Shawn Tassone, MD, PhD - America's Holistic Gynecologist

Shawn Tassone, MD, PhD - America's Holistic Gynecologist 2X Board Cert OBGYN + Integrative Medicine | Author of The Hormone Balance Bible - AVAILABLE NOW!
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What are some amazing women’s scents? Well here you go Opera Delina And xclusif Aventus for Her Mademoiselle Amber + Smo...
05/09/2026

What are some amazing women’s scents? Well here you go

Opera
Delina And xclusif
Aventus for Her
Mademoiselle
Amber + Smoke
1938

Hormone pellets for women are marketed EVERYWHERE, but many women are never fully warned about the potential risks, side...
05/07/2026

Hormone pellets for women are marketed EVERYWHERE, but many women are never fully warned about the potential risks, side effects, or lack of dosing flexibility before starting pellet therapy.

As a double board-certified OBGYN and Integrative Medicine physician, I’ve seen countless women come into my clinic struggling with complications from hormone pellets, including:
❌ Acne
❌ Hair loss
❌ Anxiety
❌ Mood swings
❌ Voice deepening
❌ Clitoromegaly
❌ Testosterone levels that are WAY too high for MONTHS
❌ Feeling “stuck” once the pellets are inserted

Here’s the reality: once hormone pellets are inserted under the skin, there is no way to remove them, meaning if your hormone levels become too high… you can’t simply stop treatment.

That’s just one of many reasons I personally prefer more customizable bioidentical hormone replacement therapy options for women.

Hormone replacement therapy should NEVER be one-size-fits-all — your hormone levels, symptoms, metabolism, absorption, lifestyle, health history, to name a few… all matter when creating a treatment plan.

In this weeks episode of Confessions of a Male Gynecologist, I break down:
✅ How hormone pellets actually “work”
✅ Hormone pellet side effects
✅ Testosterone pellet risks in women
✅ Why some women feel amazing at first… then crash
✅ Bioidentical hormones vs synthetic hormones
✅ Why individualized hormone care matters
✅ What to do if you already have pellets and want to transition off safely + more

Women deserve evidence-based hormone education, not just marketing.

Save this post for future reference, share it with a girlfriend who’s been researching hormone therapy, and listen to the full episode on your preferred podcast platform!

Have a question related to hormone pellets? Drop it in the comments💬



Some days you feel confident, social, energized, clear-headed.Other days? Overstimulated, emotional, exhausted, or compl...
05/06/2026

Some days you feel confident, social, energized, clear-headed.
Other days? Overstimulated, emotional, exhausted, or completely unlike yourself.

Same life. Same person. Different internal chemistry.

That’s the part women are rarely taught.

Hormones influence far more than just your cycle — they affect mood, energy, stress tolerance, sleep, motivation, cravings, confidence, focus, and even how you experience the exact same environment from one day to the next.

Estrogen. Progesterone. Cortisol. Thyroid. Insulin. FSH/LH. Perimenopause fluctuations… they all shape how you feel physically and emotionally.

If you’ve ever wondered why you feel like a completely different person some days, there’s usually a reason.
And no — it’s not “just stress,” “just aging,” or “just in your head.”

Understanding your hormones is understanding your body.

Save this for the days that feel different, send it to someone who needs this explanation, and let me know which slide called you out the most in the comments or which Met Gala look was your favorite! 💬



**I do not own rights to any of the images used - the contents of this post is for entertainment purposes only**

05/05/2026

Hormone pellets aren’t the “miracle” they’re marketed to be and women deserve to know why.

From my standpoint, as a gynecologist who has treated thousands of women, pellets are one of the most problematic and unpredictable forms of hormone therapy.

They deliver supraphysiologic (way too high) doses of hormones that your body can’t regulate once inserted.

And that’s part of the issue — you can’t remove a pellet once it’s in.

When women end up with severe side effects like hair loss, mood swings, anxiety, acne, clitoromegaly, and weight gain from excess testosterone or estrogen, there’s no way to adjust the dose. You simply have to wait months for it to wear off.

Pellets also tend to be used by clinics that don’t properly test hormone levels, don’t follow evidence-based guidelines, and use the same dose for every woman — which is the opposite of personalized medicine.

Women deserve safe, flexible, and reversible hormone therapy options. They also deserve informed consent and care that’s based on science, not sales.

If you’re considering hormone therapy, make sure you’re working with a provider who tests your hormones regularly, explains all options, and empowers you to make the safest choice for your body.



05/04/2026

I’ve been seeing this clip from with and about itchy ears and perimenopause.

I recently talked about this when I posted “symptoms you wouldn’t think are hormonal” and while many women could relate, some were as shocked as JLaw to learn it could be tied to hormones, so let’s break it down.

Hormones impact all aspects of your health including your skin, nerves, inflammation, and sensory pathways, such as:
✨ Estrogen: skin hydration, collagen + tissue integrity
✨ Progesterone: calming effect, supports skin balance + inflammation
✨ Testosterone: skin quality, oil production + overall tissue health
✨ Thyroid hormones: metabolism, skin turnover + sensitivity
✨ Cortisol: stress response, inflammation + immune signaling

When hormones shift (especially in perimenopause and menopause) you can get symptoms, such as, dryness, irritation, itching — even in the ear canal.

Itchy ears can also be related to environmental factors, allergies, or skin conditions, such as eczema, but if it’s happening alongside things like:
✅ brain fog
✅ mood changes
✅ sleep issues
✅ cycle changes

Then it’s worth having your hormones checked.

A lot of symptoms get dismissed simply because they don’t “look” hormonal and that’s where too many women are left putting the puzzle together themselves.

Have you experienced a symptom that didn’t seem hormonal, but ended up being connected? What was it?

Save this so you don’t overlook your experience because it’s not considered “normal”, share this with someone who’s currently trying to figure it out, and if you want real answers, I’m licensed in most U.S. states + see patients virtually — contact my clinic directly to schedule 💌



Had a great trip to Spain last week seeing my son who’s been living over there with my daughter and her husband as well ...
05/03/2026

Had a great trip to Spain last week seeing my son who’s been living over there with my daughter and her husband as well as my fiancé and her daughter had a great time. Spain is an amazing place. I hope y’all had a great week.

05/01/2026

“GLP-1s make you want nothing.” It’s not that simple.

✅ Yes, GLP-1 receptor agonists can cross the blood-brain barrier and influence appetite and reward signaling as mentioned by
❌ No, they are NOT proven to eliminate desire across the board for food, intimacy, or pleasure.

That’s an oversimplification. What we DO see clinically is patients often experience changes in how they respond to cravings, impulses, and reward-driven behaviors. Why?

Because those pathways are being regulated — and for many people, that’s exactly why they started the medication in the first place, but, if there’s an underlying pattern — emotional eating, addictive tendencies, body image struggles — a medication alone won’t resolve that.

That’s the part no one is talking about enough and the reason that working with a physician who isn’t just treating the weight, but treating the actual patient, is so important. That’s where real medical guidance comes in.

If you’re hearing extreme claims about GLP-1s, question the source. And if you’re on one, your experience matters more than internet opinions - drop it below 💬



04/30/2026

Menopause as a “spiritual awakening” — I understand why that resonates with so many women, but a more complete conversation starts when we understand what’s happening hormonally while still honoring the emotional and spiritual shift mentions.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) don’t “activate” the pituitary gland — they’re actually produced by the pituitary gland.

During menopause, these hormones often rise because the brain is essentially screaming at the ovaries to produce estrogen and progesterone. For some women, those levels don’t stay elevated forever, especially if hormone therapy is part of the picture.

The experience many women have is where I think both perspectives can coexist.

Women often reach a point of deeper self-awareness, clearer boundaries, and a different connection to themselves. That’s not something we should dismiss. If anything, it’s something we should better understand — both hormonally and personally.

At one point in history, women who would now be considered menopausal were seen as the most grounded, experienced, and insightful members of their communities because they had lived life, had experiences, and evolved — the “Wise Woman” as I like to call it.

The spiritual side of this phase might not be about hormones “awakening” something, but about finally having the space and perspective to step into something new.

💬 Have you felt a shift in how you think or see things in this phase?

Share this with someone you know navigating menopause, save this for your own clarity later, and be sure to follow me for more honest conversations about women’s health and hormones 💌



04/29/2026

Perimenopause doesn’t just cause new symptoms, it can also intensify what’s already there.

Especially if you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, or even had prior estrogen-related (E2) issues, as mentioned by — then hormone fluctuations can hit harder because estrogen directly impacts neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which means when it starts fluctuating, you may notice:
🚩 Worse focus or ADHD symptoms
🚩 Increased anxiety or mood swings
🚩 Sleep disruption that makes symptoms feel amplified + more

This is where a lot of women get missed because the focus stays on the original diagnosis instead of what’s driving the change even though they’re feeling —

More distracted.
More anxious.
More overwhelmed.

While there isn’t a universal “too late” for most women to start hormone replacement therapy, there is a right way to evaluate it and when and how you start should still be a personalized medical decision. Not guesswork.

If your symptoms have changed, intensified, or stopped responding to what used to work then it’s time to look deeper — save this so you don’t ignore the pattern, share it with someone who’s been searching for answers, and follow me for more honest conversations about women’s health and hormones 💌



If you’ve ever thought “I feel off, but I can’t explain why…” this is for you 🫶Hormonal changes don’t always show up in ...
04/28/2026

If you’ve ever thought “I feel off, but I can’t explain why…” this is for you 🫶

Hormonal changes don’t always show up in obvious ways. They can affect:
✨ How you think
✨ How you feel
✨ How your body responds to stress
✨ How your metabolism functions

Which is why symptoms like brain fog, anxiety, or unexplained weight changes are often overlooked.

And when it comes to testosterone in women, the gap becomes even more clear — despite its role in energy, cognition, and overall function.

So many women are left navigating symptoms without clear answers or support.

You deserve more clarity than that — that’s what I’m here for!

Save this for later, share it to help someone else feel less alone in this + tap the follow button for more honest conversations on hormones, perimenopause, menopause and women’s health 💌



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301 Hesters Crossing Road, Suite 212
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78681

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