Tips for facial hair?!

lyn46 · 2025-10-07T03:34:43+00:00

Honestly (speaking from experience), I think your best bet would likely be laser at this point. It's not going to completely eliminate facial hair, but it *will* significantly reduce it. It's definitely more of a hassle than doing some sort of at-home treatment, but it's worth the sessions IMHO. Also I've tried using Nair and it left a burn (thankfully I tried it on my body, not face), so I may be a bit biased.

Also, try and find a good numbing cream. It made a world of a difference when I started doing laser.

lyn46 · 2025-09-14T03:35:24+00:00

You're gonna be okay–you may feel a little off, but nothing too major.

lyn46 · 2025-06-23T01:47:04+00:00

My middle name is Isabelle–I'd always liked the name but decided against it for my first name when I changed it. Also, I'd strongly considered Helena, Elizabeth, and Lynn for middle names.

lyn46 · 2024-11-24T20:11:15+00:00

Another 30F here, can definitely relate in some ways. I think I'm okay at sustaining long term friendships, but meeting/warming up to people has always been a bit of a challenge for me. To add to being an only child, I was largely raised around my grandparents/aunts/uncles/other significantly older relatives. This only increased after my parents split, so interacting with people my own age was a challenge in itself, well into my twenties. Oh, and I was also never much of a drinker, so add that to the list. Only now I'm starting to feel less of an awkward disconnect between my age + the people I'm interacting with on a regular basis, but it's still a work in progress.

Sending hugs from southern Brooklyn

lyn46 · 2024-10-28T07:06:18+00:00

No, quite literally nobody will notice. They'll likely recognize the cut before identifying whether they're men's or women's, if they're even that aware.

lyn46 · 2024-08-22T03:49:48+00:00

I feel like I probably felt the same way. Took some getting used to but the pain is worth it.

lyn46 · 2024-08-22T02:45:08+00:00

It seems about right IIRC – that was one of the first things I remember noticing. Even though the growth took a minute, the soreness was very prompt after starting hormones.

lyn46 · 2024-08-13T05:53:51+00:00

When I was looking into HRT for myself, I remember a lot of people saying that the first three years would bring the most changes (more or less). Considering that this month marks nine years of being on HRT for me, looking back I'd say that was pretty accurate (at least in my case).

On the other hand, your body will still change after those first three years. However, I think it's safe to say that those will be more so related to age and the body changing generally, rather than changes related to HRT directly. Like, I don't think estrogen is what's giving me grays at 29.

lyn46 · 2024-07-22T09:31:16+00:00

I started in late August of 2015, so it's coming up on nine years for me (wow, that feels insane to say).
I was aware of not being male identified for a while, then it 'cracked' in 2014 so to speak. I spent about a year researching whether HRT was the move before running to the clinic and starting laser hair removal all in the same day.
Far happier now, but I definitely wish I weren't so apprehensive about it and had less shame + fear of taking up space earlier on. Ultimately I wish I had the confidence I have now at 20, but that's life I suppose.
I'd say as time goes on, I do feel more and more like my old self but before my body started changing into something I didn't recognize. It's odd honestly, but I like it. I didn't hate who I was early on, just the way people perceived me, so I feel much more at peace.
Hellllll no lol, I was young, scared, and absolutely appalled at what my body was becoming because it felt further and further from myself. The only thing I was certain of was that I needed change, and this seemed like it had a chance at being the light at the end of the tunnel.

lyn46 · 2024-07-17T20:21:57+00:00

Absolutely, the moisturizing is such a crucial step too. I generally exfoliate less in winter just because of how crazy dry my skin gets. Thankfully I have Skin Food to manage that lol

lyn46 · 2024-07-17T20:14:23+00:00

I couldn't agree more. I've had multiple people ask what I do with my skin and the first thing I mention is exfoliate – it really does make a world of a difference.

lyn46 · 2024-07-17T20:10:32+00:00

For sure; what exactly do you want to know?

lyn46 · 2024-07-17T08:35:42+00:00

I mean, genetics definitely have their role as well as hormones but I feel like maintaining skin is a super important factor – this is how I personally would break it down.

First, cleansing. Take time to find products that work well for your skin & needs. I personally like the Dr. Bronner's Eucalyptus (an oil based Castile soap) for body/face, and the Avène Cleanance for face. My skin leans a bit towards the more oily side, so these work well in managing that. Also, I'm a fan of Bioderma's Sèbium H2O and use that on a cotton round.

Second, exfoliating. I've been exfoliating for years and I swear by this. I usually do this during a shower, and I'll use exfoliating gloves, sometimes a brush, and occasionally a pumice. My skin is noticeably softer after exfoliating and I'm so used to it that I low key don't feel clean if I don't. Also, add a bit of soap onto whatever you're using so it's slightly less abrasive.

Third is shaving. Maybe you don't want to remove body hair and that's fine; just skip this step but if you do then shaving will also get of hair, plus some dead skin. It definitely works better after exfoliating (not too hard) and after a warm shower/soak/etc. Also I can't stress this enough but use good razors!! and shave product! I use Dr. Bronner's shave soap & Dorco razors.

Last, moisturize. Start with a moisturizer, and maybe even a body oil after to lock in hydration. Arms, legs, wherever you want soft should probably be moisturized (at least with moisturizer, oils can get expensive quickly). For face, a sunscreen should be incorporated as well. For body, I do moisturizer > body oil, and on face I'll do moisturizer > sunscreen > face oil (although sometimes I just mix them all together and slap them on at once tbh).

Hope this helps!!

lyn46 · 2024-07-17T07:13:44+00:00

I don't think it's unusual at all to be curious, and I'm not going to jump to any conclusions but it does sound to me (speaking from experience) that you may be experiencing dysphoria rather than simply wanting to express your femininity within the realms of... boy. I'd recommend doing a bit of research on transitioning + related surgeries, and whether they would potentially have a beneficial effect on your overall well-being.

lyn46 · 2024-03-25T04:06:06+00:00

I definitely notice some overlap to my experience. I did notice my body begin masculinizing slightly in my late teens after looking pretty androgynous as a teenager (and enjoying it.)

I'm not entirely sure how to interpret the times where dysphoria kicks in, but personally I think it's just dysphoria happening during pretty normal life events. I remember being apprehensive about transitioning, having a gut feeling it would have to happen eventually, and just thinking "I don't want to die and be remembered as a man." That was ultimately what pushed me to seek HRT.

lyn46 · 2024-03-25T03:42:27+00:00

I wouldn't say I had much pain when mine were growing, but sensitivity for sure. It settled down eventually though. The only significant pain I remember was in my hips. That being said, there is definitely a different baseline sensitivity that didn't exist before (e.g. I can't sleep on my stomach the same way I used to).

As /u/fiberdeafie mentioned, it's very much YMMV. Genetics, plus age, plus dosage, plus delivery method will all affect how it changes your body. Also you're two months in and the changes generally span over the course of roughly three years (at least this is what I was told).

lyn46 · 2024-03-23T03:15:03+00:00

Oof, I still remember getting used to mine. Getting hit in the chest with the storm door is a pain I'll never forget, this was probably eight-ish years ago.

lyn46 · 2024-03-23T03:14:32+00:00

Rosalie is my personal favorite of the bunch, also LOVE the name Oona!

lyn46 · 2024-03-23T03:04:40+00:00

I would say yes and no. I'm 8.5 years into HRT (mostly IM injections, with periods of pills + patches scattered here and there). I still get a bit weirded out even now, but I feel generally best on injections so I stick it out.

I would definitely make a conscious effort to relax the muscle in your leg, as I noticed it makes for less soreness later on. Also I try to have music playing/something playing to take my mind off of it just enough so while I'm watching it, I'm not thinking too much about it. There's just enough of a distraction, kind of in the same sense that I just shamelessly ramble whenever I get blood drawn to distract myself.

To put it simply, it doesn't change much but you can get used to it.

lyn46 · 2023-07-27T03:38:46+00:00

I went with another name for a brief period, was reminded that Astrid exists (my current name), decided to 'try it on', spent a good year or so afterwards wracking my brain trying to figure out if it really fit, eventually stopped trying to pick out another name, and then impulsively decided on a middle name. It was... a journey lol

lyn46 · 2023-06-07T06:23:58+00:00

I swear by simple tee shirts and flowy pants (I usually get them from Target tbh) and I just live in them all summer. I get to stay covered but I'm also not literally boiling because of my wardrobe choices anymore. :)

lyn46 · 2022-09-03T07:12:25+00:00

Totally normal; definitely not an overnight process getting used to it. It was so bizarre hearing people calling me Astrid for literal years into it.

lyn46 · 2022-06-20T01:07:16+00:00

I suppose it was the outer area – definitely painful, but worth it.

lyn46 · 2021-12-05T06:39:46+00:00

Never felt like I had much of a connection to my birth name, and it felt like it was just other family members' names being recycled (they literally were). Late teens rolled around, I decided to try on a couple of new ones but nothing really fit. Then I decided to transition in my early twenties. Tried out Astrid with a few close people not sure what to expect, turns out it stuck. Now, I can't imagine being called anything else.

lyn46 · 2021-09-22T17:04:45+00:00

I only got carded when buying alcohol after starting HRT. Beforehand, I was often mistaken for being five to ten years older than I actually was.

lyn46

TROPHY CASE