Many Transition Questions

[Guest Scarfy]

Alright, so, I keep peeking back in this forum from time to time, for no real reason... Now I'm giving myself a reason to do so, I guess. Also, if these are being posted to the wrong forum, please redirect. Some of the questions have to do with surgeries also, but I figured since they all revolve around passing, this would be the best place to post them.

I have a bunch of questions considering transitioning. I'm never going to see myself as female unless I go all out, and if for any reason my criteria isn't met, I'm not going to bother and I'll continue trying to live as I am now. I'm asking here instead of searching around because I lose motivation quickly, and gathering multiple opinions is the most effective method of forming my own conclusion.

• Voice training is an unsatisfactory solution for me. I don't want to sound steretypically feminine, or worst case sound like a stereotypical homosexual male. I think surgery would be the only reliable solution, so I'd like some opinions on people who have had such surgery.
  
• Are there many skeletal surgeries available? I've read of facial reconstruction surgery, and I'd like to know about peoples' experiences with this. I'm guessing it has something to do with jawline/chin and brow adjustment. Are broad shoulders a skeletal trait? Can anything be done about this? Information pertaining to hip/pelvic surgeries available would also be useful.
  
• Considering HRT, I've read that it doesn't do much for facial hair, but it does drastic changes to other bodily hair, as well as paling of the skin, and other things. More details would be appreciated.
  
• Does SRS do its job very well? Obviously female gentialia can't be 100% duplicated, and I know that appearance is seemingly flawless, but how do they hold up considering nerves, etc? Is it just a numb pocket, or... how does it work? And I've read that vaginal depth is 5 inches? Is this true, and why? I'm no anatomical genius(far from it), so any details would be appreciated
  
• I've heard of electrolysis hair removal. How does this work, exactly, and what are costs generally like? This is something I could do even now which wouldn't have a huge impact on my appearance(as opposed to, say, having breasts while still appearing male).

Breasts don't seem to be a major issue so I'm not very concerned with that.

That's all I can think of for now. I'll add more as I think of them.

[Guest Mickey]

The only thing I can comment on, from first hand experience, is the HRT effects on facial hair and body hair. It did slow down the facial hair, drastically. Before HRT I could have a full beard of at least 1/8 of an inch in a week, easy. Now it would take at least 2 weeks to get that long, maybe more. And I started Spiro on Jan. 12 and Estradiol Jan. 31 of this year. My body hair growth has also slowed down, tremendously. I am so very happy with the results so far I can hardly wait to see what is coming.

My new endo just doubled my dosage last Thursday so I think things are going to progress a little more quickly now maybe. Either way, fast or slow, I am on my way and loving every bit of the journey so far.

[Guest So-kool]

electrolysis: they stick a tiny needle into your hair folicle and zap the root. ( think electrified acupuncture) The feeling is similar to getting a tattoo in intensity of pain ( bareable but not pleasant .... Unless you like that sort of thing I suppose. ) Most charge per hour and simply broken down it equated to somewhere between $1.00 - $2.00 per hair or $1.50 a hair as a nice middle budget number. It leaves small red dots at treatment site. Similar to razor burn from shaving. These heal and clear up after about a week.

Risks include infection and scars among other and I have not experienced any to date.

An entire hour of treatment on myself addresses approx 1"x2" area of my face. Hair folicle density

is a variable factor in area treatment size per session. I consider my folicle density equal to average Male (25-45 yrs old)

Side note: laser is more efficient for dark hairs but all lasers are not created equal!! And price varies greatly with laser.

[Charlize]

I have not experienced nor do i know anyone who has had surgery for skeletal changes nor for changing the voice. I have found that even though i may not be structured or able to speak as a woman i can certainly live as myself without anyone noticing including myself at this point. My GD simply does not need that kind of change.

You might want to read through the surgeries forum to discover more information on the availability and satisfaction with surgery. Many of us live as female for a good bit of time before surgery. Many find that surgery is not necessary or possible for various reasons. All these procedures are relatively new. The 20th century gave us certain procedures but people have been trans as long as their have been people.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Paula ult]

Alright, so, I keep peeking back in this forum from time to time, for no real reason... Now I'm giving myself a reason to do so, I guess. Also, if these are being posted to the wrong forum, please redirect. Some of the questions have to do with surgeries also, but I figured since they all revolve around passing, this would be the best place to post them.

I have a bunch of questions considering transitioning. I'm never going to see myself as female unless I go all out, and if for any reason my criteria isn't met, I'm not going to bother and I'll continue trying to live as I am now. I'm asking here instead of searching around because I lose motivation quickly, and gathering multiple opinions is the most effective method of forming my own conclusion.

• Voice training is an unsatisfactory solution for me. I don't want to sound steretypically feminine, or worst case sound like a stereotypical homosexual male. I think surgery would be the only reliable solution, so I'd like some opinions on people who have had such surgery.

• Are there many skeletal surgeries available? I've read of facial reconstruction surgery, and I'd like to know about peoples' experiences with this. I'm guessing it has something to do with jawline/chin and brow adjustment. Are broad shoulders a skeletal trait? Can anything be done about this? Information pertaining to hip/pelvic surgeries available would also be useful.

• Considering HRT, I've read that it doesn't do much for facial hair, but it does drastic changes to other bodily hair, as well as paling of the skin, and other things. More details would be appreciated.

• Does SRS do its job very well? Obviously female gentialia can't be 100% duplicated, and I know that appearance is seemingly flawless, but how do they hold up considering nerves, etc? Is it just a numb pocket, or... how does it work? And I've read that vaginal depth is 5 inches? Is this true, and why? I'm no anatomical genius(far from it), so any details would be appreciated

• I've heard of electrolysis hair removal. How does this work, exactly, and what are costs generally like? This is something I could do even now which wouldn't have a huge impact on my appearance(as opposed to, say, having breasts while still appearing male).

Breasts don't seem to be a major issue so I'm not very concerned with that.

That's all I can think of for now. I'll add more as I think of them.

If you go in thinking you will look like a runway model you have too high of expectations and will probably be disappointed, look around, women come in all shapes and sizes, some are tall, short, have deep voices, large hands, feet shoulders etc but they are women, why, because the way they carry themselves.

Most people can achieve very good results without voice surgery but it takes lots and lots of practice, voice surgery just raises your pitch, you still have to practice inflections and such.

Other than facial surgery i have not heard of making shoulders smaller, over time shoulders may get smaller due to muscle loss from HRT, hips can not be changed but there are booty implants to make them look bigger.

Hrt usually does not affect facial hair, though it may make it lighter, body hair usually gets lighter and thinner and your shin will get softer, over time fat will redistribute to make your face a bit more feminine looking.

If you have dark hair and light skin laser hair removal may work for you, it is mush faster and cheaper than electrolysis which can take years, i had over 120 hours of electrolysis, costs vary, i have heard costs from $65.00 an hour up to $120.00 an hour, i had 8 months of laser and it did a good job removing the dark hairs but i had many grey/white and had to do electrolysis.

SRS is quite advanced these days and yes it does it's job very well , nerves reattach over time, depth depends on several factors, amount of material there is to work with (penis/scrotum size) and physical makeup of the area, 5" to 7" depth outcome is fairly normal.

Paula

[Carolyn Marie]

Hello, Scarfy. The other replies covered some of your questions, and all were quite good. I'll try to provide some additional detail, below.

.

• Voice training is an unsatisfactory solution for me. I don't want to sound steretypically feminine, or worst case sound like a stereotypical homosexual male. I think surgery would be the only reliable solution, so I'd like some opinions on people who have had such surgery.

I don't know a lot about surgery to modify the voice. What I have heard is that it does not guarantee success, and carries risks of side effects, including damage to vocal chords. Others may have more knowledge of this.

• Are there many skeletal surgeries available? I've read of facial reconstruction surgery, and I'd like to know about peoples' experiences with this. I'm guessing it has something to do with jawline/chin and brow adjustment. Are broad shoulders a skeletal trait? Can anything be done about this? Information pertaining to hip/pelvic surgeries available would also be useful.

FFS is fairly common, and there are many surgeons who specialize in it. It can be minor (nose reduction) or very major (involving changes to the jaw, forehead, cheeks, and chin). Prices vary greatly by type of procedure. There are many web sites to search for more information, some of which will, for a fee, allow you to submit a photo and get a computer generated image of what your face might look like post-surgery.

• Considering HRT, I've read that it doesn't do much for facial hair, but it does drastic changes to other bodily hair, as well as paling of the skin, and other things. More details would be appreciated.

There are many posts about this in the HRT Effects Forum, and on the web at such sites as TS Road Map, and here in the WPATH Standards of Care document: http://www.wpath.org/site_page.cfm?pk_association_webpage_menu=1351

• Does SRS do its job very well? Obviously female gentialia can't be 100% duplicated, and I know that appearance is seemingly flawless, but how do they hold up considering nerves, etc? Is it just a numb pocket, or... how does it work? And I've read that vaginal depth is 5 inches? Is this true, and why? I'm no anatomical genius(far from it), so any details would be appreciated

Most people I've spoken with are very satisfied with their GRS. Vaginal depth varies on the patient and the surgeon. There is no one result. There is much more information in the Transsexual Surgeries Forum.

• I've heard of electrolysis hair removal. How does this work, exactly, and what are costs generally like? This is something I could do even now which wouldn't have a huge impact on my appearance(as opposed to, say, having breasts while still appearing male).

Breasts don't seem to be a major issue so I'm not very concerned with that.

That's all I can think of for now. I'll add more as I think of them.

I hope that helps, hon.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Scarfy]

If you go in thinking you will look like a runway model you have too high of expectations and will probably be disappointed, look around, women come in all shapes and sizes, some are tall, short, have deep voices, large hands, feet shoulders etc but they are women, why, because the way they carry themselves.

Most people can achieve very good results without voice surgery but it takes lots and lots of practice, voice surgery just raises your pitch, you still have to practice inflections and such.

I should have specified; I want to be both female in gender and in sex.

Inflections are irrelevant when somebody born female sex can speak in monotone and still be easily identified as female.

Thanks for the replies so far, everybody.

[KathrynJulia]

Hi Scarfy

Most Universities with a medical school also have Speech Therapy School. I went one semester and recorded my sessions. I pull them out from time to time and practice my feminine speach. I have light blond hair so laser won't work for me. Electrolysis is $60.00 an hour where I live and I've had about 100 hours. I need another 50 to 100 hours to be totally cleaned of facial hair. I've had Facial Feminization Surgery. It included forehead moved forward. Brow removal, nose surgery, Lip surgery and lipo in my neck. I had a small b cup after 18 months of HRT so I had breast augmentation. Upon return I had a nice C cups, my doctor really upped my Estrogen and I'm now a double D cup, whoops.

I'm having SRS in 6 weeks. It's a tough surgery with very good results. Good enough to fool most doctors that you weren't born with a vagina and it is functional sexually or not depending how you feel. Not everyone wants SRS. About 1 in 5 have the surgery.. HRT is going to physically change your body over time. Your face will change, broad shoulders shrink from muscle loss and my feet shrunk by one shoe size. . Eventually you will reach what we refer to as male fail where people will begin to identify you as female. hold doors for you. wait for you to enter and exit first and start maming you.

Will you be a runway modle, at an airport maybe. I'm 5'9" and have met more women who tower over me. Woman are growing bigger these days and come in every size imaginable. Will you be 5'3" tall and 110 to 120 lbs, probably not. Will you be an attreactive woman? How much work do you want to put into it. Applying and wearing makeup is a skill. Most woman take 30 minutes to put on their face and those are the skilled ones. It take me 45 minutes to an hour longer to get ready as a woman than it did as a man.

I grew up learning womans fashion from my mother when I was young and I dressed manikins in her Dress Store, so putting together combinations of clothes that go together are second nature for me. For you, I recommend you spend a couple dozen hours at the mall 4 or 5 times a year studying what woman are wearing and how they wear it. And what you wear for casual wear is different than a more formal affair. Also study what they wear at a resteraunt. Hair styles so you at least have an idea of the style you like. And note jewelry and accessories and how they wear it.

All of this is of course expensive, so you need a decent job to pay for it. Have I scared you enough? Well, I love living my life as a woman. I'm proud to be a woman. I love to wear colors and have options. Shortly after I started taking Estrogen, my doctor asked me how I felt. For the first time in my life, I felt calm and it was a wonderful feeling instead of feeling anxious. I love feeling emotion and being able to cry during a sad movie. I love my feminine appearance and take pride in it. I love wearing nail polish on my fingers and toes. I love my breasts to and they are now an important part of me.

If you think you can feel and handle the things I have outlined. If you love waking up to feeling like a woman and its what you've dreamed of for most of your whole life, then you will finish the journey. You may be happy living somewhere in the middle or just feeling feminine some of the time. You need to start seeing a gender therapist. They will help you sort out where in the Gender coninuum you belong. I hope I spurred you to think. Putting on a little makeup and a dress and a little estrogen won't make you a woman. Being a woman comes from inside of you. You really don't have doubt's about who you are. I feel as much a woman inside as my sister does and she's seen it in me since we played as very young kids. I hope I've been a help to you and maybe helped you to make up your mind of what you want. Kathy