The therapeutic potential of testosterone patches

In the last decade, transdermal delivery of testosterone (T) has been shown to be a safe and effective means of treating male hypogonadism. Transdermal T patches can provide for physiologic androgen replacement in over 90% of men with hypogonadism. In addition, T patches have been shown to be equivalent to im. T esters in restoring normal male libido,sexual function and bone mineral density without harmful side-effects.Furthermore, in sharp contrast to periodic im. injections of T, transdermal T patches, when used daily, restore the normal circadian rhythm of T levels. The physiological and clinical importance of these circadian patterns,however, is presently unknown. The first transdermal patch to be marketed is applied to shaved scrotal skin. Newer patches can be applied to non-scrotal skin; however, these patches are associated with a significant rate of skin reactions that may require discontinuation. The main drawback to transdermal T delivery is cost, ten to twenty times the monthly cost of im. T, the method currently used to treat most hypogonadal men.Nevertheless, transdermal T patches constitute a major advance in the therapy of male hypogonadism as they allow for safe, non-invasive administration of T.