I need a bit of help with hair..

[ikanote]

Before Hrt I had this compulsive disorder of plucking my hairs (I think its called trichotillomania) whether it be legs, nose, beard.. everywhere except for my scalp (thank goodness). It drives me nuts and can't do anything but pluck. (I failed a lot of my test during college because I couldn't concentrate. The way I overcame this addiction was to stop shaving and let my hair grow while not looking in the mirror.. This happened during the dark days of my life.. I had no purpose and absolutely nothing to look for. So I avoided every mirror and threw away all of my tweezers.. let my nails grow (this way I couldn't pluck with my finger nails as they weren't as sturdy when shorten).

So ever since I started transitioning I started to really hate hair.. It drives me mad and it is really bad ever since starting HRT.. It's already been almost 3 weeks and my mood is very gloomy and depress when I don't shave or so on.. I might have made a mistake.. see I starting to pluck again and it isn't so bad so far.. I can stop but only if I stop shaving and epilating.. problem is that I get depress when I see hair.. luckily I haven't pluck my face because I am scared I might mess up more follicles and Electrolysis won't work on me. THIS REALLY scares me since I read it doesn't work very well on damaged follicles. I have been plucking for 5 years... I don't want to think about it.. It gets me really depress. Ever since starting HRT I have been so happy.. and it feels good.. but this hair problem really kills me.. I don't know how to get rid of my hair.. today was my day off.. and I SPENT ALL DAY PLUCKING and plucking.. I have so many ingrowing hairs.. I am researching to fix my skin because I have a lot of scars because of this..
Usually how long does hair usually slow down in growth during HRT... I am so desperate.. I tried epilating and I ended up feeding my addiction.. I have 2 tweezers now.. I have so many holes from digging into my skin for hair (my legs) and chest

[katiej]

Sweetie, I'm so sorry you're going through this.  It sounds really rough.  The good news is that HRT will eventually reduce your body hair pretty significantly (except for facial hair).  You probably knew that already, but it's good to have that to look forward to.

Have you talked with your therapist about this?  My understanding is that compulsions like this are usually symptoms of deeper problems.  And although transition helps us to feel better about ourselves, it alone doesn't address all the baggage that we take into transition.

Please take care of yourself and do what you can to treat the underlying issues, not just limiting your access to tweezers. 

[katrinaw]

Before I went on HRT, and for a short while after, I spent day and night plucking and pulling hair from body and limbs like you; since being on HRT I have calmed down, the HRT started its magic over a few years, excepting Arms and Upper legs, where I Epilate weekly, still hate man hair, but that whole manic episode has gone.

But certainly you should speak to your Therapist... if for nothing else but your own sanity 

L Katy

[awilliams1701]

since you're already plucking get an epilator. Its a revolving set of tweezers basically. It hurts the first time, but it gets easier after repeated use. I love mine.