Testosterone Cream Therapy for Women
Dosing and Monitoring
- Testosterone concentrations can vary substantially with gel/cream use, requiring monitoring to ensure appropriate levels 1, 2
- After initiating testosterone cream therapy, serum testosterone levels should be tested 2-3 months after treatment initiation and after any dose changes 3
- Once stable levels are confirmed, monitoring every 6-12 months is typically sufficient 3
Formulation Considerations
- Commercially manufactured testosterone products should be prescribed rather than compounded testosterone when possible, as compounded products may have considerable variation in potency and quality 4
- Transdermal testosterone preparations (including creams) offer the advantage of relatively stable day-to-day testosterone levels compared to injectable formulations 3
- Testosterone cream provides easy application with good skin tolerability 1, 5
Safety Considerations and Side Effects
- There is potential for transfer to partners or children through skin-to-skin contact, so proper application and hygiene measures should be followed 1, 5
Clinical Pearls
- Testosterone cream application should be applied to dry, intact skin, typically of the torso, avoiding transfer to others 1, 5
- Patients should be advised to wash hands thoroughly after application to prevent unintended transfer 1