The Truth About Testosterone Gels, Injections, and Pellets

The Truth About Testosterone Gels, Injections, and Pellets

When it comes to testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), men have several options — but not all are created equal. The best choice depends on your lifestyle, preferences, and how your body responds. At Ironwood Men’s Health, we’ve seen firsthand how the right delivery method can make or break your TRT success.

Gels & Creams: Steady and Simple

Testosterone gels & creams are a great option for men who want a daily, steady dose that mimics the body’s natural rhythm. Applied to the skin daily, gels & creams allow testosterone to be absorbed regularly, helping to maintain consistent hormone levels without big peaks and crashes. Many men love the simplicity and the fact that they avoid needles altogether. The main caveat? You have to apply it daily and be mindful of skin-to-skin transfer to others, and time it so that you won't be showering, swimming or having intimate contact within a set time after application. But for the right patient, gels & creams can be an easy and effective choice.

Injections: Weekly or Twice Weekly for Peak Performance

Testosterone injections a highly effective method and a favorite method of Ironwood Men's Health. When dosed weekly or twice per week, they offer excellent hormone stability. This schedule works beautifully with testosterone’s half-life of about 8 days, keeping levels steady and avoiding the big swings that happen with less frequent dosing. Injections give you precise control over your dosing. While they do require needles, most men quickly adapt and find the routine empowering — especially once they feel the benefits kicking in.

Pellets: Not Our First Choice for Men

Testosterone pellets are small, rice-sized implants placed under the skin, purportedly to slowly release testosterone over several months. While the “set it and forget it” approach can sound appealing, pellets have significant drawbacks — especially for men. They can extrude (push out through the skin) more easily in men than in women, and because they release slowly, you’re stuck waiting months to make any dosing adjustments. That means if your levels are off, you can’t simply tweak them like you can with gels or injections. Many men who start with pellets end up switching to injections. For these reasons, we rarely recommend pellets for our men.

Bottom line:

Gels, Creams and injections offer more flexibility, better control, and easier adjustments. The right choice is personal — but our goal is to match you with a method that delivers great results without unnecessary frustration.