Body got the hint.. But the face?

[Carolina1983]

Hi all .

I am really bothered with my face and if I could choose I would take changes in my face ahead for body without a second thought.


And now to the question. My body started to change very fast and my doctor told me that I might be one of the lucky ones because the fast response to hrt (well we still have to see about that) because I am not that far in (only 1 month and 3 weeks on hrt). My skin is much softer and not oily at all. But I wonder, when can one expect facial changes? when might it be time to suspect that hrt wont do anything about my face? I know that mileage may vary but I am thinking in general here because I worry too much about this right now.


Did your body react and develop before seing any changes in the face?


Thanks for reading this through
/C

[Kelly J. P.]

 I required seven months before I went full-time, at which point my presentation was very androgynous.

I don't recall my body doing much of anything in the first two months, though...

In the end, I feel my facial changes were the more profound of the two. I haven't really got much in the way of breasts, contrary to my expectations, or much else really. However.... it was my body that started changing first.

I just wish that my body would have gotten the hint and started to change more.

[Carolina1983]

Thanks for the reply Kelly J.P .


And I think you look great btw.

[Jamie D]

The "redistribution" of body fat into a feminine pattern takes time.

In six months I noticed a bit of a butt forming (particularly with my tight-fitting pairs of bluejeans - I started with almost nothing) and some some definite accumulation in the "pubic mons" area.

And I was on fairly low doses.

I can't speak to changes in the face, but other have reported steady progress on HRT prior to FFS, if any.

Don't be worried.

[justmeinoz]

Laser did a pretty good job for me, so with the slight fat redistribution I am pretty happy.  Getting rid of the worst of the beard seems to be the key.  Most of my friends think I look quite feminine.

Kaz.

[MariaMx]

The first changes to my face that I noticed was as you mentioned the skin. My friends couldn't believe how I was looking younger and younger. Feminization of the face started at about 4-5 months I think. I remember a baffled coworker that just couldn't believe how much I resembled my aunt, which was funny because at the time he didn't know I was transitioning.

It wasn't until about 10 months that the changes started getting really noticeable. It was at this point that people started getting confused and I got my first "are you pregnant?".

Be patient, it takes time

[Nicolette]

Changes in the face may be too subtle to notice when you're looking at your face every day. It's not like you can take a tape measure and quantify the changes. 2 months is far too short a time to see much effect. The first most noticeable change was fat deposits on my thighs and softening of the calves.  And then my dad telling me I needed to do weight training. Muscle loss?

But I don't remember HRT ever making me look pregnant. 

[Kelly J. P.]

Thanks for the reply Kelly J.P .


And I think you look great btw.

Thank you

[MariaMx]

But I don't remember HRT ever making me look pregnant. 

lol, perhaps I should have explained myself a little better HRT never make me look pregnant but being asked about it was the first time I knew for sure I passed. I was ordering food at a take-out and was wearing a hooded sweater and was resting my hands in the front pockets in such a way that it probably looked like I had a big belly or something (which I really didn't), and the lady asked me if I was pregnant

Where I live we don't use any words like miss, ma'am, madam, sir or mister when addressing people, so you never really can tell if people are relating to you as male or female. Pronouns don't come into play until referenced in third person when others are talking about you, and that doesn't happen very often, so being asked if I was pregnant was my first confirmed pass

[Kelly J. P.]

 I also live in such an area. Canada is so beautiful for that.

[MariaMx]

I also live in such an area. Canada is so beautiful for that.

Really? I did not know that. Personally I wish there was such a thing in the Norwegian language. I like getting that little feedback from strangers. Everyone always talks about getting ma'am-ed, but that just doesn't happen here. On the positive side there is the added bonus of vacationing i other countries

[Nicolette]

lol, perhaps I should have explained myself a little better HRT never make me look pregnant but being asked about it was the first time I knew for sure I passed. I was ordering food at a take-out and was wearing a hooded sweater and was resting my hands in the front pockets in such a way that it probably looked like I had a big belly or something (which I really didn't), and the lady asked me if I was pregnant

Where I live we don't use any words like miss, ma'am, madam, sir or mister when addressing people, so you never really can tell if people are relating to you as male or female. Pronouns don't come into play until referenced in third person when others are talking about you, and that doesn't happen very often, so being asked if I was pregnant was my first confirmed pass

LOL, thanks for clarifying that. Perhaps, the HRT regime also gave you the flushed pregnancy look, as well as making you look facially female.

I thought ma'am was only used for addressing the queen.. I only hear madam here in London. That's really tough about pronouns where you live. I think the first reference to me as female was when I was dressed androgynously with my mum in a small shop down Golders Green. The shop assistant asked "Can I help you ladies?" The feeling I got was amazing.

[Alainaluvsu]

My skin changed a little in the first 2 months along with a very slight about of facial fat redistribution. But I didn't start noticing a significant change in fat redistribution in the face until about 7 months or so... and that's when I started getting either ma'amed or confused looks. At 9 months I'm still experiencing changes in facial fat. My school ID has a pic of me @ 1 month and the changes are so dramatic, people have even said "It even looks like your bone structure changed!"

And my body changed dramatically in the first 1-2 months, too. Don't worry, let things happen

[Dale]

You are just starting your journey. These changes to our bodies take months and years. Full breast development can take 2-4 years. Face and fat laso take time. You will start to see some changes in a few months, but the really noticable change take alot more time.

Keep a diary. You will going through alot of experiences and changes, write them down. You will be grateful you did later.

[Carolina1983]

Thanks for all the replies so far .. I might be able to drop my worries for a while now when I read about your experiences .

[Stephanie_b]

I don't know, I still say that it comes down to YMMV. 

Dramatic changes sure won't happen in your face really quickly, but some noticeable change can happen rather quickly.

Tomorro will make it 3 weeks since I started hrt and there has definitely been some redistribution of fat on my face.  I have had 2 people that know me but haven't seen me for a while, mention that I look younger and that something looks different. 
I even see the difference.

My body is also responding, I'm losing weight around my rib cage and it seems to be straight down to the sides of my hips.  I have some fat accumulation just below my navel area now too.

Don't get me wrong, nobody is calling me mam or she yet, but things are definitely happening.

So don't worry, the longer you're on it the more changes you're going to see.  I can hardly wait for 6 months to fly by!   

[wiigirl]

Laser did a pretty good job for me, so with the slight fat redistribution I am pretty happy.  Getting rid of the worst of the beard seems to be the key.  Most of my friends think I look quite feminine.

Kaz.

Lasers did wonders for me.....

[MiaOhMya!]

I went full time after about 5 months estro/spiro. I passed, but could NOT see it in myself.  It turned out that my mind was my worst enemy. There had been some changes, yet I couldn't see them. I believe this overcoming of oneself is the single toughest challenge we face as transitioning individuals.

Today I am sometimes surprised by who I see in the mirror. The old image my brain told me was "self" is starting to fade, and I see facial attributes that no male would have. I am your age and what....1 yr 8months on hormones now....that's really not a long time considering.

So remember, aesthetic passing is defined as how people see you, not how you see you.  I see negatives and a hint of my past in the mirror, other people see me today....they see the positives too; the whole picture.

I liken HRT to an airplane ride. Fly somewhere cross country and the change of scenery is dramatic and obvious. That's how other people see you. Now, take the same journey by car and the scenery change will be gradual and less obvious. That's how you see you.