if one could summ the fundamental point of HRT, what would it be?

[JennX]

It works. If it doesn't, then to those that say it doesn't... why do you risk your health and waste your money on it?

I'll play.   

Why? Cause HRT is not my ultimate goal. SRS is my goal. So, again FOR ME, it's just another step on the the ladder to the top.

When I said this, I was referring to ANY effects of estrogen. It was mentioned that it wouldn't change anything mentally or physically.

Again, FOR ME, after 2 years, it hasn't changed me much. I still don't burst in to tears when watching Legends of the Fall... I've come close... but still no dice. 

Everyone's physiology is different. If someone tells you HRT will absolutely, without question, guaranteed do X/Y/Z for you... they are lying to you. No one can predict your individual outcome. You have to take the ride and see where it leads.

IMHO, too many MTFs put waaaaaayyy too much emphasis on HRT. There are many other, far more important issues to deal with during transition. Again, YMMV.

[Andarta]

but in the event of an apocalypse I'm knocking over a few drug stores

Hey it's 2012, we may be in luck soon.

[apple pie]

For me, HRT is purely for the physical changes (and to stop further masculinization).

Thinking of myself as truly a girl came with transition.
After I went full-time but before I started HRT, I was already thinking of myself as a girl by default; even my dreams only ever had me as a girl, in a girl voice.

Thinking like a girl, being able to express my emotions, etc. came about 10 times earlier, looong before I had even heard of the word "transsexual", or any related terms.
It's because I had already decided, relatively early in my life, that I didn't need to think like a guy.
By the time I finished high school, I had already mostly assimilated to my girl friends' minds (I was hanging around with girls 95% of the time already).

So for me, these came about by a change of mindset; none of these required, or were brought about by, HRT, which I only began 11 months after going full-time.
Still, I think it is clear that HRT does have a large psychological effect on many others.
I don't have a problem with simply concluding that it affects some people greatly, and others not so much, or even not at all like for me.

[Shantel]

In a nutshell, making the external congruent with the internal person!

[Seyranna]

+1. Also, HRT won't transform your face that drastically honestly. It will soften your cheeks but won't do anything for your forehead, chin, and adams apple.

It's true that it won't alter bone structure but it can make a major difference with whatever facial fat you got going... Somewhere between the third-fourth month of HRT people literally didn't recognize me anymore. I did change drastically... I expected these changes to take place around month 7-8-9 not 4. My avatar is at 4 months HRT; do you think I look like a 30 years old man on that pic?

So yeah some people are more receptive than others. You forgot YMMV is the rule not the exception. But it's still a fact that if you have a very masculine bone structure or especially a big prominent adam's apple it's highly likely that no matter how long you are on HRT you will not pass unless you get FFS.

[Carbon]

It's true that it won't alter bone structure but it can make a major difference with whatever facial fat you got going... Somewhere between the third-fourth month of HRT people literally didn't recognize me anymore. I did change drastically... I expected these changes to take place around month 7-8-9 not 4. My avatar is at 4 months HRT; do you think I look like a 30 years old man on that pic?

So yeah some people are more receptive than others. You forgot YMMV is the rule not the exception. But it's still a fact that if you have a very masculine bone structure or especially a big prominent adam's apple it's highly likely that no matter how long you are on HRT you will not pass unless you get FFS.

I feel weird because I feel like I don't have the most masculine face ever but I still question if I could ever be taken as female without the surgery*... for me though, I think I do have some sort of "hormone dysphoria." Even if nothing else in my life changed, I believe I would be happier if I could get HRT, so for me I am not really after the external characteristics primarily. I get that this is different than many people's experience, but I am not the only one.

People seem to have different priorities (hormones, genitals, socially living as a woman, etc). The interesting thing to me is that not every person wants every single thing to be combined. Of course, some people do want  all of that and in a way these people are lucky because transgender stuff tends to get framed in terms of those people's experiences. I wonder what someone who JUST wants SRS would do? At least HRT comes first and you ultimately won't be forced to go through SRS if you don't want to.

*It's questionable if I could ever afford this, too. I probably couldn't without going into debt and lower income people can't just suddenly take on 10k in debt anyway. And is that really what I want? My feeling is that if I can't be happy without it then I couldn't be happy with it, but I can definitely see the benefit to it all the same.

Edit: Also, lucky you, you are pretty cute. I'm glad HRT did go that well for you.

[Alainaluvsu]

I feel weird because I feel like I don't have the most masculine face ever but I still question if I could ever be taken as female without the surgery*

You never know unless you try. I've seen some radical changes. I know I felt the same way as you... unsure. It's not that I had a masculine bone structure or even an adams apple, but I looked at myself in the mirror and thought "There's no way..." 8 months post HRT and I barely ever get sir'd unless someone I know slips up with a pronoun or I have to show my ID or something. And that's even without having makeup or girls clothes on. It's true, I have responded pretty well to HRT too, but don't give yourself the chance to look back one day and say "what if?"

[Carbon]

Thanks. I guess you're right and everyone feels like that. I do have some masculine features (definitely a noticeable adam's apple) but I'm probably not the most masculine person ever, either, so who knows. It's easy to get demoralized before even starting. (actually this is my second try attempting to get therapy started in hopes of a HRT letter...)

Plus for me, even if I look totally male at least I will have hopefully taken care of the hormone dysphoria- the "fundamental point" for me, even if I'd very much like a more feminine looking face.

[Rabbit]

I was unsure of if I could even remotely pass without surgery...

But, basically, I knew many of the effects of hormones were steps in the right direction... I didn't know if it would get me where I wanted... but at least it was a start.

I went into things looking at it in the longer term. A 5-10 year thing (I still do).

I'm at 13 months and I'm still not at a point I am happy enough with. Eventually (when I have the money) I will get facial surgeries... I will keep working on my body... more laser... it is simply about continuing to take steps towards what you want.

So, I would say don't go into things with a clear idea of where you want to be and a list of what you think you need. You will become overwhelmed...

Instead, go into it as simply walking forward and taking things as they come. Enjoy the journey and take pleasure in every little new thing you discover and add to yourself (or else every step will be ruined with thoughts that it isn't enough).

[Naturally Blonde]

Highly over rated!

[Erin]

Highly over rated!

Well for some people yah. However, girls my age after a summer of hrt end up looking great and have lots of breast growth.

[kelly_aus]

Well for some people yah. However, girls my age after a summer of hrt end up looking great and have lots of breast growth.

Age actually isn't all that important.. How receptive you body is to estrogen is.. I've seen a girl your age have very little change.. And I've seen older women who have blossomed in no time at all..

[Erin]

Age actually isn't all that important.. How receptive you body is to estrogen is.. I've seen a girl your age have very little change.. And I've seen older women who have blossomed in no time at all..

True. However, I think better wording would be that the younger you start hormones the better the effec will be (universally true) when compared to yourself starting at a later age if we're talking purely physical. Also, unfortunately some girls had too much testosterone damage to begin with. HRT can't really change bones and your face...

[kelly_aus]

True. However, I think better wording would be that the younger you start hormones the better the effec will be (universally true) when compared to yourself starting at a later age if we're talking purely physical. Also, unfortunately some girls had too much testosterone damage to begin with. HRT can't really change bones and your face...

If your body is not receptive to estrogen (and it does happen) it won't matter if you start at 12 or 22 or 52..  And there are no 'universal truths' when it comes to MtF hormones..

[Erin]

If your body is not receptive to estrogen (and it does happen) it won't matter if you start at 12 or 22 or 52..  And there are no 'universal truths' when it comes to MtF hormones..

If someone is that unlucky I honestly don't know what to say except thank god it's not me!

[A]

Uhm, there is solid statistical evidence that age is very strongly - and in an exponential-like manner - correlated to results. Of course, the level of receptivity and bones and genetics and all are a factor, but the importance of age -is- huge and undeniable. An unlucky 18-year-old with very poor results would have had something very close to zero if she had been 48 instead, in all probability.

[Erin]

Uhm, there is solid statistical evidence that age is very strongly - and in an exponential-like manner - correlated to age. Of course, the level of receptivity and bones and genetics and all are a factor, but the importance of age -is- huge and undeniable. An unlucky 18-year-old with very poor results would have had something very close to zero if she had been 48 instead, in all probability.

This is exactly what I was trying to communicate. Hrt is related to age when compared to oneself at different ages and the potential effectiveness at those ages. Of course some young mtfs on hormones won't look that much better and some older mtfs will respond amazingly to hrt. However, there is also the possibility that you could get struck by lightening...

[Kelly-087]

The most radical changes in photos always seem to be younger people.. who look between 18 and 25.. Which i think there studies that suggest hormone treatment is potent before age 25.

Im almost 23.. I just plan to hope to be on hormones by my birthday. If my body weren't receptive I guess I'd have to figure that out later.

[peky]

Uhm, there is solid statistical evidence that age is very strongly - and in an exponential-like manner - correlated to results. Of course, the level of receptivity and bones and genetics and all are a factor, but the importance of age -is- huge and undeniable. An unlucky 18-year-old with very poor results would have had something very close to zero if she had been 48 instead, in all probability.

Could you provide a reference ?

[Shantel]

If your body is not receptive to estrogen (and it does happen) it won't matter if you start at 12 or 22 or 52..  And there are no 'universal truths' when it comes to MtF hormones..

You're absolutely right about this Kelly, I'm old enough to be a parent to most of you, nothing extraordinary happened for several years on HRT then suddenly I grew what one of my male friends refers to as a rack, and I'm not talking about a country!