HRT a few years - chest hair removal?

[Guest Krisina]

A question for those who've been on hormone replacement therapy for two or three or more years.

Having been on hormone replacement therapy for two or three years do you still find that you want to or wish you had had hair removal on your chest, breast area with a laser work or electrolysis?

Krisina

[Drea]

No. There seems little point.

[Guest KarenLyn]

I was on hrt for less than a year and found I no longer had visible body hair. The hair I have is much finer and no different that any woman my age. So, to answer your question, no laser or electrolysis was needed in my chest/breast area.

[Guest Paradox]

I think there is a percentage of genetic females who have some chest hair and even around their areola. Like the others mine has gone mostly away and what's left is fine and short.

[Guest Julie_Mason]

No. There seems little point.

I was on hrt for less than a year and found I no longer had visible body hair. The hair I have is much finer and no different that any woman my age. So, to answer your question, no laser or electrolysis was needed in my chest/breast area.

I think there is a percentage of genetic females who have some chest hair and even around their areola. Like the others mine has gone mostly away and what's left is fine and short.

All three of these comments give me much hope about my chest hair after a year or so on HRT, however, they raise the questions of:

1 ) How dense(coverage-wise)/thick(individual hairs)/dark was your chest hair to begin with?

2 ) Did you just let the HRT take care of the hair by itself or did you have to shave/epilate/wax/ect along the way in conjunction with the HRT?

Im sure much of it has to do with genetics/T-levels during HRT, but Im just curious about the effectiveness of HRT on my chest/body hair as it is dark brown, curly, coarse, and kinda dense (not lost-in-the-forest dense, but not sparse either).

I would greatly appreciate feedback from the original posters of the quotes I used, but will happily accept anyone elses experiences with this as well.

Thanks in advance,

Huggs

-Julie M.<3

[Drea]

I would have described it as dark hair and medium density. Not super hairy.

Yes shaving to manage it.

The little bit that reamins is much thinner, most light and fine and no worry. Just a bit in one spot is darker and takes a week or so to show so I hit in with a razor once a week. SInce the spot is small it is like one or two strokes of the razor and done.

For what it is worth, I can't explain why, but spiro seems to help keep the body hair finer even though it has insigificant effect on my T levels.

[Guest Paradox]

I had medium density brown chest hair before Spironolactone. It pretty much fell out gradually and has been replace by a very few short fine blonde vellous hairs. Curiously, the hair under my arms also fell out so It looks like I shave my underarms.

You didn't mention it, but back hair went away as did hair on my legs.

[Guest]

I was a hairy beast! Dark and gray and very long. Split ends on chest hairs, yuck. Today tiny soft and very fine. If I am going to show a lot of skin in bright sun light for an event I use Nair a few days before to be baby smooth. I use it about once a month. In the off times I shave my legs infrequently and the remaining hair easily passes as female. My face has even thinned out but that is still the problem. It feels so awkward to shave my female face. My day will come too. Jody

[Guest Julie_Mason]

Thanks for the replies, girls! You've just given me a long-needed sigh of relief...

...It feels so awkward to shave my female face....

God! I know the feeling... . I cry alot of times when shaving my face (this morning included). But I just keep telling myself, "Only a few more months, sweetie..." (I'll be getting back a pretty sizable tax return next year, and plan on spending it on laser/electro). I just wish I could find a way to shave it and have it look smooth all day until then (I get a minor 5-o'clock shadow). I shave with HOT water with the grain, then against (both using a moisturizing body wash), and then rinse with cold water to close the pores back. Maybe HRT will help some with the reduction in growth cycle speed.

Aaanywho, just wanted to say thanks for the feedback. Take care!

Huggs,

-Julie M.<3

[Guest Krisina]

The face hair as mentioned above is something to keep in mind. It does NOT go away with hormone replacement therapy. The male facial hair is thicker and stronger too. It is a beast that needs to be taken care of first. Beard shadow if you aren't covering it up doesn't look pretty. It is a good idea if you can to start taking care of it long before starting hrt. Laser treatment, electrolysis. After you have had a laser session it takes 10 days to a couple of weeks for the face to fully clear up. Plus you have to wear sunscreen every day too when outside. Some things to consider. Laser treatments for the face are about every 8 weeks with noticeable results appearing after about 4 to 5 treatments with still more treatments to follow. Electrolysis can be 150 to 200 plus hours if done without any laser treatment. There are about 5 hair growth cycles where a lot of hair is dormant. FYI.

Krisina

[Guest Julie_Mason]

The face hair as mentioned above is something to keep in mind. It does NOT go away with hormone replacement therapy. The male facial hair is thicker and stronger too. It is a beast that needs to be taken care of first. Beard shadow if you aren't covering it up doesn't look pretty. It is a good idea if you can to start taking care of it long before starting hrt. Laser treatment, electrolysis. After you have had a laser session it takes 10 days to a couple of weeks for the face to fully clear up. Plus you have to wear sunscreen every day too when outside. Some things to consider. Laser treatments for the face are about every 8 weeks with noticeable results appearing after about 4 to 5 treatments with still more treatments to follow. Electrolysis can be 150 to 200 plus hours if done without any laser treatment. There are about 5 hair growth cycles where a lot of hair is dormant. FYI.

Krisina

Krisina,

Thank you for the information, and although I was already somewhat aware of these facts, I suppose its still beneficial to be reminded of the inevitable "rough-times-to-come" occasionally, so my level of self-confidence does not become too inflated...

I realize that facial hair does not go away with HRT, but I am under the impression (from a multitude of other topics posted on Laura's) that while it doesnt expunge the hair, HRT does mitigate the issues some by thinning (the thickness of the individual hairs, not the amount of coverage), and by slowing the rate of growth (so as to keep from having to shave so often). Im also under the impression that like practically every other aspect of the changes associated with HRT, the results can vary greatly from person to person. Ive read seemingly conflicting accounts of weather or not it is vital to get laser/electro "...long before starting hrt...". As it is not possible (financially) for me at this juncture to accomplish said hair-removal, and as I am not going to postpone my HRT for 6 more months (or very possibly longer), I will merely have to "tough-it-out" with a system of cover-up that meets my individual needs and appeasement, until I have the resources necessary (In-fact my cousin took me to a Bare Minerals™ store today and not only was the clerk very sweet and helpful, but she also assured me that the system I purchased would do the job until such time as I am able to afford a permanent solution).

If the impressions I have are incorrect, please feel free to disillusion me from these misconceptions.

Thanks again for the info, sweetie.

Huggs,

-Julie M.<3

[Guest Stormrider2112]

From my own personal journey (10 months on HRT), I have no more visible chest hair, and only remnants of the happy trail that is slowly going away (arm hair has gone from making my forearms look tanned to very thin and vellus). Lower body hair is very slow to regrow (I Zeet it off every 2 weeks or so). I wouldn't bother with laser for anything below your neck for a considerable time frame (however, if you're one of those people that could shave your favorite football player's name and number into your back hair, I wouldn't discourage you). So I don't think I'll bother with torso lasering (though I'd consider it for legs/butt just because I don't like shaving at all!).

[Guest Sascha]

I've begun prior to HRT with removal. Here is what I did:

- armpits

- chest

- belly

- face

- neck

I started before HRT because i knew that my hair would have become lighter on HRT (which has happened) So i wanted to remove as much as possible.

[Guest KarenLyn]

I had thick, dark, coarse chest and back hair and I did shave while waiting for the HRT to take effect. I was also bleaching my arm hair to make it less noticeable. The time between shaving and bleaching gradually got longer and longer until I didn't need to do either.

Karen

All three of these comments give me much hope about my chest hair after a year or so on HRT, however, they raise the questions of:

1 ) How dense(coverage-wise)/thick(individual hairs)/dark was your chest hair to begin with?

2 ) Did you just let the HRT take care of the hair by itself or did you have to shave/epilate/wax/ect along the way in conjunction with the HRT?

Im sure much of it has to do with genetics/T-levels during HRT, but Im just curious about the effectiveness of HRT on my chest/body hair as it is dark brown, curly, coarse, and kinda dense (not lost-in-the-forest dense, but not sparse either).

I would greatly appreciate feedback from the original posters of the quotes I used, but will happily accept anyone elses experiences with this as well.

Thanks in advance,

Huggs

-Julie M.<3