Short answer: Yes. Testosterone gel labels carry a boxed warning after children who touched treated skin showed signs of early puberty. In an AndroGel 1.62% study, women who rubbed a man's bare application site two hours after he applied it had average testosterone 280% above their baseline; with a T-shirt over the site, the rise was 6%. The labels list hand washing, covering the site and washing before skin contact.
The AndroGel 1.62% label opens with a boxed warning on secondary exposure: "Virilization has been reported in children who were secondarily exposed to testosterone gel." Section 5.1 lists what was seen: enlargement of the penis or clitoris, pubic hair, more erections and sex drive, aggressive behavior and bone age ahead of the child's real age.
Most signs went away once the exposure stopped. In a few children, though, enlarged genitals did not fully return to normal size and bone age stayed somewhat advanced. The label says the risk was higher in some cases where the gel precautions were not followed.
In women, the signs listed are changes in body hair and a marked rise in acne. The label also says testosterone gel must not be used in pregnancy, because exposure can masculinize a female fetus.
Both AndroGel 1.62% and Testim report studies where female partners rubbed the man's application site for 15 minutes:
| Study | Contact | Effect on the partner's testosterone |
|---|---|---|
| AndroGel 1.62%, shoulders and arms | Bare skin, 2 hours after applying | Average up 280%, peak up 267% |
| AndroGel 1.62%, shoulders and arms | Covered by a T-shirt, 2 hours after | Average up 6%, peak up 11% |
| AndroGel 1.62%, abdomen (not an approved site) | Covered by a T-shirt, daily | Average up 43% on day 1 |
| Testim, abdomen | Bare skin, 1 to 12 hours after | At least 6 times baseline, at every time point |
| Testim, upper arms | Long-sleeved T-shirt, 1 or 4 hours after | Transfer prevented |
The pattern is clear: clothing over the site cuts transfer sharply, and the approved site matters. AndroGel 1.62% is approved only for the shoulders and upper arms, within an area a short-sleeve T-shirt covers.
The AndroGel label also says to wait at least 2 hours before showering, swimming or washing the site. In its study, a shower 2 or 6 hours after applying lowered the man's own average testosterone by 13% and 12%; at 10 hours there was no effect.
The Medication Guide says to stop the gel and call the healthcare provider right away if a child or woman shows signs that may come from touching the application area. Dose Track can log the time of each application, which helps match timing if a question comes up. Estradiol gel has a similar warning: see can estradiol gel transfer to others.
Read more on Dose Track: AndroGel side effects · Testim side effects · AndroGel dosing schedule · Natesto vs AndroGel