Jump to content
  • Welcome to the TransPulse Forums!

    We offer a safe, inclusive community for transgender and gender non-conforming folks, as well as their loved ones, to find support and information.  Join today!

Growing my hair out


Audrey

Recommended Posts

  • Forum Moderator

The only time I blow dry my hair (Defusing head on low heat) is if I've worked late in the shop and have to shower before bed, other than that I let it dry in a Tee Shirt Turban while I groom my face and ears. I also sleep with my hair up in a high ponytail with a soft oversized scrunchy. I do have to admit that I love how big my hair gets when I blow dry it. It's 80's GIRL BIG and FLUFFY! IMG_E5950.thumb.JPG.76036d7d2f0db5680e843dfc4c096bc2.JPG

Link to comment

Since I started coloring it I've only been washing once a week and usually forget to condition in between. I towel dry mine and put in leave-in conditioner. For the most part my hair is somewhere between straight and wavy but what's new and odd is my bangs curl up, 4-5 locks in quarter size curls. It looks kind of weird almost like I intentionally curl them. I also use a smoothing serum for the frizz. I'm interested to see if all of my hair gets curly over time.

Link to comment
13 hours ago, ElizabethStar said:

Since I started coloring it I've only been washing once a week and usually forget to condition in between. I towel dry mine and put in leave-in conditioner. For the most part my hair is somewhere between straight and wavy but what's new and odd is my bangs curl up, 4-5 locks in quarter size curls. It looks kind of weird almost like I intentionally curl them. I also use a smoothing serum for the frizz. I'm interested to see if all of my hair gets curly over time.

Liz, did you find that your hair changed subtly over time? Your hair sounds lovely!

I'm curious if something like that will happen during my transition. I look at my mother's hair and hers has a slight natural wave to it, I wonder if that will happen to my own hair as it grows longer and with more time on HRT.

Also I'm curious if a leave-in conditioner would be better for me than a normal one. The brand I've been using makes both.

 

Love,

~Audrey.

Link to comment

@AudreyIt's been changing slowly since I start hrt. If my hair keeps getting curlier, at this rate, by this time next year my hair will look like Bernadette Peters.       

Link to comment
2 hours ago, ElizabethStar said:

@AudreyIt's been changing slowly since I start hrt. If my hair keeps getting curlier, at this rate, by this time next year my hair will look like Bernadette Peters.       

?

She has beautiful hair if you like curls, so maybe that's a good thing!

 

Love,

~Audrey.

Link to comment

Here is my natural hair with curls.  I have been following the Curly Girl Method and found that my hair is type 3a with low porosity.  So it is eaitenial to keep my hair hydrated.

PXL_20201130_165047501.jpg

Link to comment

@AuroraThose are some beautiful curls! I will definitely check out the Curly Girl Method videos and book even though I have very straight hair... I still feel like I could learn a lot frm them about nurturing hair. Curious what products you've found that help with hydration?

 

Love,

~Audrey.

Link to comment

This is the second time I have grown my hair out.  The first time it grew out straight and light brown.  I had it dyed auburn once a month.  I loved the color.  When the roots started showing gray I figured it was time to stop the dye job.  But, geez did my hair grow fast back then.  It was shoulder length in less that a years and halfway down my back in another.  I'm sorry to say I got it all cut off in a pique, using "finding a job" as a reason.  So here I am growing it out again.  It's growing a lot slower and it's getting even more gray.  Right now it's at that unmanageable length just past the ears where, no matter what you try, no hair style looks any good.  Not being able to see a stylist doesn't help.  I'm hoping by the time I'm post-vaccine that it will at least be down to my shoulders.

Link to comment
6 hours ago, LaurenA said:

Right now it's at that unmanageable length just past the ears where, no matter what you try, no hair style looks any good.  Not being able to see a stylist doesn't help.  I'm hoping by the time I'm post-vaccine that it will at least be down to my shoulders.

I'm entering this stage of hair growth myself right now. While I share the frustration about all the things that the pandemic has made harder - I'm sort of happy that I can work remotely and stay more at home while my hair gets longer to the point where I can style it for real. Something I'm very much looking forward to!

 

Love,

~Audrey.

Link to comment
  • 4 weeks later...

i had my 13 year old mtf daughter take biotin when she started to transition in March of last year. she grew about 10 inches of hair length so far and is has really worked out well. I took her to my stylist in late December to have her hair done and I can tell she felt more confident in her transition as a girl. I would highly recommend biotin, it really helped my daughter. 

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

@MomTGDaughter

I swear by Biotin (Vitamin B7). My hair has grown so fast and I love what it has done for my hair, skin and especially my nails. That was a good choice. I had to get off my supplements temporarily for a recent surgery but I am anxious to get home and restart my daily vitamin regimen. I’m glad your daughter is also seeing nice results. 

 

Susan R?

Link to comment

@MomTGDaughter and @Susan R So true! I take a women's multi-vitamin that has quite a bit of biotin in it among other things. I think it's playing a role in how full and healthy my hair is becoming. People are commenting about how much hair I have so the effect must be quite noticeable to others even if it's too subtle for me to see day to day.

Glad to hear biotin is helping your daughter too. I'm sure she's so grateful to have a loving parent like you on her journey, and I hope she's happy with her new hairstyle after last month's appointment!

 

Love,

~Audrey.

Link to comment

I've been taking biotin for a couple weeks so far.  Also using a biotin shampoo and rinse.  My only hope is for better nails since my hair has grown from a crew cut to collar length since last march while I can't stop my fingernails from developing splits.  Even LED polishes don't help.  Here's hoping :)

 

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

I shaved my head for the pandemic because I could not get to the barbers, now that I have decided to transition, do I buy a wig until I can grow it out or just bite the bullet(and save the money) and grow it out? I have some time before I start HRT, my hair is super straight, no curls, the last time I wore it long was 20 years ago. The style I want is fairly short but will require product to do what I want because my hair just lays flat. The picture is the style I am thinking of and a wig I found online

RP_Lizzy_MochaccinoR_525x700.webp

Link to comment

Pixie cuts are cute but you probably wouldn't need it for too long before your hair grows longer than the wig.

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Wigs are a good stop gap for those with hair to grow.  Hair generally grows about a half inch per month so it wouldn't be long for your hair to be where you can manage it comfortably.  

Link to comment

I will admit I didn't read all the replies, so if I repeat any thing I'm sorry.

 

I don't think you really have to find a trans friendly salon in today's world. Woman, or gay men typically don't care. whats matters is you are comfortable. If not find one till you are. Once you find one you like don't move. They sorta become a sister to you the more you see them. 

 

Yes she or he will ask a lot of questions, and that is typical. Believe me they don't care About your gender. They care about the hair, so they tend to ask personal questions with out you knowing. Like what do you do for living, what's your hair care routine etc. Its so they know how to help you maintain it and so they can cut it. So its maybe easier for you to take care if it. Like for me. I work in a hot sweaty factory. Which tends to dry out my hair. Mine dosn't go all out yet. Because she knows it gets tied back most of the day, and I don't have time to do any thing with it. 

 

Expect a akward phase for about two years. Nothing you can really do about that. It just takes that long for hair to grow to a length. Where you can start playing with different styles other then a pixie. 

 

I also suggest learning how to take care of it. Its not like male hair. Where you can use dish soap to wash it. Get ready to spend 40 bucks for shampoo and conditioner, and what ever else you might need. I know when I went on hrt. My hair went from a hard oily mess. To less oil, and softer. Let your hair air dry also after a shower as munch as you can. 

 

I can't give munch advice on hair texture. Because I don't even know which one is my real texture. Right now is almost straight with a slight wave. Because of the dryness of winters. Come April may. My hair becomes wavy/curly. Because of the humidity. 

 

Enjoy the journey. It will be frustrating a lot of times, but find a good hair person, and enjoy your hair.

 

Link to comment
5 hours ago, Red_Lauren. said:

I don't think you really have to find a trans friendly salon in today's world. Woman, or gay men typically don't care. whats matters is you are comfortable. If not find one till you are. Once you find one you like don't move. They sorta become a sister to you the more you see them. 

I think I found my hairstylist, in fact it was unexpected... my electrologist said in my last session with her that her sister does it for a living and would be happy to work with me! So I talked to her on Zoom and made a plan to go see her in a few more months when she feels she could do more with my hair. By then it will be almost a year since my last short haircut, and given how fast my hair is growing, I'm pretty excited about my upcoming makeover!

 

5 hours ago, Red_Lauren. said:

I also suggest learning how to take care of it. Its not like male hair. Where you can use dish soap to wash it. Get ready to spend 40 bucks for shampoo and conditioner, and what ever else you might need. I know when I went on hrt. My hair went from a hard oily mess. To less oil, and softer. Let your hair air dry also after a shower as much as you can. 

I'm embarrassed to admit what the most caustic thing I've ever used to wash my hair was. Never again! Now I'm an Aveda girl through and through, and my hair looks and feels so much healthier for it. I do blow dry though, but I avoid high-heat settings. Texture-wise, it's still fine and arrow-straight, no noticeable change since starting HRT, but we'll see what the more humid months bring next summer.

 

Love,

~Audrey.

Link to comment

Was it gasoline? I had an incident while changing the clutch on an old Datsun. My hair was down to the middle of my back at the time and I ended up with a whole transmission worth of gear oil soaked into it. There was just so much oil dripping everywhere. Tried to wring it out but no use. I panicked and grabbed the gas can. Thankfully my land lord saw what was happening and stopped me before I got too far into it, she gave me a bottle of Dawn dish soap. I don't know how I survived my 20s.

Link to comment

@ElizabethStar Oh no, that sounded like it was a disaster! As long as we're sharing stories... it was powdered laundry detergent (Tide, to be exact). Not one of my smartest moments. It took weeks to get the smell out of my hair and there was definitely some damage to the texture and color.

 

Love,

~Audrey.

Link to comment
9 hours ago, Red_Lauren. said:

 

I also suggest learning how to take care of it. Its not like male hair. Where you can use dish soap to wash it. Get ready to spend 40 bucks for shampoo and conditioner, and what ever else you might need.

Thanks for the advice, I am just getting started. I am just about out of my male product, my plan is next week on my trip to Target getting shampoo, conditioner, women’s deodorant and Biotin w/collagen supplements (my nails are atrocious) back when I wore my hair long I just let it air dry I knew even as a boy that high heat was bad news for hair. I will have a while before I need a stylist but a friend of my daughter is one I plan on talking to.

Link to comment

@ElizabethStar Maybe at first it wasn't so bad smelling like clean laundry, but Tide gets noxious and probably toxic after a while. The other thing is I had dandruff-like flakes falling out, which was probably my scalp protesting my stupidity. Yes, younger me did some dumb things but somehow I'm still here.

 

@BillieB Good luck with your shopping trip! You might experiment with a few different products over time to see which ones help the most with your hair. Travel size ones give you a chance to do so while spending less money, something I learned too late after buying full size ones that I ended up not liking. The standard size of what I use now (Aveda cherry almond shampoo and conditioner) cost just under $40 for both and last me about six to eight weeks, less now that my hair is longer. Getting guidance from your daughter's friend is a great idea for the future!

 

Love,

~Audrey.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Who's Online   5 Members, 0 Anonymous, 122 Guests (See full list)

    • KathyLauren
    • Abigail Genevieve
    • SamC
    • April Marie
    • Ashley0616
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      80.6k
    • Total Posts
      767.9k
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      12,014
    • Most Online
      8,356

    Quillian
    Newest Member
    Quillian
    Joined
  • Today's Birthdays

    1. l.demiurge
      l.demiurge
  • Posts

    • KathyLauren
      One of our cats is polydactyl.  He has 7 toes on each front paw and 5 on each back paw, for 24 toes total.   Another one, an ex-feral who, at the time, was free to roam, climbed 50 feet up a tree without having any thought about how he was going to get down.  His pal climed down backwards, but he couldn't.  He ended up coming down by leaping from branch to branch.  Which nearly gave us heart attacks, because he only has one eye and therefore has no depth perception.   The other ex-feral (both are now indoor cats) obviously does not have those soft pads on his feet.  At night, when we are in bed, we can hear him stomping around the house.
    • Abigail Genevieve
      The two o'clock Onshoring meeting was going well.  Taylor was leading, inviting other people up to speak on their specialties. Aerial photogrammetry and surveying, including the exact boundary, were out for contract signature  Gibson had handled that - Manufacturing was supposed to, but somehow hadn't happened.  Legal issues from Legal. Accounting reported on current costs, including all upkeep, guard salaries, etc.  Manufacturing was supposed to give those numbers, but they hadn't.   The downside was the VP of Manufacturing.  He had arrived at the meeting red-faced, his tie askew, clutching a bottle. It smelled strongly of vodka. He had never done anything in his twenty years of being VP of Manufacturing, and he did not like being asked now.   "Mr. ----, do you have the inventory we asked for?" Taylor asked politely.  VP Gibson had asked him to have his people go through the plant and not only inventory but assess the operational status of every piece of equipment.  They needed to know what they had. "I'm not going to take any f---- orders from a g-d- tra---," he snarled. "God knows what kind of perverts it has dragged into our fair city and bangs every night." "That is completely out of line." That was Gibson.  Taylor controlled herself.  That was a shot at Bob, not just at Taylor.  She was glad Bob was not there to do something stupid.  Had Mrs. McCarthy been talking? What had she said?  Was she given to embellishment?  Taylor took a deep breath. "I'm not sorry.  You f--- can take this stupid onshoring --- and shove it up your -" "That is quite enough."  This was the head of HR. "You can take your sissy ways and sashay -" "You are fired." "You can't fire me." "Oh, yes I can," said the office manager.  The VP took another swig from his bottle. "Try it."  He looked uncertain. "I will have you removed.  Are you going to leave on your own?  I am calling the police to help you leave." And he dialed the number. He stomped out cursing. They heard him noisily go down the hall.  This was the front conference room.  He actually went through security and out the door, throwing his badge on the ground on his way.  The guard picked it up. They could see this through the glass wall. "Can you fire a VP?" "The Board told me that if anyone gives me problems they should be shown the door. Even a VP.  I can fire everyone here. I won't, of course. Those were problems." "Are you alright, Taylor?" She nodded.  "I've heard worse.  Shall we continue?" And they did.   The last item was that certain business people in China had been arrested, and the corporation that had been supporting them all these years had been dissolved.  They were on their own, and the Board was dead serious on straightening things out.  After this meeting, Taylor believed it.  She did not attend the meeting to discuss how to distribute the few duties the VP of Manufacturing had done.  That was ultimately up to the Board.    
    • Abigail Genevieve
      Lunch was at Cabaret, still free.  The place was quiet: it was the sort of place you took a business client to impress them, and the few other people were in business suits.  Most of the legal profession was there.   She told him of the morning's frustrations, breaking her own rule about confidentiality.  She asked Karen how the branding was going, and Karen had snapped back that she had not started on it yet - they had all these proposals.  Taylor had explained that it was important, for the two o'clock meeting, and Karen told her to do it herself.  Karen pointed out that Taylor could not touch her - her uncle was on the Board and her brother was VP of Manufacturing.  Nor would the two computer guys go out to the plant - they were playing some kind of MMORPG and simply not available. If she wanted the pictures, she should go.  Mary prayed an Ave Maria, but both she and Brenda were racing to get the proposal out. The client wanted it Friday for review.   She didn't bring up what Mrs. McCarthy had told her.  She wasn't sure how to approach it.  She thought of telling her of a 'something more comfortable' she had bought in case he ever DID show up at her door. It was in the bottom drawer of her dresser, ready to go.  Instead she talked about moving to a place with a garage.  Several of the abandoned houses had one, and they had been maintained well with China cash.   Bob had finally realized that when he was introduced as Bob, Taylor's boyfriend, that was just how things were done here. Other people had introduced each other in terms of family relationships, which were strong.  Long before you found out anything else about someone, you knew how they were related.  Family kept people from leaving Millville.    "What is the real name of this town, anyway?"   She laughed.  "I am trying to find that out.  It's 'Welcome to Millvale' when you come into town from the north, and 'Welcome to Millville' on the south.  I have counted two other variants."   "What a town. Roosevelt is like that, with the families, but there is only one spelling."  
    • Ashley0616
      Nothing wrong with that. I'm glad that you found what makes you happy! Just curious what does your wife think? If it's too personal I understand.
    • Ashley0616
    • Ashley0616
      – According to a recent survey, the most popular name for a dog is Max. Other popular names include Molly, Sam, Zach, and Maggie.
    • Ashley0616
    • Ashley0616
      Either new environment/ not potty trained
    • Abigail Genevieve
      Bob was on his way home from the dojo and he "just happened" to driver by her place. It was 10:30.  Her light was still on.  He knew exactly where she was sitting.  He saw her in his mind.   A fierce wave of desire that took his breath away suddenly showed up. All he had to do was stop, get out of the car, walk to the door and knock.  She would answer, glad to see him.  She would know why he was there and what he wanted. She would invite him in, maybe get him something to drink, disappear for a moment and return in "something more comfortable."  She would lead him back. Oh, joy.   And never, ever speak to him again afterwards.  Or she would not let him in but be angry about it.  In no way, emotionally, physically, mentally or spiritually, was she ready for this, and he knew it, if he was honest with himself, and she knew he knew it.  She would look upon it as another assault and their relationship would be irretrievably broken.  He would have to leave town. It would devastate her. It would devastate him.    He fought himself.  He was frozen to his seat as his reason and his body fought. He was twenty four years old, a full-blooded male with normal desires; he had just worked out and he was ready.  All he had to do now was open the car door. No one would know. He held his hands, one in the other, to keep one from moving, against his reason and will, to open that door.  He did not want to be a slave of his desires.   He looked across the street.  Mrs. McCarthy, sister of his landlord, was peeking though her window.  She knew his car.  Everyone in town would know by noon the next day if he got out of the car.  Taylor did not need that, either, and she would know, if he came to the door now, what a selfish thing it would be: in his own eyes, in the eyes of Taylor, in the eyes of the town, and worst of all, in the eyes of God.   He sat there a moment longer.  He was, as he reflected, entering into her sufferings in a small way that she would be made whole, healthy and happy: what he wanted more than anything.  But this hurt.  Why had all this come on her?  He asked God again, but there was only silence. He drove home in that silence. He chided himself for even going on her street and for driving on it other nights.  He would stop that, he told himself.   ------------------------------------------   The next morning Taylor went out to her car to go to work.  Mrs. McCarthy met her before she got to it. "I thought you were going to get lucky last night, dearie," she said. Taylor was puzzled. "Why, what do you mean?" "That young fellow - you know, Bob - he's been driving around here, going up and down the street some nights, not stopping.  Well, last night he parked and sat in his car for a while.   I think he was staring at your window.  I think he was trying to get up the courage to knock on the door. I was rooting for him.   But then he drove away.  Faint heart never won fair lady, as they say. What a shame. You two are a lovely couple.  Well, have a good day!" "Thank you, Mrs. McCarthy."  Taylor knew Bob extremely well and knew what had been going through his mind.  She was more than grateful he had not gotten out of the car. Better for him, better for her, better for everybody.  Surgery "down there" sooner than later.  This was driving the poor boy crazy. It was driving her crazy, too.  But she had a lot to work through. Surgery "up here" she said, pointing to her head.  She woke up her therapist on the way to work.  They were still talking when she pulled into her designated parking spot.  That was a perk that had happened yesterday.  She took a deep breath and headed into work. It would be another wild day.
    • Ashley0616
      bittersweet: especially : pleasure accompanied by suffering or regret
    • Abigail Genevieve
      I'm thinking about some interactions yesterday I did, while presenting as male but acting as female, that were far better than I did when I was presenting as male and acting as male.  #girlunderhood. I do a crappy job at acting as male and I am giving it up.  I am not talking about feminine gestures or presentation but just relating as a woman.  People don't realize I am doing it but it is a whole lot easier to do.   You don't just put on a dress and BOOM you are a girl.  You are a girl and you put on a dress.  Or not. Whether I am in jeans or a skirt (I wish, wife would have lots to say) I am a girl.  I don't need $250 in makeup and heels and hose and all that.  I don't need surgery. Honey, I have arrived.  Now I have to work out how that best works in my life, causing the minimal damage and creating the maximum good, but I have more working room.   Oh, and I am still pissed off at everyone and everything. #Contradictory.
    • awkward-yet-sweet
      @Willow it is certainly possible that my husband planned it. Placing me in the path of an opportunity....he certainly does things like that. GF has done some work for the company as an outside consultant, so I'm sure the company owner knows what potential resources are around.    It could also have just happened randomly. He has taken me to work with him before, just because he likes to have me around. I remember one time that I fell asleep with my head in his lap, and he held a meeting with his subordinates without waking me and making me move.  The company culture is family oriented and relaxed.
    • Abigail Genevieve
      The photo is great.  Software is phenomenal but it also is sort of a promise of things to come. Years ago this sort of thing took a photographer and Photoshop and all sorts of things and you would say, "I can look like THIS??"   Me, I am a duck.  That's from my driver's license.  Just kidding.
    • MaeBe
      I lucked into that picture. I took like 10 before that, which appropriately make me look like a donkey. ;)   Thank you so much for the compliment!
    • Mmindy
      You're welcome Sally,   Hugs,   Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋

Contact TransPulse

TransPulse can be contacted in the following ways:

Email: Click Here.

To report an error on this page.

Legal

Your use of this site is subject to the following rules and policies, whether you have read them or not.

Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
DMCA Policy
Community Rules

Hosting

Upstream hosting for TransPulse provided by QnEZ.

Sponsorship

Special consideration for TransPulse is kindly provided by The Breast Form Store.
×
×
  • Create New...