HRT Myths

[Raneth]

Hair on head to go quicker and stronger - Yes, my hair thickened up on HRT
Feet shrinkage to a size or two smaller - I lost at least one shoe size
Facial hair growth is slower (doesn't go away entirely??) - not that I've noticed
Hair over body fades to vellus hair? - No idea, I started hormones before developing all that icky body hair.
Hair on legs become non-existent? -  No, even natal women have leg hair
Dry skin/ Oily Skin -causing breakouts - My skin became much less oily after only a few weeks on HRT, I think that was one of the first changes I noticed
Musculature is slimmed down - muscles gets smaller - Yes
Libido dies - mine was low before HRT, but it hasn't gone away completely.
Penis Shrinkage - I have had a little shrinkage, but not enough to interfere with function
Ocular shape change - no idea

[V M]

Well, let's see here...

Hair on head to go quicker and stronger - Growing quicker? couldn't tell ya on that... Stronger? Definitely the hair structure has changed and seems to have more elastisity, also areas that were thinning have some new growth
Feet shrinkage to a size or two smaller - Not sure, but feet seem to be about a half size smaller
Facial hair growth is slower (doesn't go away entirely??) - Not that I can tell
Hair over body fades to vellus hair? - Never had much body hair, but my pit hairs are greatly reduced
Hair on legs become non-existent? - Leg hair has slowly diminished, none of my leg hair has grown back since my last waxing
Dry skin/ Oily Skin -causing breakouts - Definitely dry skin needs moisturizers, lighter skin tone, completion greatly improved, rarely a pimple
Musculature is slimmed down - muscles gets smaller - Definitely
Libido dies - I wouldn't say dies, but rather it changes
Penis Shrinkage - Yes
Ocular shape change - Haven't noticed

[Carbon]

Could muscles reducing lead to people's feet seeming smaller? Plus I feel like some women's socks are thinner.

I'd never heard anything about feet before but it looks like several of the people here have experienced it.

[SourCandy]

Could muscles reducing lead to people's feet seeming smaller? Plus I feel like some women's socks are thinner.

I'd never heard anything about feet before but it looks like several of the people here have experienced it.

0-0 I didn't even know feet had muscles that could grow or shrink...

... Stupid I know...

[Carbon]

0-0 I didn't even know feet had muscles that could grow or shrink...

... Stupid I know...

If your feet had no muscles you wouldn't be able to walk or wiggle your toes.

My explanation could be totally wrong though.

[Dannii]

0-0 I didn't even know feet had muscles that could grow or shrink...

... Stupid I know...

I totally am stumped about this too...I thought it was just bones and some tight small muscles?? weird...

[Raneth]

Could muscles reducing lead to people's feet seeming smaller? Plus I feel like some women's socks are thinner.

I'd never heard anything about feet before but it looks like several of the people here have experienced it.

Muscle loss seems like the most obvious explanation, or it could be due to changes in fat distribution.

[Jamie D]

The Muscles and Fasciæ of the Foot - Gray's Anatomy, 1918 Edition

[Kadri]

After six months on something light, followed by six months on stronger stuff:

Hair on head to go quicker and stronger - I don't feel that it grows more quickly, but I have three layers in my hair. The original growing out layer (from shaved, March 2010) the first HRT layer (June 2011) the second HRT layer (December 2011)
Feet shrinkage to a size or two smaller - I think this has happened. I started off with 12 and can now fit 11
Facial hair growth is slower (doesn't go away entirely??) - Yes. I had to start shaving earlier before electrolysis, because it wouldn't get long enough to pull out.
Hair over body fades to vellus hair? - In some places, yes. It is certainly doing that on my arms, not all the hairs, but most of them. The yucky chest hair I used to have seems to require only a bit of a shave every now and then, and the patch that needs it is shrinking.
Hair on legs become non-existent? I feel it's definitely thinning, and doesn't need so much shaving. It doesn't get so prickly any more after shaving
Dry skin/ Oily Skin -causing breakouts - I had plenty of breakouts at the beginning of HRT, but they seem to have calmed down now and I rarely get any.
Musculature is slimmed down - muscles gets smaller - Yes, I hope they keep on doing that.
Libido dies - this only happened after I went on the strong stuff. Before that it was merely reduced. Whatever interest I had was shut down completely. I found it a relief, but then I wondered whether I would ever get any feeling back. Just recently something has come back that seems to be a different way of having a libido, not like a testosterone driven one, but a libido none the less
Penis Shrinkage - yes, but it's easier to hide lumps now!
Ocular shape change - I haven't noticed this one.


I would have thought the most persistent myth (for non-trans people at least) was that MTF HRT makes your voice go higher. I often get people assuming that.

[Rita]

Hair on head to go quicker and stronger?

A bit quicker, slightly more dense.  My hairs still thin as a babies.

Feet shrinkage to a size or two smaller?

[/b]
Maybe after a while,  I have noticed a bit more slippage in my current sneakers before reading this thread.

Facial hair growth is slower (doesn't go away entirely??)

[/b]
For me... not yet if ever.  Electrolysis was my only answer.

Hair over body fades to vellus hair?

Totally, my arms are the most noticeable.  There are places that used to contain hair are now closed up and look like part of my skin rather than a pore with hair growing.  There are a few strong black hairs that grow on my arm but all it takes is 5 minutes of shaving to get rid of them.  Growth rate for 90% of my hairs is super slow on my arm, some thin and lacking much pigmentation.

Hair on legs become non-existent?

No way, real girls have hair on their legs to.  What I have noticed is a similar reaction as my arms.  Just not as quick

Dry skin/ Oily Skin -causing breakouts?

I scrub, I use lotion.... so maybe but as long as you take care of your skin you will be ok.

Musculature is slimmed down - muscles gets smaller?

Never had any to begin with, strength lowers slightly but you can build it back up.

Libido dies?

For me... no way.  Increased libido, but way easier to control.

Penis Shrinkage?

Sorta, maybe a tiny itty bit.  Scrotum sometimes shrinks.

Ocular shape change?

Is this even possible O-o

[jainie marlena]

Hair on head to go quicker and stronger/ I don't know about quicker but it has gottin thicker.
Feet shrinkage to a size or two smaller/one size smaller but I had a callus on the back of my heels and on the bottom of my foot that slowly came off over time after starting hrt.
Facial hair growth is slower (doesn't go away entirely??)/yes lower
Hair over body fades to vellus hair?/I wish this too. it did get finer.
Hair on legs become non-existent?/still have hair on my legs.
Dry skin/ Oily Skin -causing breakouts/ no breakouts and have to wash it twice every day to keep it from being oily.
Musculature is slimmed down - muscles gets smaller/ yes
Libido dies/ went from wanting all the time to not really caring if I have sex or not. but I seem to want for play more.
Penis Shrinkage/ No change here.
Ocular shape change/ no change here either

Maybe we could make a pole on this to see percentage. It may help get an over all understanding of it. this has made me a little confused also.

[Naturally Blonde]

Hair on head to go quicker and stronger/ Mine is finer in texture than before but about the same in thickness.

Feet shrinkage to a size or two smaller/ No feet shrinkage

Facial hair growth is slower (doesn't go away entirely??)/ Yes facial hair is much slower and very little growth.

Hair over body fades to vellus hair?/ Yes

Hair on legs become non-existent?/Yes, I have no hair on my legs!

Dry skin/ Oily Skin -causing breakouts/ No dry skin, no oily skin either.

Musculature is slimmed down - muscles gets smaller/ Not much.

Libido dies/ My libido is about the same which wasn't high to start with.

Penis Shrinkage/ A little bit of shrinkage

Ocular shape change/ I don't know what it means? but my fat re-distribution is poor.

[Siren]

Hair on head to go quicker and stronger - No, but I've always had thick hair so it may be true for those with finer hair
Feet shrinkage to a size or two smaller - I used to take a UK 9 in mens' shoes; the last pair of shoes I bought were a 6
Facial hair growth is slower (doesn't go away entirely??) - Had none when I started HRT so can't answer
Hair over body fades to vellus hair? - Yes but had very little anyway
Hair on legs become non-existent? - No change to leg hair at all. Unfortunately!
Dry skin/ Oily Skin -causing breakouts - Skin has got more dry but is looking great
Musculature is slimmed down - muscles gets smaller - Not that I've noticed but I've always been skinny
Libido dies - Totally!
Penis Shrinkage - No
Ocular shape change - No

[Seyranna]

The eyebal itself doesn't change but the shape of the eyes definitely do... More specifically the angle of the middle lacrimal caruncle stretches downward giving you slightly more almond shaped eyes.

Also what makes feet shrink over time( for some) is the fact that HRT does affect cartilage.

[Joelene9]

Let's see... On me:

Hair on head to go quicker and stronger  My hair is finer, softer and longer than before.

Feet shrinkage to a size or two smaller  Nope

Facial hair growth is slower (doesn't go away entirely??)  Yep, it is finer than the coarse old man's beard.  A two day growth resembles the 5:00 shadow before.

Hair over body fades to vellus hair?  Some.

Hair on legs become non-existent?  Thinner and lighter.

Dry skin/ Oily Skin -causing breakouts  Nope.

Musculature is slimmed down - muscles gets smaller  I got a substantial increase, unusual, but it happens.

Libido dies  Only on Spiro.  I resumed the Spiro this morning after a two week car trip.  I do not take the diuretic/androgen blocker while traveling long distances. Libedo returned this morning after a year without it.

Penis Shrinkage  Yes, but with the incident this morning, it could stay nearly the same size if your libedo is still high on hormones.

Ocular shape change  Unknown.  It may in the younger transitioners that started HRT well below the age of 28 when your bones cap.  The main cause is changes in the shape of the ocular orbits in the skull by normal adolescent development or of bone disease there.  There is a change in my vision and I'll have that checked out next month.  My case it is the threat of glaucoma. 

  Joelene

[A]

Joelene9, seeing how my eyes started to change noticeably (but not a whole lot eh) well before one month, I think the main cause - for me, up until now, anyway - is actually changes in the muscles. Well, I certainly would be happy to see my bones change, but for now, it can't really be that; I'm not even 4 months in.

[Ms. OBrien CVT]

Hair on head to go quicker and stronger - Yes, but thinning or MPB does not change
Feet shrinkage to a size or two smaller - No.  I doubt this would happen, because of the skeletal structure of the foot
Facial hair growth is slower (doesn't go away entirely??) - Yes to some extent.  But still need electrolysis.
Hair over body fades to vellus hair? - Yes slowly, even after 4 years.
Hair on legs become non-existent? - Nope.  Still have to shave them.
Dry skin/ Oily Skin -causing breakouts - This I would have to say no to.
Musculature is slimmed down - muscles gets smaller - Yes. Definitely.  Also lose of fat.
Libido dies - That died a long time ago.
Penis Shrinkage - Some.  Or at least seems to have
Ocular shape change - No.  Again that would involve changing the bone structure underneath.

Another myth is the change of the shape of the hips and behind.  Still built like a boy.

[jainie marlena]

The eyebal itself doesn't change but the shape of the eyes definitely do... More specifically the angle of the middle lacrimal caruncle stretches downward giving you slightly more almond shaped eyes.

Also what makes feet shrink over time( for some) is the fact that HRT does affect cartilage.

I thought this but was not sure of it. it not being bone. speaking of the cartilage that is.

I would like to know more about this.

[A]

About height? Well, you can see my non-scientific post here~

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,55499.msg909929.html#msg909929

[Elena G]

What about the "reshaping" of the body, that is, different parts of the body appearing more feminine, like waist and such? Have you all had your tummy and/or other parts of your body change, like getting more curvy? I personally say this because I'm rather skinny and would like to know if my *ahem* buttocks will get rounder and fuller. I'm 5'8" and 125 lbs, what you girls think?