Low Dose Gel -- What Kind of Changes/How Fast?

[DriftingCrow]

This is a question for guys with experience with low dose T gels/patches, or who know a lot about it.

I am pondering getting on a low dose gel/patch in a few years once my job situation is better handled. I am 95% sure I'll have an offer at the firm I am at now, and for multiple reasons I can't really come out there. So, plan A is get the job if offered and within my salary range, work there for up to 5 years to get experience, and then move on to a better suit for me. So, I'd like to be able to transition to male once that 5 years is up as quickly as possible. Luckily during these 5 years, I'll be much better off financially, and able to quickly save for top surgery, get my therapist visits in and letters written, and so on.

However, I am curious as to the affects low dose T gel/patches have and how slowly the affects come for those who've been on it? (And yes, I am aware it would vary person to person). If the affects are kind of slow, I might consider doing further research and may see if I can get on one of those during my last year there in the office. I could probably deal with a voice that's getting deeper and getting more hairy while I am making my exit from there if it would make it easier jumping over to T shots once I am out of there. If I do go through with medically transitioning, I'd like to be seen as male in a new position ASAP.

Edit to add: include cream, I don't really know much about non-injection form of T

[Farm Boy]

Here's a link to a post I made when I hit one year.  https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,149166.msg1236651.html#msg1236651

I don't know how different gel or patches would be, but I started off with a super low dose of T cream, which was slowly raised over the course of almost 11 months.  I took the pictures down from my post already, but there were some measurable changes.  Nothing that anyone else could notice, or even that I could notice myself, really, without putting comparison pictures next to each other.  (Except for hair.  I did get more hair on my thighs and stomach.)  It wasn't until after I started injections that I noticed a change in my voice.  Then I started sounding as if I was sick, and people did start to notice.

I know some people have had better luck with cream than I did, so it does vary person to person.  My bloodwork showed that it was getting absorbed, but it wasn't doing very much to raise my T levels.  If what you want is to go slow, then it could be just what you're looking for.  I don't think it really gave me much of a booster for when I started injections, though, if that's what you're meaning.  However, it is entirely possible that your body would absorb the gel/cream/patch better and make more of a difference for you.

[DriftingCrow]

Thanks Farm Boy for your input. It seems like I'd have to work with the doctor to adjust the dose if it's too slow.

I didn't quite mean the being on gel/cream/patch would be a booster for injections, but more like I'd rather at least get some changes in, even if its just slightly more hair (and I believe another guy here who was on a patch said he had a very slight change in voice) and other small changes that might hopefully make me seem more passable or at least (even if it's just in my head) "more manly".

[David27]

I was on T patches for 2 months. Patches may cause redness and itching around the area it was put. I have very dry skin, which may have contributed to this. I would recommend cream or gel as they are cheaper and maybe less likely to cause a skin reaction because the skin is allowed to breathe.

My voice changed slightly. It got slightly lower with more resonance, but it isn't male sounding. My legs got hairier in the areas that hair didn't grow before and my pubic hair became longer. My facial hair didn't really masculinize, but my face has lots more peach fuzz. I had one short period on schedule, but I switched to injections after 2 months and haven't had any since the first one. Starting on a low dose may help you avoid long heavy shark weeks.

[Adam (birkin)]

I personally didn't have very fast changes on gel at all. Whether that was my dose, my body, etc I don't know. But I was on it for 9 months or so, and my changes weren't enough to have me passing as male - period. My voice did deepen but it sounded more like a woman who had been smoking. I got light hairs all over my belly and thighs (but they thickened dramatically after a few months on injections). And I got some fat redistribution, my hips shrank by 5 months in. I also was greasy and sweaty for the first three months and then that calmed down. That's all I can remember atm.

[aleon515]

I started out on quite a low dose. If you have access to a compounding pharmacy (you can always use Strokeckers in the US), they can really give you a range of strengths. So you could potentially use quite a low percentage. In the androgyne section there are folks (can't say guys as I am not sure how they identify) who use low dose T. I don't know if Sevan is still on, but they have answered my questions before.  There is a nonbinary person on wordsmith who I follow and he has a lot of info on this: http://neutrois.me/
They are quite nice and probably could help you out personally.

I had more psychological change on low dose with, but the changes, from my understanding will eventually come as you can't really pick and choose (too bad). I know someone I am pretty sure was on low dose and she has a very low voice, maybe a tenor.


--Jay