this post was submitted on 18 Nov 2025
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DIY HRT
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Bit late but if you DIY spray you'll need a blocker, like @WillStealYourUsername@piefed.blahaj.zone said. However, if you've had orchiectomy (standalone or as part of a larger surgery), then you can go mono (using spray alone).
You have to apply 2-3 doses spread over one or two times a day. I don't know why Will says it's thrice, so now I'm curious. Maybe it depends on the dosage? Either way, spray on the arm you're not going to take blood tests from (and keep it that way). In the first week or so, you might notice a bit of a clasp feeling around the arm, but varying with arm solved that feel for me. After that I went back to the normal arm, and it's going well ever since. I think it's because your body has to adjust.
Drying takes 2-4 minutes, depending on how fast your skin dries. Then you can put clothes on.
Don't touch others or get close to them for those minutes (10 min if you want to play it safe). Don't shower in the first hour after, or less of the spray then might be absorbed.
More often is more better and gives more stable levels over time, and it does indeed depend on the dosage. With a blocker however I think 2 times a day is very common.
It's technically possible for some people to do mono with spray before orchi, but it's not recommended. I tried with gel and it wasn't a great experience. This is when applying often is most important.
Interesting. I do 1 time a day, 3 doses. Is that too little? I'm using a blocker.
I was sure there were papers on this but I might be mixing up what I've read about oral and sublingual with transdermal E.
I do know it's common to take gel more than once a day, but I can't actually back up the usefulness of doing this. It depends entirely on the half life of E when taken transdermally.
Here's a page which touches on this with oral and sublingual: https://transfemscience.org/articles/sublingual-e2-transfem/
Two pages on transdermal. They don't talk too much about half life here.
https://transfemscience.org/articles/oral-vs-transdermal-e2/
https://transfemscience.org/articles/high-dose-transdermal-e2/
I am certain it would result in more stable levels to take your dose split over the day, but the big question is if your levels go low enough over 24 hours for this to be necessary.
Edit: Also, since you're on a blocker you don't need high levels in order to suppress T so you have a larger range of good levels of E.