Are you running out of your hormone patches and not sure you can get more? Then you know about the estrogen patch shortage in 2026. (1)
Patches are a popular form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women struggling with symptoms in perimenopause and menopause. While doctors continue to write prescriptions for estrogen patches, in recent months, pharmacies are having trouble stocking enough patches to meet the demand.
Many women who replenish their hormones with patches are understandably anxious when the patches are out of stock in their local or mail-order pharmacy. They may be worried that without the patches their estrogen will drop and their symptoms will come back.
Why are estrogen patches in such demand?
For more than 20 years, hormone replacement therapy for women came with a black box warning that discouraged women from using it. This warning was based on a large study called, the Women’s Health Initiative, whose findings suggested that women taking a specific combination of synthetichormones were at higher risk of stroke, heart disease, breast cancer, and several other serious health issues.
Thankfully, in 2025, hormone experts from the medical community went before the FDA advisory panel and strongly presented updated evidence based on more recent studies about women and hormone therapy, challenging those earlier conclusions. The doctors discussed the many potential benefitsHRT may provide for a woman’s body, including the bones, brain, cardiovascular system, and genitourinary system. (2)
As a result of this testimony, the FDA removed the warning label from estrogen products in the fall of 2025. (3) Then more women started asking for HRT, and more providers started prescribing it—so the demand for estrogen, including patches, has skyrocketed. (4)
Overall, prescriptions for estrogen-based HRT have more than doubled in the past 8 years (2018-2026). (4) And patches are a bigtime favorite of doctors and women—in fact, the use of estrogen patches has tripled. (4)
How estrogen patches work
An estrogen patch is a thin, adhesive sticker. It attaches to your skin to deliver estradiol through the skin and into your bloodstream. To make sure it sticks well, the patch is typically placed in a clean, dry area that’s hair-free and isn’t rubbed by most clothing. Good spots are on the abdomen just belowthe belly button or on the upper outer area of the buttocks.
A big inconvenience with hormone patches is that you must apply a new patch frequently, like once or twice a week, depending on your prescription.
If you use patches and can’t get more right now, it may be the perfect time to try another hormone delivery method that may be a more convenient fit for your busy lifestyle.
If your patches are unavailable, consider hormone pellets
Hormone pellets may be your new HRT option. For many women, pellets are a widely available, convenient way to continue your hormone therapy when patches are scarce. Pellets dissolve slowly to deliver hormones into your bloodstream, but pellets are placed under your skin instead of on top of itlike patches.
To place your pellet(s), your provider uses a local anesthetic to numb a spot near your hip area, makes a tiny incision, and inserts the pellet under the skin. You only have to see your provider a few times a year for this quick procedure. Pellets are designed to provide relatively consistent hormone levels for roughly 3-4 months between your pellet insertions.
Like patches, pellets are a great option when you don’t want to think about hormones every day. There are no creams or pills to add time to your already full daily routine. You have the pellet inserted, then you can forget about it and just live your life for several months until it’s time for the next insertion.
If you’ve been using patches, the shortage may be the perfect time to switch gears. It may make sense even if the shortage ends, as some menopause practitioners routinely recommend starting with patches before switching to pellets. (5) The advantage is that you can increase or decrease your estrogen dose on the patches until you find your optimal dosage. That way, when you begin pellets, you’ll likely already know the dose that works best for you.
Compounded hormone pellets are personalized just for your needs
At Belmar Pharmacy, we create bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) in pellet form. These compounded pellet doses can be customized just for you. Your provider may write a prescription for estrogen or testosterone pellets, or a combination of both, depending on your unique needs.
Some women who have used both patches and pellets say they feel better and steadier on hormone pellets. And only having to think about their BHRT a few times each year is what other women appreciate most.
If you’re still unsure about pellets, but need an alternative to patches, Belmar has a variety of other compounded BHRT formulations, like creams or gels and oral tablets, capsules, or dissolvable lozenges.
If you need to make a change in your hormone therapy for any reason, talk with your menopause practitioner about BHRT solutions. And, learn more about the benefits of using a compounding pharmacy for your hormone therapy needs.
References:
- Peebles A. Estrogen patches are hard to find, and it may not be resolved any time soon. MSN.com. Published June 26, 2026. Accessed July 3, 2026.
Link: Estrogen patches are hard to find, and it may not be resolved any time soon - Estradiol: The Pendulum Is Swinging. Belmar Pharma Solutions Clinician Webinar. Puslished December 10, 2025. Accessed July 10, 2026.
Link: Estradiol: The Pendulum is Swinging | Videos & Movies on Vimeo - Fact sheet: FDA initiates removal of “black box” warnings from menopausal hormone replacement therapy products. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Published November 10, 2025. Accessed July 3, 2026.
Link: FACT SHEET: FDA InitiateThis wars Removal of “Black Box” Warnings from Menopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy Products | HHS.gov - Estrogen-based hormone replacement therapy use is rising. Published April 9, 2026. Accessed June 27, 2026.
Link: Estrogen HRT use is rising: Real-world trends | Truveta - Pellet therapy vs patches: a real comparison from women who’ve tried both. FindMyHRT.com. Published March 19, 2026. Accessed July 3, 2026.
Link: Pellet Therapy vs Patches: A Real Comparison from Women Who’ve Tried Both | FindMyHRT
