbs the pellet, and that is how the hormone is released — continuously, rather than in peaks and troughs.
How long do hormone pellets last?
In women, pellets typically last 3½ to 4½ months; in men, 5 to 6 months. Exactly when you are due is set by your symptoms and labs, not a fixed calendar.
Does the insertion hurt?
The area is numbed first with a local anesthetic, and most patients describe pressure rather than pain. The whole visit takes about 20 minutes, and you can drive yourself home.
How soon will I notice a difference?
Most women start noticing a difference around 3 to 5 days after insertion; most men, around 10 to 14 days. We recheck labs 4 to 6 weeks after your first insertion to fine-tune the dose.
What should I avoid after pellet insertion?
For 3 days, keep the site out of the water (no swimming or baths — showering is fine), skip strenuous lower-body and glute exercise, and avoid heavy sweating. Otherwise, you go back to your day.
Are hormone pellets better than injections or creams?
All three are effective, and the right one is a personal choice, made together after a thorough discussion. Pellets release continuously, so levels stay steady; creams and patches are applied daily, with variable absorption and a transfer risk to others; injections produce a peak after each dose and a trough before the next. Other methods are the right choice for some patients, and we will tell you when that is the case.
Are hormone pellets safe?
The largest published safety analysis — more than 1.2 million insertions across 376,000 patients — reported an overall complication rate under 1%. Its author founded a pellet therapy company, and the data come from that company's provider network, so it is worth knowing who published it. Whether pellets are right for you depends on your history and labs, which is why we review both first.
Can women get testosterone pellets?
Yes. Testosterone therapy for women can be delivered as pellets, creams or injections — the same options as the rest of hormone therapy, with the same trade-offs between steadiness and routine.
Do you offer hormone pellet therapy near Baton Rouge?
Yes. Your first visit and every insertion happen at our Gonzales office on South Burnside Avenue, a straightforward drive from Baton Rouge and Prairieville. Lab review and follow-ups between insertions can happen by secure video anywhere in Louisiana.
Are pellets right for everyone?
Pellets suit many people who come to us for hormone therapy, and they are one option among several. Your provider still reviews your labs, history and preferences before recommending them — creams and injections remain available where they genuinely fit better.
How is pellet therapy paid for?
Your hormone consultation and follow-up office visits are covered with Blue Cross Blue Shield or Aetna. The pellet insertion procedure itself is cash-pay. Every cost question is answered during your free consultation.
Related: Hormone Therapy (BHRT) · Testosterone for Women · Men's TRT · Lab Testing · Louisiana Telehealth
8 · Further reading
From our Education Center.
Written by our clinicians, reviewed by Dr. Adams, sources cited.