I have actually been to some of the He-man steroid blogs and some say to rub, others no. They recommend warming the bottle in water to body temp before drawing. I have done that. I have called my Dr. (well, duh-that probably should have been first, but I don't like to be a pest) and hopefully he will prescribe the peanut oil. If I thought that this was the way it is going to be, I would go back onto patches, but they leave that residue and red patch. You never feel quite as smooth somehow.