Electrolysis before/after HRT?

[Guest Nikki P]

So I've seen plenty of people saying you should start Electrolysis as early as possible. But I've also seen a few reports of HRT reducing the amount of hair that grows making it less expensive overall to get electrolysis if you wait a bit. It seems like people are saying it depends on what age you are, because if you are young enough it seems that HRT can actually somewhat reverse the process... I'm guessing at my age (21) it's a little to late to hope for much, since I'm at the tail end of body developments. Although my facial hair only recently started growing in to the point where I have to shave every day. Like in the past 2 months.

Because of how fast my transition got started I've just begun my HRT regimen, and had no time to look into facial hair removal options. I pretty much plan to go full time in 2 months at most, so I'm gonna be stuck doing electrolysis after full time no matter how I look at it. I'm wondering if I should start right now, or give it a wait. If it lowers the amount of hair on my face and makes it lighter it may make it less noticeable having to let it grow for 2 days before appointments. And if there's a chance it could reduce the amount of appointments I need that would be great because I need to conserve money as much as possible right now.

Any ideas, or anyone have experience or know someone that's started HRT around my age and know what has happened? I'm just not sure how to approach this.

<3

~ Nikki

[Guest]

Hi Nikki,

I can't help much, having done most of my electrolysis before starting HRT. My electrologist noted that my facial hair had become finer, not as coarse, but not less.

I think that the common wisdom says that facial hair will stay around after HRT, but that body hair will thin and/or disappear after starting HRT.

Good luck!

Love, Megan

[Guest Jo-88]

If you can start full time after 2 months of HRT then more power to you, but don't feel the need to rush yourself, a lot of MTF women do a year or sometimes a few years of HRT before going full time. To answer your question, HRT will slow beard growth but it will in no way reduce it or remove it. You should start electrolysis or laser as soon as you can, a 5 o'clock shadow is a dead give away and isn't that easy to cover with makeup (especially if it is thick growth). If you are worried about having a bit of noticeable growth between electrolysis sessions (since you have to let it grow out) you have two options, one would be to start with laser to get as much of the darker colored hairs out of the way first then switch to electrolysis (this could potentially save you a lot of time and money as well, but not always). The other option would be to bleach the growth so it is not as noticeable.

[Guest Nikki P]

If I had started a couple years ago I may have delayed full time. But, the reason I say 2 months is that is when the next term of school starts. I'm in my senior year, and I need to start applying for jobs. Being that I have no previous work history I don't have anything to cover up really. So my plan is to get my name changed and my driver's license name and gender changed within the next 2 months, and then when next term starts I can begin applying for jobs as female. And I can line my first job up out of college as female.

I'm not too worried about it, because honestly, school is the only place where I go in boy mode anyway. And my boy mode has gotten pretty androgynous to the point where I never git a sir even in boy mode unless people see my id. And I've never been misgendered en femme, at least, no one has said anything. The only thing I'm actually worried about is letting hair grow out for electrolysis appointments >.> I don't really get a 5 o'clock shadow as is. by bed time it's sometimes noticeable if I didn't shave close enough in the morning. But that's it.

And I really just feel better doing everything en femme. I'd go full time right now if my ids were already taken care of.

Bleaching the growth could be a good option. I'm hoping I won't need quite as much electrolysis, because my facial hair isn't done developing yet anyway, but I still expect it will take a long time. I'll talk to my therapist about it next session since she said she knew someone in town who was used to working with MtF clients.

I've only read about there being a reduction in beard growth in people where it's still developing. I guess that's why I'm kind of hopeful, but I'm not expecting much, just hoping.

I'll also ask if there are any good laser places in town, that would be a good place to start, but I'm not sure if I'm eligible. most of my hair is lighter colored, but my facial hair looks kinda dark... I don't remember what color it is, because it hasn't really grown out at all in ages.

Thanks for the suggestions!

<3

~ Nikki

[Charlize]

My GT has recommended that i wait for electrolysis until after a period on HRT. I am fortunate that my hairs are very light in color and don't show too badly. I have to shave once a day only. I get rough not noticeable by the end of the next morning. I've been full time for 4 1/2 months and hope to start HRT next week. I couldn't wait. Things seem to be going well and my life is going on. Oh yes i forgot i've got to go shave. Hate it!!!!

Hugs,

Charlie

[Guest LizMarie]

The biggest giveaway I see at our TG support meetings are women with beard shadow. And I have some still too even with heavy makeup covering. But after 4 months of electrolysis (so far) the cheeks are very thin and now the upper lip is getting very thin. On both of those, after a close shave, a little makeup goes a long way. I started electrolysis 4 months before I began HRT. I also don't plan to go full time for another year or so (though plans can often change) since I'll also need voice surgery before I go full time. So by the time I get ready for full time, I should have at least a year of HRT and 16 months of electrolysis. But heavy beard shadow is very hard to hide and is a dead giveaway so you want to address that as soon as you can, depending on how thick your own beard is.

[Guest SusanB]

OK i give

What is voice surgery ?

Don't mind me, i'm ignorant LOL

[Guest LizMarie]

Voice surgery is surgey intended to feminize the voice. Probably one of the top voice surgeons in the US today is Dr. Thomas, in Portland, Oregon. He performs a technique that he developed himself after not being satisfied with other techniques he'd seen called feminization laryngoplasty. The best approach for most MtFs is to simply retrain the voice but in extreme cases or cases where there is a medical problem, voice surgery can provide an alternative way to achieve a very feminine voice. In my own case, I have one paralyzed vocal cord due to the nerve to that cord having been cut during a surgery. That vocal cord only works now because of a plastic implant but the cord cannot be retrained. The plastic implant stretches the cord to a specific tension (about 2/3rds up my male vocal range) and that's the only pitch that cord can produce.

At a minimum I was going to need to have the implant altered in some manner to achieve a fully feminine voice but since I need the surgery anyway, I plan to go for the full feminization laryngoplasty from Dr. Thomas.

You will find many TGs who say that voice surgery is unreliable and not worth it. They base this on the work of Dr. Anne Lawrence, who was quite correct when she published her results of studying voice surgery in 2004. But Dr. Thomas and certain Thai doctors have developed much better techniques in the years since then. Voice surgery is now a viable alternative for those that really need it but it's not reversible so once done, you'll always have a feminine voice. Dr. Thomas has numerous before and after voice samples at the website I linked above so you can judge for yourself.

[Guest SusanB]

Hope it works for you

Haven't even started on my voice yet or HRT

Yeah i know i'd better get to work LOL