[The First Aria]

I think you'll find the patches only introduce trace amounts into the body. Almost a mcg (microgram), vs a mg (milligram). The reasoning for this is woman sometimes need just a trace of estrogen, vs a MTF, who needs a bolus amount. If you were a female going thru menopause, the patches would work great to level the hormones out. Since so many of the female organs produce estrogen naturally, some even just trace amounts. But for what we're doing, we need a BIG LONG sustained shots of estrogen. I considered patches when starting, and I discarded the idea, since it didn't give me enough of estrogen, strength or duration.

Me, I would be covered in patches lol, there's a body in there somewhere.

Estrogen=The mother of female hormones
Estrodial= the weaker lil sis of mother (approx 1/8th as strong as mother)

Hope this helps

COL:  You are wrong!   Patches equivalent effectiveness is greater in some ways than oral.  My G.D. as well as a white paper from several sources says so.  As I understand it, Estrogen is indeed the strongest, but also is used as an umbrella term for all 3 types of female hormones.  In order of strength:   Estrogen or E1:  Estriol or E2;  Estrodiol or E3.  I would get into the benefits or negatives of each, but why should I when Lotus has done so several times in his "Project X" thread right here on this forum.

For instance, I am on 0.150 patches.  My G.D. told me that is almost the same strength as 4 mgs daily of oral estrogen.  The only difference is it's easier on the metabolism and does not stress the heart and is low on the scale of causing DVT's.  But, the oral has it over patches in the fact that it doesn't activate any path ways in the liver.   Patches are quicker into the blood stream if used correctly than oral, unless sublingually.  If needed or interested, I can post the URL's to the white papers OR, you can look up yourself by just "Googling" it.