Any tips for helping oestrogen gel dry more quickly?

[snakeface]

My Dr has upped my estrogen gel to 2mgs a day. Takes ages to dry, any suggestions on how to dry it quicker without affecting its efficacy? Seems no matter how long I wait to put on my trousers, they still stick to it

For anyone still unsure this is from the manufacturer's guide

• Using your hand, apply EstroGel to the skin of your other arm.

• Spread the gel as thinly as possible over the entire area on the inside and outside of your arm from your wrist to your shoulder.

• Do not apply EstroGel directly to your breasts or in and around your vagina.

• Do not massage or rub in EstroGel.

• Allow the gel to dry for up to 5 minutes before you get dressed.

I've just updated this having copied and pasted.

(You can find this online and on the box your gel is in- it's on the leaflet.)

I use in the morning too, after my shower.

Longtompot said she puts gel on first and then does her full morning ablutions and that's what wouldn't work for me as I have to put on after shower and gel seems to take forever to dry!

But I am going to put some on fatty arms now💪

I just use 1 finger and smear it all over my arms on both sides and then blow on it until it’s dry, it doesn’t take that long. I have quite a good surface area though 🤣 anyone tiny or skinny would struggle I reckon

I wondered if maybe she meant she wasn't showering every morning, but if she did she put it on afterwards.

I'm defo not tiny nor skinny 😂

Or she's an evening shower/bath person?

Thanks for this, I will stop rubbing it in! I'm on three pumps, I do one outer arm, two inner thighs.

I put mine on my upper arms. If I’m organized I wear armless nightdresses and put it on when u go to get my coffee when waking. It not I do it after a shower and then put on bra and gel. Then do teeth etc. Tidy bedroom while it dries

I read about half the dose getting washed off your hands and was sure it was here that someone suggested squirting the gel on the lid and using the lid to apply.
Works a treat.
The glue in the patches irritated my skin so swapped to gel.

I use 3 pumps all over my thighs (spread with the lid) and it takes for-fucking-ever to dry, at least 15 mins. I don't love the patches but I can't bear hanging around half the night, half naked in the winter so I'm going back to them as soon as this bottle is done.

I wouldn’t make too much of the advice not to rub it in. It’s not stated in the UK patient info leaflet or summary of product characteristics. (And why does it matter if it gets absorbed through your hands a bit?)

UK Oestrogel advice is apply over a large area in a thin layer and let dry. I wouldn’t overthink it as long as you’re washing your hands and not transferring to kids, pets and men 👍

So I apply it in the morning - while it dries I do some exercises - glute bridges, hand grip exercises, by the time I have done 3 sets of 10 reps it’s dry and the exercise warms me up. Usually I put it on first thing and have my coffee etc and an hour later I shower. Or if I’m in a hurry I’ll shower and then do the glute bridges - sometimes I’ll do squats or single leg balance while I wait for it to dry - no need to be stationary and cold.

I rub it in until it completely disappears. Takes around 45-60 seconds for each zone / thigh.

then I go to bed.

I gave up with gel and switched to the spray which dries much more quickly and you don't get it on your hands.

Spread the gel over a larger area?

Hi @AdidasBadidas I posted a bullet pointed list that I took straight from Estrogel website around 6pm today.

You should only spread it very lightly then leave it to dry.
Rubbing for 60 seconds will mean it's harder to absorb.
The tackiness and time to dry helps absorption.

Very approximately, I do about 6 strokes up and down my arm from top of arm to elbow, for 1/2 a pump and the same on the other arm. Takes about 6 seconds.

Used it for around 18 years with a consultant.

I was also going to suggest the spray. dries in seconds

Yes I saw that, thanks for pointing this out. I’ll try your suggestion and I hope that reduces my dose as I’m on 3.5 pumps now. Would like to go down to 2-3 if possible. Thanks a lot!

I use 4 pumps a day, my routine is to have a shower then dry myself throughly with towel, get hairdryer and point it a both inner thighs and shoulders/upper arms until properly dry. Put my underwear on then whilst skin is still warm from the hairdryer I put a pump of gel and spread thinly in each of those areas.

I then clean teeth, moisturise face, use deodorant and anything else, sometimes roughly dry hair and then get dressed. Works for me.

@AdidasBadidas You can also apply it twice a day. The British Menopause Society advises that as an option for 3 or 4 pumps. Apply 2 in the morning and the rest later in the day - eg late evening after a shower/ bath.

There are some research papers on absorption and basically the advice is spread over a large area, leave it tacky to dry and be absorbed, and use 4 limbs if necessary- 2 arms and 2 legs.

Thank you for the suggestions

I should have said on the mornings I don't have a shower I put it on first, but even if I have a shower in the morning the gel has usually dried by the time I get dressed as I still have to wait for my deodorant to dry and my body lotion to sink on properly.

I switched to the spray for this reason