@faadovale's first-time Oestrogel use, fact-checked

What did @faadovale actually say?

Honestly? Not much that's medically substantive. The transcript is largely incoherent, likely a poor auto-translation from Portuguese. The clearest claims are that the creator is using Oestrogel for the first time, expects "more energy," and notes the product "is probably too strong" for them. There's also a passing mention of "cervical pain." That's about it for clinical content.

The video is tagged with #oestrogelhormoniotrans and #perlutan, suggesting this is a gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) context, not traditional TRT for hypogonadism. Oestrogel is a topical estradiol gel, and Perlutan is an injectable progestin. Together, they form a common feminizing hormone regimen. The creator appears to be sharing a personal milestone, not giving medical advice, which is worth acknowledging upfront.

Does the science back up the energy claim?

The claim that estradiol will deliver "more energy" is partially supported, but it's more complicated than that framing suggests. The relationship between exogenous estradiol and energy is dose-dependent, bidirectional, and highly individual.

Research published by Newson et al. (2020, Post Reproductive Health) found that estradiol therapy improved self-reported fatigue in perimenopausal women, but effects were inconsistent across populations. For transgender women specifically, Seal (2017, British Medical Bulletin) noted that while GAHT often improves psychological wellbeing and reported vitality, the mechanism is partly mood-mediated, not purely physiological energy metabolism. Estradiol does interact with mitochondrial function, but calling that "more energy" oversimplifies what is a nuanced neuroendocrine effect. The creator's enthusiasm is understandable. The framing is just imprecise.

What did they get right, and what's missing?

Credit where it's due: flagging that the product felt "probably too strong" is actually a reasonable and responsible instinct. Oestrogel is a transdermal estradiol gel, and absorption rates vary significantly based on application site, skin hydration, and individual metabolism. Starting doses feeling intense is a documented phenomenon.

What's missing entirely is any discussion of monitoring. Estradiol therapy, particularly in a GAHT context without physician oversight, carries real risks that a 188K-view video should probably address. Estradiol increases thromboembolic risk, particularly at higher serum levels. The STRONG study (Getahun et al., 2018, Annals of Internal Medicine) found transgender women on feminizing hormones had a significantly elevated venous thromboembolism risk compared to cisgender controls. No mention of labs, serum estradiol targets, or clinical follow-up appears anywhere in this video. That's a gap worth naming plainly.

What should you actually know about Oestrogel and GAHT?

Oestrogel (estradiol gel 0.06%) is a legitimate, regulated pharmaceutical used both for menopausal hormone therapy and, off-label in many jurisdictions, for gender-affirming care. It is not the same as compounded estradiol gels, which vary in concentration and absorption profile. Do not assume equivalency between products.

For anyone considering or currently using Oestrogel as part of GAHT, the clinical standard of care involves baseline and follow-up labs: serum estradiol, testosterone, prolactin, liver function, and a complete metabolic panel. The Endocrine Society's 2017 Clinical Practice Guideline (Hembree et al., Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism) recommends serum estradiol levels between 100 and 200 pg/mL as a general target range for feminizing therapy, with individualized adjustments. Self-dosing based on how something "feels" without lab confirmation is not a safe substitute for monitored care.

The cervical pain mention in the transcript is too unclear to assess, but any new pain following hormone initiation should be evaluated by a clinician, not ignored.

The bottom line on this video

This is a personal milestone video, not a medical guide, and it shouldn't be judged as one. But given 188K views and hashtags that function as a search destination for people starting GAHT, the absence of any safety information matters. The energy claims are loosely plausible but oversimplified. The instinct to flag feeling "too strong" is actually good self-awareness. What's absent is any roadmap for responsible use: get labs, work with a provider, know your targets. That context would have made this video genuinely useful instead of just relatable.