Has Hormones (HRT) helped your transition greatly or very little?

[Jesslee]

Me and my sister are both 5'5 too (@ size 10)

Actually 9.5 fits me best but those are hard to find :/ and strangely I think my hands are a more average size.

Funny how it works though, my mom is 5'4 and she is like size 6 or 7. Must have been my dad's fault!!

The main reason I'm ok with size 10 is it's within the cutoff that places seem to stop regularly stocking. So most places have size 10 available.

I got into the size 10 range by the skin of my teeth thank god, anything larger that is worth wearing (sans Birkenstock)is always a special order! Unfortunately I got my hands from my mother (not my father) and they are very long. She told me that her hands were a problem when she was in highschool, most of the guys she would hold hands with would always have hands the same size or smaller than her, on the bright side they are very thin!

btw your avatar pic looks a lot like Ashley Greene:

[Jennygirl]

Yeah your feet are actually pretty small even compared to GG's of that height. I'm 5'7" and wear a size 9/9.5 womens. I can share shoes with a handful of my closest cisfemale girlfriends that are a few inches shorter than me.

Also I used to think I had big hands, too... Until I asked my mom to hold her hands up to mine... and it turns out we both have the same size hand- yet she is 5'4". Piano hands run in the family I guess

HRT has been essential for me. Reducing the size of my neck, arms, shoulders, waist, and rounding out areas like butt, thighs, and of course chest! And it's only just begun, I think. The effects to my body have been great so far. My skin is so soft on my arms/legs now that I can't even see the pores anymore. Emotionally, I feel like exactly the same person.. the only difference being that I can more easily connect with strong emotions and I can cry from happiness much easier which has been euphoric and wonderful. All these little details add up and add to my confidence. Maybe it won't be essential for you though, everyone is different!

[Jesslee]

Yeah your feet are actually pretty small even compared to GG's of that height. I'm 5'7" and wear a size 9/9.5 womens. I can share shoes with a handful of my closest cisfemale girlfriends that are a few inches shorter than me.

Also I used to think I had big hands, too... Until I asked my mom to hold her hands up to mine... and it turns out we both have the same size hand- yet she is 5'4". Piano hands run in the family I guess

I also know several GG's that wear a sizes 9,10 or larger, I never noticed this until we went shopping together. I think many mtf's obsess about shoe size without realizing how many GG's wear similar sizes, the same applies to hand size as well, the only thing that makes hands un-passable (imo) is when they are extremely muscular and thick!

[Jesslee]

Thanks lol I was always jealous of her and I wanna have my hair like hers so that is a big complement to me  and congrats on getting to size 10 shoes (how did you get it lower? I wish I could but have been this size for a looong time.)

Thanks, I started at almost a size 11 (I could never find a 10 1/2), I don't really know how it happened but I did lose some weight (about 20lbs), now I can easily wear a size 10, I can even wear my old male sports socks (only around the house lol) when I break in new heels, this was a trick a GG friend taught me, anyway I could have never done this before I lost weight/started HRT.

[Michelle S.]

Usually in public I pass really well, especially at night whens its darker. My main give aways have to be my voice, my shoulders, and my feet.

I was very worried about my voice but I found a Youtube video with wonderful advice and my voice was passing with effort in days and a month later it was natural. I can't find the video but basically she explained her technique was to raise her voice as high as she could. Fyi, do this in private lol it can be embarrassing. First, go like as high as you can with your voice. Once you can't go any higher, lower it until it falls into a passing range. It helps if you use a voice recorder – most smart phones have a recorder app. Practice daily. Find the range, hold it and talk to yourself in it. I couldn't believe how quickly this worked. It was incredible.
With shoulders, HRT will help reduce the bulkiness. My shoulders looked broad until I realized 1. I had a lot of muscle on them and 2. I had poor posture. Pulling my shoulders up and back seriously made them very noticeably smaller. After 8 months on HRT the bulkiness is pretty well gone.
Feet will shrink possibly. Not the actual bones, but fat or muscle, whatever it is down there, I've noticed shrunk a looooot. My girlfriend noticed that both my hands and feet look much smaller. I'm down about a shoe size but I think that has more to do with a decrease in width rather than length. I know that doesn't sound like it would affect the shoe size that much but it has.

Bottom line though, we all get super self-conscious but strangers are rarely, if ever, going to actually analyze the size of your feet. 99% of the people you meet wouldn't notice feet or shoulders.

My question is, did hormones effect any of you hugely in terms of appearance? Or was it more subtle effects?

Hormones have had a ton of effect but very slowly. Don't expect to start HRT and a month later look like a different person. I'd say months 1-5 very little changed other than nipples became sensitive and it was obvious to the touch that little buds were developing underneath them. 6-7 thinks really started picking up and I'd say I've noticed a huge difference in the last month from 7-8. I'm 8 months in now and I pass pretty well.

I'm young, so would that be a good time to start HRT or have I missed the boat by not starting before puberty?

Hardly anyone is fortunate enough to start that young. The younger you are the better. I believe 25 and under usually have the best results from HRT. After all, puberty was only a few years ago for us.

Does HRT alter facial structure at all? I'm guessing shoulders and feet i'm stuck with.

Answered above about shoulders and feet. It changes the distribution of fat and muscle on face. My face changed significantly but again, very slowly overtime. Also the skin becomes much smoother which also helps tremendously.

Does HRT effect body hair density at all?

I haven't had as much luck here as I had hoped for. I was never hairy to begin with but the little bit of hair I had hasn't changed. It definitely grows slower but is mostly just as dark and dense as before.

[Sammy]

About sizes... Recently I noticed that a LOT of my previous clothing looks awkward on me (too big). I have been on blockers only, but I have done quite a crazy workout for the previous 2 months. So yesterday I was wondering why with dropping down for one size (around 48 now, maybe even 46), all sleeves are getting longer as well. I blamed my shoulders and yes, they are down from 18' to 17'!