Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Diggers]

Any advise please on applying Oestrogel, I’ve just changed from patches and I’ve read so many different ways to apply that I don’t know what is best.
Is it applied shoulder to wrist on the outside of the arm avoiding inner arm.
Do you rub it in or just swipe on and leave to dry.
Can I use arms and legs together or one or the other.
Can it be applied to buttocks and hips.
The instructions say a large surface area and doesn’t mention rubbing in.
I watched a video with one of the doctors from Louise Newsons clinic and she said upper arm and rub well in, it’s very confusing as shoulder to wrist seems to be a newer way and not rubbing in.

[joziel]

I'd suggest buying a mini silicone spatula from Amazon (the kind you cook with) and using that to apply it. That way you don't get it on your hands and waste it by washing it down the drain, you get the whole dose on your skin. You don't contaminate water ways with estrogen. And if you want to do a finger **** blood test, your skin on your hands is free of estrogen and won't mess up the test result. (Which otherwise happens with people who use gels.)

[Suziemc]

I've been using two pumps since Feb. At first I applied to my upper arms, using palm of my hand, and rubbed in until it started to feel sticky/dry, once I'd finished one arm I'd rub my palm on the lower arm to use up any excess. Since we started to have sunny weather in UK, I swapped to rubbing into thighs as there were days that I wanted to apply sunscree  to my arms fairly soon after applying the gel. Oddly I find it tales longer to rub into my thighs than my arms! I rub into mid thigh, towards inner, until it starts to feel dry. One advantage of using thighs is that both can be done with the same hand 

I think it's a question of finding what's convenient for you rather than there being a right/wrong way of applying.

Hope it works for you, it has for me.

[sheila99]

Far too cold in my house to sit around with bare arms/shoulders and I run out skin there. I use 1 pump on each inner thigh, i run a trail along the thigh and rub in with a fingertip. When I say rub it isn't as vigerous as the Newson video, more spread it out thinly til it's tacky then 5 minutes making bed, doing hair etc til it's dry. I'm on 4 pups so use 2 pumps night and morning.

[Pippa52]

Hi Diggers - this is the information I was given via a Menopause Consultant recently  As joziel on here suggests a spatula is a really good idea to use as that way you don't get it all over your hands anyway.  I have been all around the houses since the HRT shortage and was put on 2 different patches, plus Lenzetto spray but I am now back on Oestrogel which I was on happily for over 20 years before.  For me it without doubt works the best but different types of HRT suit different people. Personally I find the inner thigh the best place to apply it. I am now on 3 pumps so I apply one and half in morning and evening.  Hope the below helps xx   'OESTROGEL  TRANSDERMAL GEL

Oestrogel comes in a metered pump which should deliver an accurate dose when correctly applied.

No more than one pump should be applied to each limb and only the inner surfaces of the limbs, i.e., the inner thighs and inner upper arms, should be used.   The skin is thinner in these areas which leads to improved absorption.

The gel must always be applied in a ‘pat and glide’ motion and should not be rubbed in in a ‘windscreen wiper’ motion.  Rubbing in merely leads to waste as a substantial proportion of the gel, sometimes as much as 20-30%, ends up spread over the palms/fingers and is subsequently washed away after application.  The gel should be pumped onto the palm of the hand and if the correct technique is used there should be virtually no gel left on the hand after application, indicating optimal utilisation of the product.

In general, the whole of the surface involved should be used:  the gel can take up to 5 minutes and occasionally longer to absorb, depending on the surface area used.   This delay can be quite frustrating and unfortunately it is one of the drawbacks of this particular product. 

The gel should be applied to clean, dry skin with no skin lotion/oil applied beforehand. 

The gel should be kept dry and out of sunlight for a full hour after application to ensure optimal absorption. 

 As with other daily transdermal products, the gel should ideally be applied consistently at the same time every 24 hours:  if a dose is omitted inadvertently, it should be applied as soon as this has been recognised. ''         

[Diggers]

Hello Phipps52
Wow thank you for this information. I only started using the gel Monday night so third night tonight, I’m on 3 pumps and so far I’ve been putting 2 pumps on one arm and 1 on the other arm to the outside areas only and trying not to rub in to much.
So the gel can be applied basically to the whole arm inner and outer arm?
And only 1 pump on each arm?
Is inner thigh sort of inner to the middle of the thigh towards the front?
Maybe I should try 1 pump on each arm and 1 pump on my thigh, I was avoiding thighs as I need to shave quite often but then again I was worried about using my arms as they are hairy at the bottoms 😂 I’d end up shaving everywhere if I did them as well. Hopefully a few hairs won’t stop absorption.
I like your pat and glide motion I will do that tonight. I apply in the evening in the hope it would help with sleep.
Thank you, I’m trying not to over think this but I want to get it right.

[Dotty]

Hi I’ve been using Oestrogel for 4 years and I use 4 pumps a day. I put 2 pumps on each inner thigh and rub in with my hand. Or I put 2 pumps on each outer arm and shoulder.

Oestrogel is probably best used in a morning. It’s progesterone that helps sleep . But you can use it when suits you best.

There are lots of videos on YouTube of how to apply it. Look up Dr Louise Newson or Davina McCall as they show you how to apply it.

[Pippa52]

Hello Phipps52
Wow thank you for this information. I only started using the gel Monday night so third night tonight, I’m on 3 pumps and so far I’ve been putting 2 pumps on one arm and 1 on the other arm to the outside areas only and trying not to rub in to much.
So the gel can be applied basically to the whole arm inner and outer arm?
And only 1 pump on each arm?
Is inner thigh sort of inner to the middle of the thigh towards the front?
Maybe I should try 1 pump on each arm and 1 pump on my thigh, I was avoiding thighs as I need to shave quite often but then again I was worried about using my arms as they are hairy at the bottoms 😂 I’d end up shaving everywhere if I did them as well. Hopefully a few hairs won’t stop absorption.
I like your pat and glide motion I will do that tonight. I apply in the evening in the hope it would help with sleep.
Thank you, I’m trying not to over think this but I want to get it right.

Hi Diggers you are very welcome.  To think that one could be losing 20 to 30 % of a dose is crazy really and would make a real difference to the efacacy of the product I would think.  I use my inner thighs as large an area as you can but not too near the genitals was what I was told.  I found the inner arms were too small an area for me personally but whatever suits you.  Very best of luck with it and hope so much it all helps you xx

[sheila99]

The PIL tells you to use OUTER arms. You should never use inner arm in case you get it on your breasts (see the warning about breast cancer in bold). As long as you avoid the breasts and genitals I don't think it matters too much how you apply it as long as you do the same thing every time so you get a consistent dose.

[S Rabbit]

Hallo I am a new member to the site and wondered if you could help. The information about the application of the gel is brilliant thank you. I was on Evorel 50 patches but transferred to gel on Sunday as the chemist ran out of patches. Last night (Wed night) I had terrible sweats, temperature, nightmares and achy limbs. I thought I was ill. However all this seems consistent with a change in oestrogen levels and I don't feel too bad today (just sleepy!!) Has anyone had this experience and is it a result of my oestrogen going down because I've been applying the pumps of gel incorrectly / too little? 

[Pippa52]

Hallo I am a new member to the site and wondered if you could help. The information about the application of the gel is brilliant thank you. I was on Evorel 50 patches but transferred to gel on Sunday as the chemist ran out of patches. Last night (Wed night) I had terrible sweats, temperature, nightmares and achy limbs. I thought I was ill. However all this seems consistent with a change in oestrogen levels and I don't feel too bad today (just sleepy!!) Has anyone had this experience and is it a result of my oestrogen going down because I've been applying the pumps of gel incorrectly / too little?

Hiya and welcome yes I have definitely noticed how much better the gel is absorbed doing the pat method . Another lady posted about not using the inner arm to apply the gel to and I think she is absolutely right on that … far too near the breast. I always apply the gel to the inner thighs. Also yes you can feel really rotten … in fact downright ill sometimes changing HRT types and doses . It doesn’t come as an overnight fix and takes your body time to adjust . I hope so much you start to feel better soon there are some wonderfully knowledgeable ladies on here it’s such a lovely site Xxxx

[Pippa52]

The PIL tells you to use OUTER arms. You should never use inner arm in case you get it on your breasts (see the warning about breast cancer in bold). As long as you avoid the breasts and genitals I don't think it matters too much how you apply it as long as you do the same thing every time so you get a consistent dose.

Totally agree Sheila and I have emailed and pointed this out to the writer of the leaflet I posted. I always use inner thighs personally. The pat method really does make a difference though … no gel left at all on the hand or the spatula which is what I use to apply it thanks to another lovely lady on here recommending xx

[QueenofReds3]

Thanks Ladies.I am glad you pointed that out as I thought I had been applying it wrong to my outer arms, on month 2 of the gel but did not know we can put it on the thighs so will do that as I start early at work and always in a rush so could put top on and knickers put gel on thighs , dry hair and hey presto, I will try the pat method.

[Pippa52]

Thanks Ladies.I am glad you pointed that out as I thought I had been applying it wrong to my outer arms, on month 2 of the gel but did not know we can put it on the thighs so will do that as I start early at work and always in a rush so could put top on and knickers put gel on thighs , dry hair and hey presto, I will try the pat method.

I found the pat method seems to work really well for me - certainly there is no left over gel afterwards. Good luck and hope it works well for you   xx

[QueenofReds3]

Thanks Pippa52 , so far the gel and provera combo is working after trying all different HRT in the last 3 years. It is early days but the night sweats are gone, the anxiety went but unfortunately returned as I had covid 2 weeks ago and somehow it has returned in the morning along with stomach issues. I feel 10 times better than 2 months ago though.