Disclaimer: I know not to put the patches on my chest since that could cause breast cancer. I've asked my doctor this question in regards to it having an impact; her answer was that science says the estrogen is spread evenly but if I'm experiencing this then I should utilize that. This is also my first post on this site and while I have read the ToS, if I'm breaking any rules or etiquette please just let me know.
When I started hrt, I followed the instructions closely. It says to supply the patch at the base of the torso on the back. I had been doing it that way for about a year. Eventually I did some research online and found out that the body absorbs more estrogen if the patch is placed on a fatty area. About six months of putting the patches on my butt, my legs have become rounder and my butt has filled out. I'm pretty happy with how my legs look currently.
My top half however is noticeably lackluster. My doctor mentioned the belly and shoulder blades as possible placement areas, but my shoulder blades are clearly skin and bones, no fat. My stomach does serve as a good candidate though. I met someone who is also on hrt and she put her patches on her arms, but my doctor said they could be bunched up by movement more easily than on my butt with my spandex underwear.
I've noticed at my clinic, at least with me, they seem to try to "catch" how sincere you are with transitioning; being called my legal before my preferred name which is listed as part of their application process on the phone and in waiting rooms, staff using he, and other things I notice in the moment. Since we're in a very progressive and open-minded part of town and that most of the people I've talked with there are evident to me to be intelligent self-aware people, I'm choosing to look at it in a good light.
I'd like to hear from other people who are on hormones though. I want to feminize my entire body and my torso and top half need help. My breasts have grown much quicker since I've put the patches on my butt, but I'm lacking that slender, curvy look everywhere else up here. I know the stomach is a good candidate, but I'm a little wary of the shoulder blades as I don't want to "waste time" with the patches there. There is definitely fat on my arms I could utilize and I can use bandaids to protect the patches from bunching up.
Please share with me your experiences with how you place your patches and any affects they might have had. Ideally I would like to start alternating my patches between my butt, stomach, and arms or some close variant.
Hi, ilLunamated!
Welcome to Susan's Place.
I don't think it matters much where you place the patch. Not near the breasts for the reason you indicated. And a fatty area is good for absorption. But once the E gets into your blood stream, it goes throughout the body. I don't think you can target effects by changing the placement.
I put mine on my lower abdomen. They say the butt gives better absorption, but it is too difficult to place it there. I alternate left-middle-right, so I give each site a rest between patches.
My doctor monitors my blood levels, and has fine tuned my dosage to give levels that she is happy with. Consistency is the key to adjusting your levels.
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I have been on HRT for one year. The instructions that come with my Estradiol patches, which is of European origin, have a diagram of the recommended area of the body as between a line from the navel and the lower thigh. I have found that the best area for me is on the stomach, below the navel. I too have divided it into middle, right, and left so I can rotate the area and not put the patches on the same spot for a week at least. Of course it is free of hair. I think you have to realize that everyone responds differently to HRT and that there is no guarantee that it will feminize every area of your body.