Estrogel and dry skin on upper arms

[IWantAllTheDogsInTheWorld]

Has anyone found that Estrogel dried out their skin on the upper arm/shoulders? I've been using it for 12 days now and I've found my upper arm skin now feels dry when it didn't before.

Also, generally I've noticed the skin on my face is very dry and starting to itch and flake and the texture is looking more wrinkled and dehydrated, especially around my eyes. Is this due to the HRT products I'm using or is it possible it was already starting to dry out previously and I just hadn't noticed until now? Up until I was prescribed HRT I considered that my skin has always been on the oily side and had quite a plump texture until very recently.

For reference, I've been prescribed Estrogel and Desogestrel.

You know that the gel base for the gel is alcohol? That's what dries the skin out. You can change where you apply it- upper arms or inner thighs. Are you in the UK as desogestrel is not available here as a separate product. (unless it's under a different name :))

@JinglingHellsBells Yes, I'm in the UK. Should I be worried that I've been prescribed Desogestrel? I've been prescribed a "double dose" of what would usually be given as a contraceptive.

No. it's not unknown to use that, although most drs now are prescribing Utrogestan alongside gel. I think either is fine, but it depends on your preferences and why you were given the mini pill as the first option.

I was getting dry skin and some itchy patches, odd pimple if I left oestrogel on upper arm for too many hours.
I was putting it on in morning after my shower, so residue was often on my skin for 24 hours. But now I put it on last thing at night & shower it off in morning and my skin is much happier.
JinglingHellsBells did mention to me when I was previously chatting about skin reactions that you can wash the oestrogel off even sooner than that, as your skin(or the fat below it?) would have absorbed as much of the oestrogen as it was going to after just a couple of hours. I think it was about 2 hours, or was it 4? I don't want to misquote you Jingling.
But it was definitely good to know that I can rinse it off sooner if needed.

Ps. No soap needed. Just a bit of water run over arm. All helps stop skin drying out if you are prone to things like that (I am! 😁)

It was an hour. So only need to leave it on for an hour. X

I use estrogel and utrogestan and if anything I would say my skin has benefited from the oestrogen. Only been using for 12 weeks so could change I guess.

@OverWintered Thanks for the skin care tip, I didn't realise the gel could be washed away without affecting its use.

I've got a vague feeling I may have been prescribed Desogestrel as I'm prone to depression etc and I'm wondering if the doctor thought it may be a "gentler" alternative for my mental health? Or has she got it wrong? I have always 100% trusted my GP's decisions but I've only just joined this practice and I don't know the doctors here yet. I was offered the mirena coil fitted at my last practice but I didn't want that and no alternative was offered to me so I've been struggling on for over a year with menopause symptoms and no relief. I would really like this HRT to work for me.