Questions for those taking Testosterone

[Kalvin]

Hey all, I’m considering beginning HRT sometime in the future, specifically testosterone and I had a few questions for anyone who has experience in the area. I know it depends on the person and their family history but do those who start T always experience hair loss? This is one of the main reasons I’m hesitating starting because my hair is such a source of my confidence. Also, is there anyone on here who takes low dose T and has less of the “negative” side effects? Thanks!

 

-Kalvin

[Jackie C.]

Just a reminder to anyone who posts on this thread: We do not list specific dosages here. Play nice everybody!

 

Hugs!

[A. Dillon]

I haven't started to take T yet, but as I think about that day every second of my life, I am aware of many of the side effects. T will change your hairline, it recedes to a more rectangular shape instead of being more soft. You will also start to grow facial hair, with all of your existing hair becoming darker and thicker. However, later in life, the same chemical that is attributed to these changes can cause you to be more prone to hair loss. It all has to do with family history though, my dad has a full (maybe too full, you can only see his eyes) head of hair at the age of fifty, with many relatives not losing their hair until they are 70+. It is not that you are going to immediately go bald though, you are simply becoming just as likely to go bald as your amab counterparts. You could look to sources like Jamie Dodger and other trans-masc youtubers for more information, this is simply my own knowledge on the topic. 

 

Also, many of the negative side effects of T, while not all, are just related to the negative side effects of being male. Men have a lower life expectancy, and are more prone to some diseases and afflictions than women. Make sure to talk to a gender therapist for a more detailed description, I wish you luck!

[Firenze]

As you’ve already got quite a bit of information about the effects, I want to add that low-dose T won’t make you immune to certain aspects (hair loss, deep voice, etc), it’ll just take a lot longer for those effects to occur.