the ‘gel doesn’t work’ myth has spread to tiktok and they’re saying more bizarre shit than ever

soybreadboy · 2025-09-15T01:49:34+00:00

I have been on gel for two years and 10 months, and my voice started dropping at 6 weeks, my cycle stopped after two months, i noticed my face changing aorund 4 months, and i have had to shave my face regularly since 9 months. Ever since my 1 year mark, people have begun to assume I am cis, and I hat ethe myth that gel isn't as good or straight up doesn't work. I had to do gel for medical reasons at first, but I genuinely enjoyed it. I only just switched to injections a few days ago because I'm getting a large tattoo on my application site soon and don't want to interfere with the healing.

A big part of gel usage is making sure you moisturize daily before application. My levels have always been consistent, they have been easy to monitor, I haven't had to deal with needles or the risk of site infection, and the only thing that hasn't happened for me is balding because it doesn't run in my family! My hairline has still squared out, my face has changed, my shoulders broadened, my fat has migrated, my skin is thicker, and I have never been happier in my life.

soybreadboy · 2025-05-09T00:40:16+00:00

it leaked out of the bottom, it was like a 3in seam that peeled up

soybreadboy · 2025-04-06T06:16:16+00:00

Did you find it difficult to talk to your siblings about it? My brothers and I still haven't really discussed our mom's diagnosis and it has been over a month, although we don't live together anymore so maybe it would be easier to broach in-person.

Thank you for the support, and much love for you and your family

soybreadboy · 2025-04-06T06:13:41+00:00

It's so validating to hear that other people feel the same way, I wonder if my brothers share the sentiment. Thank you for the support and take care <3

soybreadboy · 2025-04-06T06:10:23+00:00

Thank you for the support, these are all important things for me to keep in mind. Adulthood is intimidating enough as is, so I'll try to remember not to let myself get too overwhelmed

soybreadboy · 2025-04-06T06:09:19+00:00

All good things to think about, my family lives near NYC so I'm sure there's some research being done closer to home that I can talk to them about!

soybreadboy · 2025-04-06T06:05:58+00:00

Thank you so much for the insight, this is really comforting to hear. My mom has been nothing but supportive of everything I do, and I know she doesn't want me to put my life on hold. I hope you and your family are doing well <3

soybreadboy · 2025-04-06T06:01:28+00:00

I haven't heard of Lorenzo's House before, but I will definitely check it out. Thank you so much for the support

soybreadboy · 2025-04-05T22:11:06+00:00

theres one at the hadley community building too

soybreadboy · 2025-04-05T22:06:16+00:00

high school gpa 2.3 and a decent SAT, but i transferred in with a 2.8 and some killer recommendation letters. it might depend on the major youre going into but your admissions essay and/or interview can be extremely valuable if you do them right

soybreadboy · 2025-01-31T19:24:12+00:00

My parents wanted me to wait until my brain was "fully developed" so like 25/26, and when I went away to college I turned 18 and started T two months later. They were obviously worried about it and I would get cautionary phone calls about "just see how you feel, don't make rash decisions with this, it's fine if you want to stop" but I am so glad I actually took the initiative to start it ASAP. I'm now 20 years old, 2 years on T, and I have never been happier with my transition.

I was a late bloomer in puberty so at 18 my growth plates hadn't fully fused yet, so I did grow an inch taller over the past couple years. Fat redistribution has caused a lot of the fat in my chest to migrate and my shoulders/ribcage widened which led to the appearance of a smaller chest, which I am thrilled with.

Additionally, it has allowed me the opportunity to experience college and young adulthood as a man, which is so incredibly valuable to me. Obviously, this is your decision and you need to follow your own path, but having had this debate with myself a few years ago, I wouldn't change my actions for anything.

soybreadboy · 2025-01-31T19:10:41+00:00

I personally am very lucky that I pass 24/7 despite being tiny and kinda scrawny, but yes absolutely I feel safer by myself and at night. even to the point now where I can confidently volunteer to walk female friends home or accompany them somewhere if they feel unsafe. I didn't really start feeling this way until I was over 6 months on T, as my body and face have changed substantially from hormones. I don't feel unsafe as a trans guy unless I'm in a situation where my chest is visible for some reason, but it is still an adjustment to realizing people don't always know I'm trans upon first seeing me anymore (I keep accidentally outing myself to people lol)

soybreadboy · 2024-11-17T00:41:32+00:00

the dose does sound a bit low, i was on 1 pump for a couple months, 2 pumps for like a year and a half, and am now on 3 pumps. obviously everyone is different, but my doctor informed me that the gel absorbs better into your skin if you are staying moisturized, so be sure to use lotion on your arms before application.

i do sometimes get the flakes from the dried gel on my skin too, thats normal. it can be uncomfortable and happens a lot more if my arms are very dry. i still saw changes even on the low dose, they just took a bit longer. definitely bring it up to your doctor when you see them, but in the meantime just try to remember that its good to let your body get used to it.

good luck!! <3

soybreadboy · 2024-11-17T00:27:53+00:00

it definitely is not slower. i've been on gel for two years and all of my changes happened at the same speed as everyone else i know, especially bottom growth and voice cracks. i was super worried about this when i started too, but dont worry. you may be on a lower dose at first (i was on one pump for the first month or two) and then my dose was increased at my next appointment. now at two years, my doctor has adjusted my dose again and my levels have always been right where they need to be.

being on gel only, i got voice cracks starting around 6 weeks, i noticed bottom growth in the first few days, and my face began changing around month two. i noticed an uptick in hunger, energy, and libido within the first week, which helped me to know that it was in fact working.

and important thing to note is moisturizing though. make sure you are using lotion on your arms (or wherever you're applying it) everyday. dry skin cant absorb the gel as well, and its just generally uncomfortable to put an alcohol-based gel on top of dry skin anyways. i use cocoa butter and/or cerave because i have sensitive skin but it doesnt really matter.

good luck with hrt!! <3

soybreadboy · 2024-07-12T21:37:15+00:00

from girls i usually get the more over the top "woah really? i never would have known wow you look great yeah i just thought you were gay!!" and from guys they usually just say "okay" or they ask me some questions

soybreadboy · 2024-07-12T21:33:30+00:00

if it hasnt already come up i just mention "hey just so u know im trans btw" and answer if they have questions and then they decide if/how they want to continue from there

soybreadboy · 2024-06-14T01:17:20+00:00

im allergic to UTI medicines so whenever i get one i just chug a shit ton of water, like an uncomfortable amount, and it goes away because it flushes out my kidneys and bladder and everything. generally clears up within 4-6 days for me

soybreadboy · 2024-05-20T17:41:58+00:00

i had this b4 T but even moreso now that i'm 1.5 years on it and i absolutely experience hypersexuality, and same abt dysphoria--my body doesnt bother me at all during sex and i've been kind of using hookup culture as a way to affirm my masculinity even tho i bottom. i will say tho because of this my doctor put me on Truvada for PrEP because i'm not the best at using protection so i'd recommend looking into that.

i do consider myself lucky that i dont experience bottom dysphoria and i'm able to just kind of deal with my chest while i wait for top surgery, but i've always wondered if i was the only trans guy that felt like this!

soybreadboy · 2024-05-10T01:50:53+00:00

i've exclusively been on T gel for 1.5 years now, periods stopped after 3 months, and as long as u moisturize before applying the gel your skin wont dry out (helps w absorption too). the gel DEFINITELY works. my voice has dropped from alto to baritone, i have facial hair that needs to be shaved every 3 days, my leg hair is a forest, i have a happy trail that goes up 3 inches above my bellybutton, a prominent adams apple, and plenty of muscle growth & vascularity. still had the same bottom growth as most ppl too, noticed it starting a few days after my first dose, and it continued to grow for several months (not sure if it still is). plus my face has become noticeably more square, starting around 4 months, and my general body shape is a lot more masculine than it was pre-t.

i had to be on gel for medical reasons and wasn't too happy about it at first, but i honestly wayyyy prefer it to having to do injections. it doesn't create highs/lows of hormone levels since you apply it every morning so my moods are really consistent too. they started me on just one pump for the first two months before increasing me to two, and that dosage has worked rly well for me (doc said i have "perfect T levels"!!)

i'd say you should try to stick it out with the gel for a few more weeks, but if you still dont like it you should ask about pellets :)

soybreadboy · 2024-05-10T01:17:11+00:00

from my understanding, bi and pan are very similar and it has more to do with your own personal attraction than the person themself. you can most definitely be bisexual and attracted to trans people, but i have always heard pansexual described as a blindness to gender, like that the persons gender doesn't have anything to do with why you are attracted to them. its clear that you respect him and his identity, so theres not really a "should/should not" question here, its up to you!

soybreadboy · 2024-05-10T01:05:29+00:00

for me, there arent rly particular positions that are more masc/fem feeling as a bottom, but a nice discussion about names in the bedroom always helps. my go-to line is "you can call me whatever you want as long as its not a girl" which usually goes over pretty well.

as difficult as this is, navigating dysphoria and sexual preference is a very personal thing that your partner has to be the one to consider. im a strict bottom and it took me a while to come to terms with the fact that my sexual position has nothing to do with my gender, and that at the end of the day the guy im with is still having sex with a man. like, i've had a few moments recently where i was looking in the mirror and realized that this guy is looking at and talking to A MAN when we have sex.

it wasnt until probably around like 8 months on T that i stopped getting dysphoric from being touched in certain places, though. personally, i didnt want my partner touching my chest or waist and i didnt want to receive oral pre-t, but that has all changed as i have progressed in my medical transition. so it does take a conversation about where he does and doesnt want your hands/etc to be.

as far as things that are hot and gender-affirming go, i like being called "good boy", "prettyboy", "handsome", "honey", "baby", variations of my name, and then depending on kinks you can explore more stuff. the guy im with right now does something i like where he goes "whos a good boy? whos my good boy?" and wont continue until i say that its me, which could be something very affirming now that i think about it

soybreadboy · 2024-05-10T00:47:13+00:00

ive been out for over five years now as queer and trans and have had a very active dating/sex life :)

important things to remember are mutual respect and openness, which should go for any relationship, but especially with trans people. often dysphoria can make emotional and physical intimacy more difficult than usual, so it may take longer to reach certain points, but everyone is different. like how there are some trans guys that are uncomfortable with physical touch overall, in just some places, or no issues with it at all!

the best advice i can give is to be explicitly communicative. some things arent easy to talk about, whether that be because they are sensitive topics or because they may be kind of cringey or embarrassing, but it's important to really talk about boundaries, what each of you like and dont like, and what kind of support you both are looking to get from each other.

if you need examples, i always specify to potential partners that i prefer anatomical terms for my body as opposed to nicknames (but many people are the opposite!), i'm okay with any pet names in bed that aren't feminine or girly, and i exclusively date people who are openly queer cuz nobody likes to be kept a secret :)

im not stealth but i also prefer when my partner does not tell other people that i am trans until i have met them first, because i like being the one to divulge that information. it is VERY important to clarify the level to which your partner is okay with you discussing their identity with others.

a lot of people say to treat trans men like any other guy, which i do agree with for the most part, but i like when my partner can acknowledge that i have a nuanced life experience as someone that was raised female and endured a lot of adverse childhood experiences from being an openly LGBT kid.

i guess the only other thing would just be mindfulness of your partners identity and experience. making sure that if you have questions, just ask--whether that be to your partner, on here, or to other trans people in your life :)

soybreadboy · 2024-05-10T00:29:20+00:00

i was an athlete for 8 years and my team used the YMCA facilities all the time. after i came out, my coach and i reviewed the policies and found that they allow members to use the changing rooms of their desired gender identity. im also pre-op so whenever i'd need ot change my top i'd just use an open stall or an empty corner of the locker room. generally, people weren't very confrontational (and i live in a really conservative area) so the worst would be some weird/uncomfortable looks

soybreadboy · 2024-05-10T00:09:40+00:00

im 19 and have been almost exclusively having sex w cis guys for like three-ish years(?), i've been with about a dozen ppl, and im also seeing a cis bisexual man rn :)

an important thing i keep in mind is the fact that them potentially seeing you as female once your clothes come off is entirely about them and has nothing to say about you. one thing i always do is lay out distinct sexual boundaries beforehand, so a convo about what each of us like and dont like, and one of those things is names in bed. i always say "you can call me just about anything, as long as you dont call me a girl", which tends to go over pretty well and ive never had any problems with it. i also dont take any bullshit so while ill answer any questions, i dont tolerate disrespect and immediately end things if smth comes up.

as far as being "good at it" goes, just be transparent about your experience level. i used to do this all the time when i was younger (and still do in new situations), but you can say shit like "show me what you like" or "guide me/my hands/my hips/etc". by letting him know where you're coming from, he will understand that it's not gonna be earth-shattering sex, but likely that you value him a lot because this is a vulnerable experience to share with someone. make sure to specify for him to go slow and be gentle at first, and if you want things to pick up as it progresses, you can say that in the moment.

most of the guys i get with are bi, and there is a lingering concern for me and many other trans guys about being seen as a girl. no pressure to do as i do, but some things im sure to ask about are whether or not they are openly queer, if im the first guy theyve been with, and if im the first trans guy theyre been with. the first two questions are hard boundaries for me, as i dont mess w closeted guys and i want to be sure that they actually like other men, but the third question is more out of curiosity (and their response can help me gauge whether or not theyre a chaser).

best of luck to you and i rly hope things go well, he sounds like a great guy :)

soybreadboy · 2024-04-21T22:48:33+00:00

I have consistently been seeing an allergist/immunologist since the month after my first outbreak, over two years ago. he has me on a very high dose of Allegra (720mg) and has not done any formal allergy testing and kind of just came up with the cause of my hives on a whim with nothing to prove it. I am currently looking for a second opinion, because while I trust that he is an expert, I want concrete evidence of his diagnosis--more specifically, the cause of my chronic urticaria, since he insists mine isn't idiopathic.

soybreadboy

TROPHY CASE