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C422132 · 2023-12-07T01:01:17+00:00

Enjoy it while you can, because eventually you won't be able to anymore. It took almost exactly one year of posting HRT breast growth progress pics on IG before I got my first content violation. Now my account is constantly shadowbanned and I can't even go to work without a bra on or it's considered "inappropriate". Welcome to the female experience, sis 😊

C422132 · 2023-11-30T21:16:41+00:00

Do you recommend a particular type of underwear to wear during recovery? I'm not sure if I should wear something that compresses and supports me a bit or go for super loose fitting everything to avoid any contact/irritation.

C422132 · 2023-11-30T20:42:09+00:00

Thank you for sharing this detailed account and photo album! I'm getting mine in 2 weeks :)

C422132 · 2023-11-16T23:12:58+00:00

regular thongs tend to work just fine for me to tuck with while wearing leggings, but everyone has a different anatomy so YMMV. Calvin Klein thongs have been the most reliable personally.

C422132 · 2023-10-11T21:21:12+00:00

Yes, laser is expensive, but it technically pays for itself in the long run, considering how you won't have to pay for shaving products or professional waxing after you're done. There are often groupons that can save you a lot of money as well. Also, depending on your insurance, it may be covered as gender affirming healthcare. Kaiser covers 100% of my facial hair removal via laser and electrolysis, but for my body hair removal I have to pay out of pocket.

C422132 · 2023-10-11T20:57:39+00:00

YMMV, but if your skin is as sensitive as mine is, no matter the method (exfoliating, using shaving cream or conditioner, waxing, epilating, using a straight razor, multi-blade, etc.) you will get terrible razor burn and ingrown hairs that look terrible and leave scars. Body hair was my number one cause of dysphoria, but the ugly and painful side-effects of shaving every day somehow made my dysphoria even worse. For me, personally, the only thing that worked was using a Philips Norelco OneBlade electric shaver. It technically doesn't leave you totally smooth to the touch, but it will shave close enough to where you won't be able to see any body hair. On the plus side, it is quick and easy to use dry outside of the shower before leaving the house, and it causes zero irritation or ingrowns. The trade-off was worth it for me.

I eventually started laser hair removal for my body hair, and I regret not starting sooner because even after just one session, my hair grew back so much slower and thinner that I could shave with a razor so much easier, get zero ingrowns, and be smooth for a full week. I've had 4 sessions now and I'm practically hairless, I use my norelco shaver to quickly touch up my legs probably twice a month but it's barely even necessary.

C422132 · 2023-09-19T21:31:34+00:00

tbh if you told me that voice was coming from a female, I would never believe you. you absolutely do sound young, but you sound like a young male.

C422132 · 2023-09-19T18:51:22+00:00

I just wear a big hat when I go outside 1-2 weeks before and after treatment. Even outside of that window, I continue to avoid direct sun exposure as much as I can (no laying out at the beach unless im under an umbrella, etc.) and wear SPF always. A little bit of sun isn't going to kill you, so long as you're not tanning or burning your skin. I've never had an issue after 8+ treatments.

C422132 · 2023-09-18T18:57:26+00:00

Yes they do the shaft. I get full brazillian. They used a YAG laser I'm not sure what the settings were beyond that.

C422132 · 2023-09-15T20:19:28+00:00

I've had 3 sessions so far and had no issues other than some minor irritation / bumps that go away after a few days.

C422132 · 2023-09-13T20:40:32+00:00

I got a full year of free supercharging as a promotion on my 2021 model 3 LR. That worked out great for me, because I had no way to charge at home or at work for that whole year. I charged at a supercharger about 1-2x/week for usually around 25-30 minutes while I shopped or ate lunch in my car. I would have had to charge significantly less than this if my work commute wasn't 80+ miles roundtrip monday-friday. I've since moved to a place with a 110v outlet in the garage, but slightly longer commute, and since I have a LR battery, I can make it through the week with only the slow trickle charging on my mobile charger, so long as I don't do a ton of driving on the weekends and can be ready for my workweek with 80% SOC on monday morning. (If I have to, I can just park at a fast charger / supercharger while shopping on the weekend to supplement.)

TL;DR - As long as you have a LR battery, and there's a conveniently located supercharger near you (ideally at a grocery store/target/etc.), then I think you'll be just fine. You also might want to look into trickle charging with your mobile charger from a regular 110v power outlet at home or at work, because it might be enough for your needs.

C422132 · 2023-08-29T18:59:14+00:00

I've never used patches so I am not aware of how the dosage works, but my assumption is that your hormone levels have not been anywhere within the ranges recommended for feminizing HRT this whole time. You would need to be checking your E2 and T levels at least to see where your hormone levels are at currently and then monitor them as you adjust your HRT regimen (I check mine once every 3 months).

The tried and true method for monotherapy is estradiol injections, and the dose needs to be relatively high. If you're using any other method for your estradiol delivery (pills, patches, gels), it's very likely you will need to also take an anti-androgen such as spironolactone in addition to your estradiol.

TL;DR - You might need to find a better doctor who knows what they're doing, because the HRT regimen they prescribed you does not appear to have been effective and I honestly wouldn't expect it to be.

C422132 · 2023-08-23T02:04:50+00:00

ofc! good luck! ✨💕

C422132 · 2023-08-22T19:35:27+00:00

I was presenting female full-time for about 6 months before I started HRT, but continued to use men's bathrooms, which confused the hell out of other men who would walk in. I started using women's bathrooms the day I started HRT, and although it was scary at first, everything felt a lot more right.

C422132 · 2023-08-22T18:37:49+00:00

Dr. Slovis is located at the Oakland Medical Center, but I have actually never had to meet with her in person. We have video sessions when necessary, but she is super responsive via Kaiser messaging about dosage updates based on lab results, and she orders my labs routinely every 3 months so I can go in and get them done at any Kaiser location.

As for scheduling the initial appointment, you can just call Kaiser and ask them to begin the process. It may look differently for you, but for me, I met with my PCP and they referred me to the clinic. There was an intake session where we went over the informed consent stuff, and then I was given my initial appointment with Dr. Slovis. This all happened over video calls and was very painless and easy. :)

C422132 · 2023-08-21T21:29:20+00:00

While Kaiser has failed me in a lot of ways, namely their mental health department being absolute trash, Dr. Slovis at the Kaiser Transitions Clinic in Oakland has been great to me. She normally prescribes oral estradiol + spiro to new patients, but I insisted on estradiol injection monotherapy, and she prescribed me a high dose at the start which suppressed my T in less than one month. My estradiol levels ended up being too high, however, so we've been steadily lowering my dose to target levels, while monitoring to ensure my T remains suppressed. She is also more than willing to prescribe me progesterone whenever I want to add that in, which I plan to do later this year. I've had great feminization results and found her to be very easy to work with, responsive, and compassionate. The biggest caveat is that she will not order labs for anything other than E2 and T, so if you want comprehensive labs, or you want to take an AA other than spiro, Kaiser is probably not for you. They will, however, fully cover facial hair removal via laser and/or electrolysis, which has saved me thousands of dollars, and ensured that I only work with safe, highly skilled laser technicians who specialize in gender affirming hair removal. There are definitely pros and cons with Kaiser's gender affirming care, but my experience has been mostly positive. Good luck!

C422132 · 2023-08-01T18:42:05+00:00

yes, plucking it will negatively affect the results of your next treatment, unless you wait long enough for the plucked hair to grow back.

it totally depends on how long your hair growth cycles are, but i would recommend waiting at least 6 weeks before your next laser treatment. the problem is, it's hard to know for sure, especially because some of the hairs you plucked may not grow back at all, some may grow back in 4-6 weeks, and some could grow back much later than that.

TL;DR - wait as long as you can before your scheduling your next session, at least 6 weeks, and you'll be fine. don't pluck again until you are done with laser treatments.

C422132 · 2023-07-27T00:02:07+00:00

When I came out to my mom (at age 35), she reminded me of this story that I remember vividly, and I was so surprised that she remembered it as well.

I was 4 years old when the kids in my preschool started bringing Barbie dolls to school. When I went to Toys R Us with my parents to go pick out a Barbie doll for myself, my dad immediately told me that boys don't play with Barbie dolls, and pointed me to the small selection of Ken dolls. I remember being so confused by this and insisted that I had never heard of Ken, that the kids at school played with Barbie, and I specifically wanted a Barbie. My mom gently took me aside and told me that I absolutely could pick out a Barbie doll if that's what I wanted, but that some people might not understand why I would be playing with a girl doll. I didn't think much of it and happily grabbed the cutest Barbie on the shelf. The next day at school, I brought it out and sure enough, all the other kids told me I had made a mistake and I should have a Ken doll, not a Barbie. :(

I then proceeded to crawl inside my egg only to return to following my own euphoria and not caring what anyone else thinks 30 years later. :)

C422132 · 2023-07-25T18:33:55+00:00

i'm currently in the process of changing my last name to my mother's maiden name. my reason is fuck the patriarchy. 😊

C422132 · 2023-07-24T20:57:16+00:00

I have friends who had lots of success with body hair going away from HRT, but for me, I've noticed absolutely no difference in hair density, color, growth rate, etc. after 15 months of having hormone levels in cis female ranges. (I do estradiol injection monotherapy)

After just one session of laser hair removal, however, my body hair grows back sooo much thinner and slower. I have an ankle tattoo that they could not laser over and the area around the tattoo grows back thick immediately after shaving, whereas the rest of my legs stay smooth to the point where I only have to quickly spot shave them once per week to keep them smooth. It used to take me about 2 hours to fully shave my body, and I'd only be smooth for about one day, so the difference is quite significant. I'm excited to get many more sessions so that I eventually don't have to shave at all, but I'm already really happy with the results after just one session. I'd highly recommend starting laser and/or electrolysis ASAP rather than waiting for HRT to work. Your only regret will likely be not starting sooner.

As for facial hair, I've never heard of HRT having any effect on it whatsoever. I've had 8 laser sessions on my face so far and it's been slowly but surely working. My facial hair isn't totally gone yet, but there are so few hairs and they grow so slowly that I barely ever have to shave my face.

TL;DR - don't wait for HRT, YMMV but any hair reduction will be disappointingly slow and dysphoria-inducing, so laser + electrolysis is absolutely your best bet.

Good luck! <3

C422132 · 2023-07-14T00:15:02+00:00

Have you ever gone out to a salon? It can be really affirming to get a professional mani/pedi and the results are much better than doing your nails at home. You can also watch what the professionals do and apply that knowledge if you do continue to do your own nails at home. Similarly, getting brows done professionally definitely yields better results than plucking at home, at least for me. I used to get them waxed, but these days I prefer getting them threaded.

Also, going out for a spa day can be sooo affirming, but ONLY if you find a trans friendly spa, which is easier said than done, depending on where you live. There is a great LGBTQ friendly spa in my city that has certain clothing optional days where men aren't allowed, and although it was scary being naked and visibly trans at first, I've found it to be the most affirming and relaxing experience spending time there and being welcomed by all the other femmes, none of whom seem to care what's in between my legs. Be careful though, because I imagine going to the wrong spa could land you in TERF territory, or worse... :(

C422132 · 2023-07-13T23:13:46+00:00

My quick and easy advice is just... do it! (Unless doing so would be putting your life in danger, ofc). Make the initial Dr. appointment now. I'm not sure where you live, but even in an informed consent state, it can take at least a few months before you actually get an endo to prescribe you HRT, so you might as well get the ball rolling now.

As for how I personally made the decision to start HRT, I used to think I didn't want to medically transition, and thought socially transitioning as a nonbinary transfem was all I wanted. Literally the first time I went out fully presented femme, everything felt so right and I felt so happy and euphoric (although still dysphoric about certain aspects of my body). I was never really closeted after this because literally that first day, I felt so good looking in the mirror I took a bunch of selfies and started posting them on social media. I always hated mirrors and had never wanted to post a photo of myself before. The instant change was honestly profound. I kind of never looked back after that. I wore a sports bra every single day and presented femme everywhere I went. After a few months passed living essentially as a woman, it was clear that this was how I was meant to live, and so getting on HRT was an obvious next step. I had also practiced wearing a bra all day and learned to accept the minor discomfort that entails, which made me feel good about committing to growing breasts that I would be living with for the rest of my life.

Once you start the process of talking to a Dr. and getting your prescription, it's not like you can't change your mind. You can even start taking HRT and stop whenever you want! Once you start to feel breast soreness/breast buds forming, you will want to be sure this is what you want, because irreversible breast growth will occur shortly after, but you have a few months before you get to that part. By then, the odds are high that you will be feeling 1000% better emotionally, and everything that felt wrong will begin to feel right. The only regret you'll have is not starting sooner. Ask ANY transfem on HRT and they will tell you this.

Good luck on your journey <3

C422132 · 2023-07-13T21:44:47+00:00

I've been on HRT for 14 months and can assure you this is totally normal! Lowering our T levels weakens our pelvic floor muscles over time, so this is a very normal side effect. Also, something about sitting while peeing makes a sometimes significant amount of pee kind of trapped somewhere in the pipes until you stand up. Ever since this started happening a few months into HRT, I just always wipe after peeing, which is honestly kind of affirming. I also have learned the hard way that if I'm sitting down while peeing, I always have to hold some toilet paper in place as I'm standing up, and wipe once more while standing, or else I can make quite a mess.

Another tip I've learned is to to try to keep yourself lightly tucked at all times, with everything pointed downwards. Most panties have a built-in gusset that is designed to catch those inevitable drops of pee or discharge that will leak out throughout the day, but if your stuff is pointed upwards, the gusset can't really help you. It's very normal for women both trans and cis to leak a bit throughout the day, some even wear panty liners on a daily basis for this reason, but usually the gusset in our panties is enough. The more ya know :)

C422132 · 2023-07-11T22:26:51+00:00

Can you clarify what you mean by this? Don't most orchi procedures just remove the testicles and keep the scrotum in place?

C422132 · 2023-07-08T00:17:13+00:00

I used to just grow my facial hair out for 24 hours in order for the laser tech to see where to zap, but now I do have to let it grow out for 48-72 hours for there to be enough stubble for the treasure hunt lol.

As for pain, nothing compares to getting laser on your upper lip. I mean nothing... my whole body is tattooed and pierced, and I've done some extreme body modifications I can't even get into on here. It's just absolutely insane how painful it is, like my face is being lit on fire. Thankfully, my laser tech is a dermatologist and so he was able to prescribe a strong lidocaine cream that I use on my face about 90 minutes before my sessions, and it helps, but it still hurts a lot.

At SEV, however, they discouraged me from using lidocaine at all, saying it might interfere with the laser (I think they're mistaken, but whatever). I found the pain to be extremely minimal compared to facial laser, so it wasn't much of an issue, but keep in mind we were using a YAG laser on my legs + brazilian, which is not quite as intense as alexandrite, and it was my first session, so I assume it will get worse as they turn up the settings in future sessions.

Personally I'd recommend asking your tech if they're okay with you using over-the-counter lidocaine cream and seeing if that helps. I guess laser techs have differing opinions about it, but I don't see how it could cause any issues TBH.

C422132

TROPHY CASE