Nasal, oral and topical supplies

For anything that goes up the nose, under the tongue or onto skin, the container does the measuring: a metered spray bottle gives about 0.1 mL per press, an atomizer tip uses a luer-lock syringe's own markings, oral syringes are marked in millilitres, and a graduated dropper shows what you drew.

Last edited · written by PepPrep · not medical advice

Not everything is a syringe. If what you're using goes up a nose, under a tongue or onto skin, it needs a different shelf of equipment — and what they all have in common is that consistency comes from the container, not from your aim.

Which container gives the same amount every time?

  • Metered nasal spray bottles deliver the same measured amount per pump, usually about 0.1 mL. That's the entire reason to use one instead of a plain squeeze bottle. A listing that doesn't state the per-spray volume isn't metered, whatever the title claims.
  • Prime a new pump. The first few presses of any pump bottle are mostly air. Prime it into a tissue until it sprays properly, or the first one is a guess.
  • Nasal atomizers screw onto a luer-lock syringe and turn its contents into a fine mist. You measure with the syringe's own markings and the tip only handles delivery, which is why they're more precise than a pump bottle.
  • Oral syringes have no needle, a rounded tip, millilitre markings and a cap. They're the right tool for anything measured by mouth — a needle syringe is not a substitute, not least because its markings are in units.
  • Graduated dropper bottles beat plain ones. If the dropper is marked you can see what you drew; if it isn't, "about half" is the best you'll manage.
  • Airless pump bottles push contents up with a rising platform instead of drawing air in behind them, so creams and serums stay sealed from air and every pump is the same size.
  • Amber glass for anything light-sensitive, and keep the cap on. Clear bottles look nicer and protect nothing.

If what you are filling is a spray bottle rather than buying one ready-made, turning a peptide into a nasal spray covers the four supplies and the one piece of arithmetic.

Supplies mentioned: Sprays & Droppers

Equipment only: nothing on this page is advice about what to inject, how much, or whether a product is fit to use. That comes from the product's labelling and whoever supplied it.