Reasonable DIY Transdermal Testosterone

brightside

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Testosterone supplementation or complete replacement is a finnicky endeavor. Despite the capabilities of modern technology, the common solutions (injections) are invasive, toxic, and not maximally effective. Unfortunately, no route of administration can be maximally effective, without side effects, or be hassle free to use; despite that, transdermal T remains a decent option. My goal was to collect the various methods of transdermal T and find the best method or a combination of methods for testosterone replacement. The ideal solution would have five main qualities:

(1) Easy and quick to use/apply,

(2) Slow absorbing/releasing, matching natural production,

(3) Not wasteful, or at the very least, cheap,

(4) Not toxic or painful, and

(5) Be effective enough for good results.

The following methods are rated according to the criteria above and are my opinion. (TDT = transdermal testosterone)

1. TDT based on DMSO is not very good. DMSO is a poor choice of solvent, since it’s not easy to apply, doesn’t provided sustained release, but rather spikes levels, and is potentially toxic. DMSO can cause skin irritation, requires extensive skin cleaning, it, and also has unpredictable effects in the body - ( 0, 0, 1, 0, 0.5 = 1.5/5)

2.TDT based on ethanol can be a reasonable method, depending on the goals. Ethanol has two main attractive properties, its excellent solvent ability, and it's decent penetration enhancement. Another benefit but also negative is its volatility. On the one hand, a quick drying solution is easiest to use, on the other, it will leave the T without a good solvent. However, all solutions applied to the skin will drive the hormone into the skin, and then the hormone will slowly absorb into the blood stream. This means that even with quick evaporating ethanol based TDT, stable blood levels can be maintained for a long duration. This effect can be amplified with IPM. Additionally, carbomer can be added to increase viscosity, and make application easier. The final product look feels and smells like hand sanitizer, and can be applied anywhere, but typically on the shoulders. This is easy to do, but for some might be annoying. - ( 0.75, 0.5, 1, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5 = 3.75/5)

3. TDT based on emulsions (lotion/creams) is also a reasonable method of application. Lotions and creams have the best consistency, making application easy. Emulsions can realistically hold only moderate amount of hormones; however, this is made up by the fact that lotions will not drop the hormone once the main solvent has evaporated. Depending on their makeup, emulsions can provide long lasting absorption, more closely mimicking natural production. Unfortunately, what makes emulsions effective also makes them harder to use. Since lotions and creams can take hours to absorb, they can be rubbed off by clothing. There are a few small tricks to minimize this, but no guarantees. Lastly, well made emulsions can comfortably be applied on sensitive tissues, such as the scrotum, maximizing absorption, conversion into DHT, and minimizing aromatization into estrogen. - ( 0.75, 0.75, 0.5, 1, 0.75 = 3.75/5)

4. Patches are less so a carrier or solvent, but more of an application method. I figured that I should mention them, because they can fix some of the problems that the other methods have. Patches fix the problems of emulsions, providing an even longer release, ease of application, and prevent the lotion/cream from being rubbed off. Some people complain that patches might be felt and therefore annoying, however, I disagree. Patches do seem to eventually cause skin irritation, though, which is caused by their toxic adhesives. Lastly, the major caveat of patches is that, they are near impossible to make. With lots of work, experimentation, and money, I am sure a DIY method could be developed, however, that is neither reasonable nor cheap. - ( 1, 1, 0, .5, 1 = 3.5/5)

5. Micro/Nano emulsions. This is probably the most novel and interesting method of application, although, currently also not reasonable. A micro/nano emulsion consists of a water base, and emulsified fat droplets. Micro/nano emulsions have tremendous skin permeability, and can provide a very effective dose of a hormone. If thickened and placed in a patch, I think that a microemulsion would work even better than a lotion/cream in a patch.

What sets apart microemulsions from other emulsions is the micelle/fat droplet size. Microemulsions usually have micelles in the range of 10-100nm. Also, microemulsions are clear, thin and runny, unlike regular opaque emulsions. They are also thermodynamically stable. Theoretically, a microemulsion could work very well transdermally, buccally, or maybe even intranasally. This would probably provide a massive spike like DMSO, however without the glaring problem of mucosal irritation. Microemulsions and nanoemulsions have one major difference, a nanoemulsion is made by an ultrasonic mechanical force and only utilizes the surfactant to remain stable, while microemulsions utilize the power of the surfactant to "self-assemble." That means microemulsions can be made at home, while nanoemulsions are only accessible to labs. Because this is still a niche topic, and because I have yet to find someone who has made them with hormones, this method is not useful. - ( ?, ?, 1, 1,1 = 3-?/5)

The most reasonable solutions, currently, are the ones based on alcohols and emulsions. I have developed my own recipe for a lotion, and copied the recipe for AndroGel. After learning a bit about the subject, I wanted to share what I’ve learned, and hopefully receive some constructive feedback so that an even better solution could be developed.

Making this formula is kind of a fuss, specifically because of the carbomer, but I do like it much more than the traditional liquid drops that flow everywhere. It feels and looks exactly like hand sanitizer and utilizes many of the same ingredients.

1. The primary solvent is ethanol, although it could be isopropyl alcohol. The alcohol should make up around 60-70% of the total volume since it is most effective at absorption at that percent range. (AndroGel has 67%)

2. Desired amount of T or other hormones. (AndroGel is commonly 1.62%, I made/used 5%). I wouldn’t recommend going too high. With too much hormone, the solution will inevitably crash, due to the evaporation of the alcohol. It will also crash once you apply it to your skin, since IPM won’t be able to hold it all. Lastly, there is no point, since it is usually applied on a large surface area like the shoulders.

3. Roughly 500mg of Carbomer 940. 500mg is enough for 100mL although some people stretch it to 240ml.

4. IPM at around 5%.

5. The rest should be water, added to bring up the volume to 100%, depending on the amount of hormone used.

6. Lastly, a base might be necessary to allow the carbomer to thicken. Triethanolamine is commonly used, although sodium hydroxide works too. Be VERY careful with strong bases such as NaOH. Wear eye protection and create a diluted mixture before adding it to the gel.

If you don't know how to work with carbomer, it might seem like an absolute nightmare, however, it really isn't too hard. All you need is patience and a milk frothier. Carbomer needs to be added incredibly slowly. You can easily stretch 500mg across 5 minutes. If you dump the carbomer in one go you will get clumps. It needs to be added in such a manner, that you only have a few specks entering the solutions at one time. Once you add all of the carbomer, you are probably done.

Carbomer has a tight pH range where it stays thick. If the solution is too acidic, the carbomer will not thicken and nothing will change. To find the correct pH you need a pH meter, and a base to bring up the pH. If you overshoot and add too much base, it will clump and ruin your batch.

I don't see why you would need a base in such a solution, but I did find that a little of NaOH did thicken it slightly.

The result is comfortable to apply on the shoulders and can be used in a pump bottle. Applying 1mL on the shoulders is not a problem, so even a low concentration of 50mg/mL would be plenty. The solution dries quickly, and leaves behind a thin, slippery layer which will not get rubbed off by clothes. This layer can still be felt hours later and comes off easily when showering. Hormone absorption is dependent on this layer, and washing it off 2 hours post application will reduce the total absorbed hormone.
Before talking about the positives of the lotion, I want to mention the negatives and caveats. Sorry this sections is kind of a mess of information that I did not know how to properly format.

Traditional lotions have an inherent problem which makes formulating a quality lotion difficult, their two phases. For a lotion to be easily measured and pumped, it needs to be a low viscosity. A lotion with the desired viscosity would have an oil phase of around 30% ( and mine exceeds that by quite a bit). This creates a limit of how much hormone you can jam into that 30%. A 10% lotion leaves just ~10% for the solvent, and ~10% for the emulsifier. Obviously, this is an issue, and most of my lotions turned a bit too thick for my liking, however, my pump bottle still manages to pump it out.

Despite this limitation, I still think lotions are a good carrier for TDT. For one, lotion doesn’t burn. Second, instead of quickly dropping a ton of hormone into the skin and then evaporating, the hormone is more slowly leeching into the skin. I think because of this, you can probably achieve higher levels than with alcohol alone. Next, the consistency allows you to easily apply it and spread it how you want. For example, I have applied.25mL in a clump between the scrotum and shaft and this took at least 8 hours to fully melt and absorb. It doesn’t mean that spreading it around wouldn’t maintain levels well, but I suppose this could prolong it even longer, acting as kind of a “reservoir”. Lastly, I have not seen nor experienced more impressive results with alcohol based TDT, so for me, the lotion is worth the effort.

At 10% concentration, the lotion is stable and doesn’t crash on regular skin. However, I would still probably lower it to about 6.25%, and replace the few extra % with water. At this concentration, 1mL would provide 62mg, 2mL would provide 125, and 3 would provide 187mg. Three mL is a large amount of lotion to apply on the scrotum, and probably wouldn’t fit in one go. The other options would be to spread it out on the perineum and inner thighs, apply twice a day, or use a combination of alcohol and lotion.

Details which make sense once you read the rest of the post:
The logical solution to the small oil phase would be to just cut out the water and use a combination of high and low melting point oils to make a body butter. However, this also isn’t ideal, since body butter is incredibly sensitive to temperature fluctuations, and would probably be needed to stored in a very stable environment. (Can’t pump a solid body butter)

I might eventually try making a butter, but for now I wanted to have a complete lotion first. OA and SA should work well for this, and this should be simple to do. Obviously, some PG would be needed, and some well-timed whipping, but I think it should be possible.

Apparently, GSSE and OA don’t work very well together, and the emulsion requires a stabilizer, in this case, SAL. I’m not sure why this happens(probably needs a high HLB emulsifier like tween 20), and even with SAL it takes a bit of frothing to get a decent emulsion. On the other hand, a combination of SA and MCT emulsifies incredibly well with GSSE. If I can find a better alternative, then SAL could be removed, and either replaced OA, or just water, making the emulsion lighter. My previous makes have all used MCT+SA, and remain stable, but I can’t speak for the long-term stability of this specific recipe.
Lotions are emulsions, which are oil and water in a stable mixed configuration. Lotions have a water and oil phase, which get mixed and emulsified. Lotions do separate with time, and require preservatives due to the presence of water.

The recipe below is made for a 100g batch. The ingredients should be measured by weight.
IngredientFunction in Lotion -1-2-3-4Amount
Oleic AcidBase oil (in oil phase)Primary oil solventPenetration enhancer6%
Propylene GlycolPrimary alcohol solventPenetration enhancer8%
Glyceryl Stearate SEPrimary Emulsifier7%
Stearyl AlcoholEmulsion stabilizerThickenerStearic acid alternative3%
D-LimoneneMinor PreservativeMinor solventPenetration enhancerAdds smell1%
EucalyptolMinor PreservativePenetration enhancerAdds smell0.75%
Geogard ECTPrevents bacterial growthPrevents fungal growth0.75%
Vitamin EAntioxidant1%
Hormone of Choice10.75%
TOTAL OIL PHASE38.25%
TOTAL WATER PHASE61.75%

The oil phase consists of:
Oleic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Stearyl Alcohol, D-Limonene, Vitamin E, and the hormone of choice.

The water phase consists of:
Distilled water.

The cooldown phase consists of:
Geogard ECT, and Eucalyptol

The purpose of the cooldown phase is to prevent the evaporation of the additives, and therefore they should be added last, when the lotion is being cooled down and emulsified.
Stearic and Oleic acids

Stearic acid (SA) is a saturated 18C fatty acid. Because of the length of the fatty acid, it is solid at room temperature and only melts at around 50C. Metabolically, it’s a very interesting and beneficial fatty acid, see:

https://raypeatforum.com/community/threads/22277/


https://raypeatforum.com/community/threads/22449/

https://raypeatforum.com/community/threads/22833/

https://raypeatforum.com/community/threads/22047/



Oleic acid (OA) is also an 18C fatty acid, however it is unsaturated at the 9th carbon which classifies it as an omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acid. Oleic acid is considered the most prevalent fatty acid in nature, and the second most common fatty acid in the human body. It is a fairly neutral fatty acid and it poses no real metabolic benefit in this lotion.

In the context of skin permeability, OA is the clear winner. Interestingly, skin permeability is correlated with the lipophilicity of the FA and its melting point. The higher the melting point and the higher the lipophilicity, the lower the skin permeability of the FA. This may seem like a negative for SA, however, the authors suggest that the reduced absorption is merely slowed down, which would be a major plus for TRT. They also suggest that more lipophilic FA could be effective for longer since they would remain in the required locations longer and not be absorbed as quickly. Lastly, more lipophilic FA are less harsh on the skin, and produce less irritation.

However, due to SA’s high melting point, it is an impractical fatty acid to use for this lotion. It can still be used up to a few %, but beyond that, the lotion becomes too thick. Oleic acid strikes a balance between lipophilicity, permeation enhancement, and safety.


Some information:


Fatty acids have been shown to interact with the SC lipids, and a number of fatty acids have been identified as skin permeation enhancers (15,16). The effects of fatty acids as permeation enhancers have been shown to be dependent on their structure, alkyl chain length, and degree of saturation (17). Unsaturated fatty acids have been shown to promote higher magnitudes of permeation enhancement across skin when compared to saturated fatty acids of the same chain length. This has been attributed to the higher disrupting nature of the kinked chain of these fatty acids that would result in a higher magnitude of lipid disruption (18–20).
https://academic.oup.com/jpp/article/67/4/473/6128119


In depth look at individual FA that I don't fully understand:
Efficiency of Fatty Acids as Chemical Penetration Enhancers: Mechanisms and Structure Enhancement Relationship

And
The solid fatty acids of relatively high lipophilicity or high melting points have low permeation enhancement effect. As a result, these solid fatty acids would not be as effective as the liquid fatty acids as permeation enhancers in topically applied formulations under the conditions investigated in the present study. Second, the solubilities of enhancers in the SC lipid domain remain an important factor for effective transdermal permeation enhancement for the fatty acid enhancers, and there exists a relationship between permeation enhancement of the enhancers and enhancer solubilities in silicone elastomer. Third, enhancer lipophilicity could be an indicator of the duration of enhancement induced by the enhancer. In other words, as enhancer lipophilicity decreases, the extent of enhancer depletion from HEM increases, and consequently the permeation enhancement effect cannot be maintained. In addition, these fatty acids of lower lipophilicity generally have higher aqueous solubility, and this would result in a pH change in the formulation and possibly skin irritation and structural denaturation.

Eucalyptol

Out of a selection of various penetration enhancers, Niaouli Oil proved to be the most potent in aiding the movement of estradiol through the skin. The largest constituent of Niaouli oil is 1,8-cineol, aka Eucalyptol. Niaouli oil also contains a-Pinene, α-terpineol, and D-limonene. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/10717540902896297

Eucalyptol (EUC) is a terpene found in many plants, however, most commonly associated with eucalyptus. The motivation to include EUC is because of the study above. Additionally, it provides a decent smell and has some mild preservative activity. The % that it is in the lotion is probably the maximum reasonable dose, before it starts smelling too strongly and leaving your scrotum feeling chilled.

It is a very cheap ingredient, and I think there is almost no reason not to add it, even if at a small concentration.

Interesting properties of EUC: Can Eucalyptol Replace Antibiotics?

D Limonene
D Limonene (LIM), is a terpene isolated from orange peels (and many other plants) that has a pleasant lemony/orange smell. LIM is an excellent solvent, and is often found as part of many cleaning products. LIM has many other functions, and has even been found to very effectively boosting healing of gastric ulcers. Like other terpenes, it has many other beneficial properties, such as being an anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and more.

Interestingly, LIM was also found to have a higher penetration value for DHT into hairless rat skin compared to oleic acid.

The penetration enhancing effect of limonene was stronger than the effect of oleic acid. According to the same authors, this can be explained by their different mode of action. Oleic acid acts only at the level of the intercellular lipids. On the other hand, limonene is not only active at that level but it improves the partitioning of substances in the stratum corneum as well
https://sci-hub.ru/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9885299/

However, using too much LIM might be irritating, therefore I think keeping it to smaller percentages is wise.

It's unclear to me whether EUC or LIM is more effective at T absorption, but they are both effective. Estradiol was more effectively absorbed with EUC, however, DHT is a substantially different molecule than E, therefore it is difficult to make a conclusion. Because of that, both are added in the formula, plus they create an decent smell.


Some info on LIM: D-limonene: A multifunctional compound with potent therapeutic effects - PubMed


Stearyl Alcohol
Stearyl Alcohol (SAL) is an interesting ingredient. It is used in cosmetics to add a more pleasant skin feel, to stabilize emulsion, and to thicken the lotion. SAL isn’t an emulsifier by itself, however, I did manage to make a fairly stable lotion with it and after 2 weeks it has yet to separate. I would not recommend using it as a primary emulsifier. Another benefit of SAL is its conversion into SA, and the subsequent estrogen antagonism.

SAL makes a good alternative to SA since its lighter, stabilizes the emulsion, and doesn’t create a hard butter unlike SA. However, SAL should metabolize into SA, so the metabolic benefits remain the same.


Glyceryl Stearate SE
Glyceryl stearate SE (GSSE) is a decent option for an emulsifier, and is the primary emulsifier in the lotion. GSSE is simply glycerine and stearic acid combined. However, unlike regular glyceryl stearate, GSSE has a few percent stearic acid reacted with sodium or potassium. This helps create a stable emulsion and removes the need for emulsion stabilizers. (except with OA apparently)

I don’t know the safety of GSSE, however, it’s definitely safer than any of the Polysorbates which are known to be toxic.

Other emulsifiers can be used, and a good option is Olivem 1000. Olivem 1000 is made by processing olives, therefore it’s fairly natural. However, Olivem will produce different results. It has a different usage %, HLB and structure, therefore you cannot just swap it out 1:1 without first doing your research and experimentation.

Propylene Glycol
Propylene Glycol (PG) is an alcohol solvent which is the least polar of the alcohols. I don’t know if its polarity is relevant in regular emulsions, but it does matter in microemulsions. Also, I don’t know how it compares to ethanol in terms of solubility of hormones, however, it is indeed a fairly potent solvent. It “rescued” a few batches I made while experimenting, quickly turning the solution clear, even at very small proportions. It seems to work exceptionally well with fatty acids. PG itself is a penetration enhancer, however it’s effects are cumulative when combined with fatty acids.

“In a similar study, propylene glycol was used as a cosolvent, and the effects of oleic acid and palmitoleic acid on the permeation of indomethacin were similar and resulted in an approximately ten-fold permeation enhancement across skin”
Efficiency of Fatty Acids as Chemical Penetration Enhancers: Mechanisms and Structure Enhancement Relationship

The activity of propylene glycol (PG) is thought to result from solvation of α-keratin within the stratum corneum; the occupation of proteinaceous hydrogen bonding sites reducing drug-tissue binding and thus promoting permeation [40] . PG is widely used as a vehicle for penetration enhancers and shows synergistic action when used with, for example, oleic acid.
(can't find the study where I found this)

Probably the largest reason to use PG over ethanol is the fact that it (almost) isn’t volatile. It also does not sting when applied to sensitive skin, making it a very sensible solvent and penetration enhancer.

The % that it is used in my lotion is around the best that I have found through experimentation. The lotion might work better if the PG and FA are shifted up or down a few %, but overall they seem to work best in the 5-10% range. To back this up, I found an estrogen patch patent which uses similar compounds at similar %’s. Instead of PG they have Di-PG, and instead of OA, they use an alcohol of OA.

Vivelle Estrogen patches utilize Oleyl Alcohol and Dipropylene Glycol at 6% and 8% respectively.
US8231906B2 - Transdermal estrogen device and delivery - Google Patents

Preservative
I had trouble finding a decent preservative that checks all the necessary boxes. A good preservative must have:
  • Zero or low toxicity
  • Broad spectrum of action, covering many bacteria and fungi.
  • Lasting at least 6 months.
For the most part, “natural” stuff off of amazon is ineffective. While the majority of commonly used preservatives are quite toxic, and only some of them have an unknown or only questionable safety profile (even in “natural” or “clean” products). The best and most “natural” that I found is Geogard ECT (Preservative Eco Geogard ECT Broad Spectrum Natural - Etsy).

The ingredients are:

  • Benzyl alcohol – 86% - not great, but the saving grace is that each serving has a tiny amount
  • Salicylic Acid – 15% - May be irritating at high percentages, but obviously its extremely low here.
  • Glycerin – 6% - Whatever
  • Sorbic Acid – 4% - used commonly to prevent bread molding. You have probably eaten this
Also, you NEED a preservative since your lotion will last only days/weeks without one. Besides, putting a highly absorbable lotion filled with bacterial/fungal junk is exactly opposite of what you want to be doing to your scrotum.

Antioxidant
An antioxidant NEEDS to be used. I think Vitamin E is fine, and I just used Progest-E. When using fatty acids like oleic acid, I strongly recommend to use an antioxidant, else you risk ruining your hormones, especially over a long time.




Dutchtest:
https://dutchtest.com/wp-content/up...T-Best-Practices-and-Lit-Review-REF121019.pdf

This is a decent PDF covering transdermal T. There are a few noteworthy points:


  • Saliva testing is inaccurate with transdermal T
  • Doses of 50-100mg (sometimes 150mg) are used. Usually because of the low 9-14% absorption with most of the products available
  • Transdermal T seems to be low in side-effects when used by women in reasonable doses.
AndroMen-Forte Cream Product PDF:
https://www.doctordirect.com.au/documents/Andromen-Forte-PI.pdf

The ingredients of AndroMen-Forte are: https://www.doctordirect.com.au/documents/Andromen-Forte-CMI.pdf

  • cetomacrogol 1000 – surfactant/emulsifier,
  • cetostearyl alcohol – emulsion stabilizer
  • almond oil – base oil,
  • macadamia nut oil – base oil,
  • dl-α-tocopherol acetate (Vitamin E acetate) - antioxidant
  • butylated hydroxytoluene – aka BHT, antioxidant
  • anhydrous citric acid – not sure
  • triethanolamine – base used to thicken carbomer
  • Carbomer 940 - thickener
  • B&J Phenonip® - paraben preservative
  • Hydroxybenzoates – not sure
  • phenoxyethanol – preservative
Overall, there doesn’t seem to be any dedicated penetration enhancers. There are way too many toxic preservatives and even two antioxidants for whatever reason. BHT is toxic, and seems redundant with the vitamin E. I’m not sure what the penetration power or solvent capacity of the two oils is, but I assume it isn’t too good, plus they are both highly unsaturated. Also, I am not sure what provides the main solvent power, but this is only a 5% cream, so I assume it’s a combination. I would never put this on my scrotum.
Twenty-five to fifty milligrams was used on the scrotum and levels of ~27nmol/L ( 778ng/dl) were achieved at peak, and fell down to near baseline(16nmol/l or 461ng/dl) around the 10 hour mark.

Overall, this product and the results are incredibly mediocre. For a commercial product with larger R&D resources than me, they developed something that would be very shelf stable, but not necessarily effective or health-promoting.

Needham 2018 Case Study:
Probably the most promising evidence of the effectiveness of transdermal testosterone. Unfortunately, this is a case study of one person.

However, with a dose of 200mg used on his scrotum, he reached levels of 1200ng/dl. Surprisingly, at the 6 hour marked they climbed even higher and peaked at 1320ng/dl. They suggest that levels over 1100ng/dl were maintained for 24 hours, however say “Further evidence (unpublished internal data) “, whatever that means.
Obviously, with 4x the dose, much higher levels were achieved than the Andromen-Forte, however what is impressive is that the concentrations were maintained fairly well, and at a high amount. What’s more, is that only 1mL was used, meaning the cream that they used was a 20% cream. This is thanks to their cream base which is called VERSABASE.
The ingredients of VersaBase are:
  • water
  • ethylhexyl stearate – solvent, emollient
  • emulsifying wax - emulsifier
  • tocopheryl acetate – antioxidant, solvent?
  • aloe barbadensis leaf juice – not sure, probably just moisturizer
  • disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid – aka, disodium EDTA. Chelating agent, probably for cream stability
  • sorbitol - preservative
  • cyclopentasiloxane – weird silicone based emollient
  • methylchloroisothiazolinone - preservative
  • methylisothiazolinone – preservative
I’m also not totally sure what the main solvent properties come from but it’s probably a combination. A 20% cream concentration is quite impressive, and the ingredients seem a bit better than Andromen-forte. It still has a number of toxic preservatives, though.
VersaBase cream claims to be “Noncomedogenic, Hypoallergenic, Nonirritating, Odor-free, Natural emulsifiers, Long-lasting moisturizing effect, Stable over a broad pH range (3.5 to 12), Nonionic emulsion system, compatible with cationic and anionic substances, No incidence of "pilling" — tested when natural salts on skin formed spheres as product was applied”

It seems decent, although it would probably be very difficult to buy some or make it.

AndroGel:
AndroGel is an alcohol based gel which provides a low absorption rate and cannot be used on the scrotum.
AndroGel claims a decent level of T, however I have doubts about this. Here is a graph showing one of the studies done with AndroGel.

AndroGel 1.62 (Testosterone Gel): Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Interactions, Warning

The data is kind of unclear, the maximum concentration were not directly correlated with with the dose.
On day 112, the peak ng/dl goes as follows: 20mg:663, 40mg:798, 60mg:958, 81mg:813.
On day 364, the peak ng/dl goes as follows: 20mg:562, 40mg:715, 60mg:839, 81mg:649.

The charts also show that by day 364, levels throughout the day are low, and some of the study participants were at hypogonadal levels despite the TRT.

AndroGel seems to provide stable levels throughout the day. The evaporation of the ethanol is problematic, but the IPM continues the release and penetration enhancement. The ethanol does drive the T into the skin quite well, and the skin then slowly releases the T into the body. However, I still don’t think that alcohol can be relied upon to provide stable high levels. Most of the information I have seen suggests stable levels for 24+ hours, however, I haven’t seen any that even approach 1000ng/dl. (excluding hyper responders).
Overall, I would say that Androgel is a decent product, especially since you can make it easily. It doesn’t seem too effective for reaching high levels of T, but it has the advantage of being easy to apply, and resistant to clothes rubbing it off (I think the carbomer is responsible for this). It has a downside of not being usable on the scrotum, and personally leads to too much aromatization.


More:
Andromen-forte at doses of 12.5 to 50mg was used on the scrotum and provided some interesting results. DHT levels were stably elevated for the duration of the tests (16 hours), and the dose did not make much of a difference. T levels fells spiked and fell quickly, however. This study shows that Andromen-forte is an ineffective product which also lacks a good safety profile. One caveat of this study is that nandrolone decanoate (deca) was used to suppress natural production.

What this study shows about scrotal administration and absorption is that (1) scrotal absorption is effective for low doses, (2) DHT levels elevated and maintained with scrotal administration, and (3) Andromen-forte is a bad product.

I don’t have much other data specifically on the duration of action of lotions/creams besides the single case study using Versabase, however in my opinion, Andromen-forte is not a great product to determine whether scrotal cream/lotion is effective as TRT or not.

Finally, there is little information on the absorption rate of scrotal skin. It is indeed thinner and therefore more able to uptake hormones, however its basically impossible to know how effective it really is. In the study above, 12.5mg of cream applies to the scrotum achieved similar levels as 100mg of the same cream applied to the abdomen (460ng/dl, 470ng/dl respectively). This implies an 8x better absorption rate on scrotal skin. Unfortunately, this depends on the penetrative power of the cream, and if it is poor to begin with, an 8x increase is not surprising. On the other hand, if an alcohol based gel would be used, could you expect an 8x higher rate of absorption? I have seen some claims of 20x and even 42x higher absorption rate on the scrotum, however this is not helpful. If your solution has a 1% absorption rate, then a 42x increase is plausible, but with an absorption rate of 10%, it’s clearly not. Therefore, its hard to use this data to extrapolate the absorption rate of other gels or lotions.

I recommend making a small batch once or twice to understand the process and not screw up the large batch with the T.

- First, you will need to collect all the necessary supplies, and thoroughly clean them. This step is important, because you want to minimize the exposure to bacteria and fungal spores, allowing your lotion to hold longer against molding and bacterial growth. Use hot water, soap and alcohol if necessary.

- You need good scale. I recommend a ten-milligram scale which can go up to a few hundred grams. With this scale, the container can be placed on the scale, and the ingredients added directly to the containers. These scales can be bought for pretty cheap on amazon ($30-40).

- You need multiple containers of various sizes, which ultimately depend on your batch size. I use glass mason jars which accommodate ~5x of my total volume.

- Silicone spatula. Very helpful to collect the remaining bits of lotion or ingredients.

- Milk frother or some kind of mixer. With MCT+SA oil phases, I was able to mix with a spoon and the lotion would form within seconds, however with OA, a decent amount of frothing is needed to break up the oil phase sufficiently. Mixing with a spoon will probably not suffice.

- Spoons for scooping ingredients and mixing.

- Syringes for handling liquids


1. Place clean container onto scale and measure out all of the oil phase ingredients. Save the eucalyptol and preservative for the cooldown phase.

2. Heat up 2-3x the amount of water that the water phase requires. The water will evaporate, so it is best to measure after it has been heated.

3. Place both containers onto a pan with water, and place on stove on a low-medium heat. Heat both phases until the oil phase melts and the T absorbs (this may take a long time, since PPL T is poorly micronized. You can use a bit of alcohol to help it dissolve, and then give it some time to evaporate). Keep an eye on the water temperature in the pan, and make sure it doesn’t all evaporate. I usually reach ~140F and hover around there.

4. If using a third container for the final mixture, heat the container with the two phases, and allow it to heat up to the same temp. You want to avoid heat shocking the oil phase, so everything should be the same, hot temperature.

5. Once everything is heated and ready, measure out the correct amount of water and combine the two phases. The solution might be mildly cloudy, because some of the T would have crashed(not a problem). Either let the lotion cool naturally, or place into a cold bath. (Make sure that your container can handle the heat shock). Mix as it cools and add the preservative and eucalyptol. Keep mixing until you get a lotion consistency.

6. At this point, you can pour/scoop it into your bottles and you’re done!

Congratulations, you made yourself you very own hormone lotion!
The price for all of these ingredients is not very high, however, they are usually only available in somewhat large quantities. The upfront cost is somewhat high, however, these ingredients can last you many lotion batches.

100g batch size (using a rough estimation of 1g = 1ml)


IngredientQuantity in grams# of batchesCost of IngredientCost per Batch
Oleic Acid635$12$0.35
Propylene Glycol831$10$0.31
Glyceryl Stearate SE728$18.70$0.67
Stearyl Alcohol333$11$0.33
D-Limonene11000$22$0.025
Geogard ECT0.750130$17$0.13
Eucalyptol0.75035$7.70$0.22
Testosterone10.750?$8.60
Distilled Water6162$1.16$0.02

Total per batch – 10.77 (no shipping included, and no Vitamin E)

Total up-front - $100.56 (minus T and vitamin E). This can make a minimum of 25 batches. Total cost of T for 25 batches is $215 ( minus shipping). Together, $315.56 for 25 batches ( again, no shipping or E). These 25 batches will be enough for:
13,400 days (36y) @ 20mg/d. $0.024/d
6,700 days (18y) @ 40mg/d. $0.047/d
2,600 days(10y) @ 100mg/d. $0.12/d
1,300 days(5y) @ 200mg/d. $0.24/d

The up-front cost may seem large, but the cost/day is, indeed, reasonable. Unfortunately, the amount of batches possible will be much smaller, due to inefficiencies and waste (closer to 20 batches). And worst of all, some of these ingredients can go bad, meaning you are probably limited to a few years only. Still, this is a very reasonable solution when compared to injectable TRT. Both phrama grade and UGL will cost significantly more than this.

There is no need to buy the full amount of T, as it will degrade too quickly to use, but the shipping cost will bring the price back up. Regardless, you can easily get away with around 50g+shipping, and the total cost will be around $200.

Lastly, a pump bottle will be necessary to pump exact amounts. I recommend airless bottles which will help prevent oxidation, evaporation, and bacterial growth. They aren’t too expensive on amazon.
Conclusion

Ultimately, the best method of transdermal testosterone is the method that you can maintain for as long as you need to, with the minimal effort to create and apply it. In my opinion, the ethanol and emulsion based solutions are the clear winners, with each having its own specific use case. Ethanol can be used to maintain levels throughout the day, while scrotal can be used to boost DHT, and actually push the levels to the desired amounts. I think it would also be reasonable to use a combination of both.

I will attempt to create a microemulsion, and experiment with that. I can’t promise anything, but if I will get any results, I will post them here.
 
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brightside

brightside

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In case I wasn't clear, the lotion serves multiple purposes.

- It provides longer and better absorption. (at least in my experience)
- It isn't painful to use (on the scrotum) and therefore generates more DHT
- It's slightly easier to apply

For me, this is worth the money and effort, but obviously YMMV
 
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brightside

brightside

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Oh yeah, I should probably add a disclaimer that I can't guarantee the safety of these ingredients on your skin or other sensitive areas. I don't know if 1% LIM is going to be detrimental to your testicles when used for a prolonged period of time, or not, so do at your own risk.

Also, I haven't tested this for long term stability so I don't know if the emulsion of this recipe will fail soon or not. I just followed the recommended %'s. All of the lotions that I have made in the past 3 weeks have been stable so far, so that's a good sign, but I made the OA ones just recently.
 

GTW

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Why not learn from Olympic athletes and champion bicyclists? "The Cream" is the compounded T applied in the groin and/or area around the belly button. I asked a reasonable MD for a prescription and got it.
 

blackface

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Seems all too complicated to me.
I only put two ingredients on my skin which are the least harmful : ethanol + MCT.
Works well, holds up to 130mg/ml ie 13%.
Im in the same boat. Seems too much complicated. Even Haidut uses simple formulas which consists of two ingredients.

Im trying to add IPM to the mix of ethanol and MCT but did not notice much diference.
 

gunther

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Thanks for the info! You continue to amaze me.

At first glance, making the lotion looks a little intimating, but perhaps after going through it a few times it isn't too bad.


3. Place both containers onto a pan with water, and place on stove on a low-medium heat. Heat both phases until the oil phase melts and the T absorbs (this may take a long time, since PPL T is poorly micronized. You can use a bit of alcohol to help it dissolve, and then give it some time to evaporate). Keep an eye on the water temperature in the pan, and make sure it doesn’t all evaporate. I usually reach ~140F and hover around there.
I'm not sure what is in each of these containers. Are there two pans containing oil phase ingredients?
 
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brightside

brightside

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Seems all too complicated to me.
I only put two ingredients on my skin which are the least harmful : ethanol + MCT.
Works well, holds up to 130mg/ml ie 13%.
Agreed, but that is the nature of emulsions. However, its really not that bad. If you understand how to works, its a pretty straightforward process. You can glance at this video to see how to make a basic lotion.

Realistically, I can make a 6 month batch in an hour or two. In my opinion, that’s reasonable.

 
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brightside

brightside

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Thanks for the info! You continue to amaze me.

At first glance, making the lotion looks a little intimating, but perhaps after going through it a few times it isn't too bad.



I'm not sure what is in each of these containers. Are there two pans containing oil phase ingredients?
Thanks!

Sorry I did a bad job of explaining. You have two containers, one with the distilled water, and one with the oil phase. Both of these are placed into a pan. The pan is filled with water to provide even heating and prevent temperature fluctuations.

Check out the video I linked above, and skip to around 6:30 to see what Im talking about.
 

gunther

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Im in the same boat. Seems too much complicated. Even Haidut uses simple formulas which consists of two ingredients.

Im trying to add IPM to the mix of ethanol and MCT but did not notice much diference.
Does Haidut have a T product? Due to regulations I wouldn't think so, but am I missing something?
 
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brightside

brightside

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Im in the same boat. Seems too much complicated. Even Haidut uses simple formulas which consists of two ingredients.

Im trying to add IPM to the mix of ethanol and MCT but did not notice much diference.
That's not a really fair comparison. We have completely different goals. Haidut is selling a product, and his goal is to make a safe, fairly effective, and fairly pure supplement. I don't think he would want to add scary sounding chemicals to his supplement to squeeze out just a bit more absorption if that means scaring of potential buyers. OTOH, the androsterone bottle does say SFA/OA, maybe that stands for oleic acid? Anyways, for his goals, ethanol, MCT and tocopherols work well. But that doesn't mean that it's the best solution for my goals.

I'm trying to achieve maximal absorption and extended blood levels, while also using an application method that is easier to use than drops. Also, if you look at the Pricing Spoiler, you can see that the T is the most expensive component there. Being that it's not exactly legal, I want to reduce the amount that needs to be purchased by maximizing it's potential, reducing cost and chances of problems.

Also, take a look at the thread title. It says Reasonable not Simple. That means something that isn't too hard to get, make, and use, with results that are good enough to bring you a quality life. And while making a lotion isn't as easy as mixing up some MCT and ethanol, its really not that hard. I mean, do you ever cook? If you care about simplicity, stick to the ethanol + MCT recipe, but don't expect maximal results or the the benefits of other methods.

Lastly, the ethanol + MCT recipe isn't all that good, and I will make a comment on why, later.
 

Santosh

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Lastly, the ethanol + MCT recipe isn't all that good, and I will make a comment on why, later.

I have been using transdermal testosterone for 4 years.

Pharmacy compounded Pentravan cream
DMSO
MCT + ethanol

My levels were highest on DMSO.
Then MCT + ethanol
And far away Pentravan cream, which is more or less your lotion. But it was 20% concentration, unlike yours which is 5%.
 
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brightside

brightside

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I have been using transdermal testosterone for 4 years.

Pharmacy compounded Pentravan cream
DMSO
MCT + ethanol

My levels were highest on DMSO.
Then MCT + ethanol
And far away Pentravan cream, which is more or less your lotion. But it was 20% concentration, unlike yours which is 5%.
Again you are getting attached to a particular phrase without paying attention to the rest of the comment. You clearly didn't read my comment that time, this time, or read my post, because then you would know that the lotion is 10%. The criteria isn't just sky high blood concentrations. The case study using the VersaBase in my opinion shows the ideal solution. The blood levels reached and exceeded 1100ng/dl( You don't even need that), and stayed that way (presumably) for 24 hours. The cream is fairly easy to apply, and clothes didn't seem to affect the results. I don't think that there's a better way than that. The only problem with VersaBase is it's somewhat unattainable, and has some toxic ingredients.

IDK what your goals are, and I don't really care, but obviously you benefit most from blasting your levels into the stratosphere. That is not the point of this. The point of this, you can find in my post and comments above, but only if you actually read and comprehend them instead of jumping at a phrase that you don't like.

Using triglycerides makes no sense in a transdermal application, except to moisturize and prevent irritation. You know that MCT is not a solvent, and it doesn't seem to be a penetration enhancer either. Oleic, stearic, or maybe Capric/caprylic acids and tocopherols makes more sense. If you can present evidence that using triglycerides like MCT has a beneficial effect, I am open to changing my mind.
 

JamesGatz

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GOOD JOB RED BUTTON

NICE AND EASY JUST THE WAY WE LIKE IT MAN

F3632AC4-44D7-4CCA-8032-994F47A920BA.jpeg
 

Santosh

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Again you are getting attached to a particular phrase without paying attention to the rest of the comment. You clearly didn't read my comment that time, this time, or read my post, because then you would know that the lotion is 10%. The criteria isn't just sky high blood concentrations. The case study using the VersaBase in my opinion shows the ideal solution. The blood levels reached and exceeded 1100ng/dl( You don't even need that), and stayed that way (presumably) for 24 hours. The cream is fairly easy to apply, and clothes didn't seem to affect the results. I don't think that there's a better way than that. The only problem with VersaBase is it's somewhat unattainable, and has some toxic ingredients.

IDK what your goals are, and I don't really care, but obviously you benefit most from blasting your levels into the stratosphere. That is not the point of this. The point of this, you can find in my post and comments above, but only if you actually read and comprehend them instead of jumping at a phrase that you don't like.

Using triglycerides makes no sense in a transdermal application, except to moisturize and prevent irritation. You know that MCT is not a solvent, and it doesn't seem to be a penetration enhancer either. Oleic, stearic, or maybe Capric/caprylic acids and tocopherols makes more sense. If you can present evidence that using triglycerides like MCT has a beneficial effect, I am open to changing my mind.

You missed the point that most men's androgen receptors are clogged by heavy metals and other environmental toxins nowadays.
Which renders levels above 1000ng/dl imperative for me to feel optimal, 1500ng/dl to have no complaint actually.
 

Santosh

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Dec 2, 2022
Messages
419
Location
France
Again you are getting attached to a particular phrase without paying attention to the rest of the comment. You clearly didn't read my comment that time, this time, or read my post, because then you would know that the lotion is 10%. The criteria isn't just sky high blood concentrations. The case study using the VersaBase in my opinion shows the ideal solution. The blood levels reached and exceeded 1100ng/dl( You don't even need that), and stayed that way (presumably) for 24 hours. The cream is fairly easy to apply, and clothes didn't seem to affect the results. I don't think that there's a better way than that. The only problem with VersaBase is it's somewhat unattainable, and has some toxic ingredients.

IDK what your goals are, and I don't really care, but obviously you benefit most from blasting your levels into the stratosphere. That is not the point of this. The point of this, you can find in my post and comments above, but only if you actually read and comprehend them instead of jumping at a phrase that you don't like.

Using triglycerides makes no sense in a transdermal application, except to moisturize and prevent irritation. You know that MCT is not a solvent, and it doesn't seem to be a penetration enhancer either. Oleic, stearic, or maybe Capric/caprylic acids and tocopherols makes more sense. If you can present evidence that using triglycerides like MCT has a beneficial effect, I am open to changing my mind.




Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconuts harvested from the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). It has various applications in food, medicine, and industry. The colour of the oil varies from a light yellow to a brownish yellow colour. The oil is also referred to as copra oil and contains average amounts of caproic- (0.2 - 0.8%), caprylic- (5 - 9%), palmitic- (7 - 11%), stearic (1 - 3%) and oleic- (5 - 8%) acids. More than 90% of the fatty acids in this oil are of low molecular weight and are saturated, which makes coconut oil the richest source of medium chain, fatty acids (C6-, C8- and C10). Due to significant concentrations of lauric acid, this oil will pass abruptly from a brittle solid to a liquid, within a narrow temperature range. It, furthermore, melts rapidly and completely below body temperature, due to the low molecular weight of the lauric acid43.
A study was conducted to check the enhancing property of coconut oil. A transdermal drug delivery system of gabapentin was prepared with a cosolvent and microemulsion. Coconut oil was taken as the oil phase of the microemulsion. The in vitro drug release of the drug showed that there was significant increase in the skin permeation of the drug44.
 

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