Pheromones

[Joi]

Just curious and don't know if this has been covered before.  As many of us know, our bodies emit chemical markers that serve to attract members of the opposite sex called pheromones.  Now that I have been on 'mones for a few months the male pheromones that my body used to emit have been eliminated by the androgen suppression. Wondering if the preponderance of estrogen in my system will now result my ability to produce and emit the female pheromone.  If so, and not being attracted to men, will my already present attraction to the female pheromone increase? In the event that I was attracted to men, would my sensitivity to the male pheromone increase?  Could this be the reason that some trans women (previously not attracted to men) undergo a shift in their sexual preference as their body's chemical signature changes? That being said, trans men attracted to men and undergoing cross sex hormone therapy might also see their sexual preference change as well.  Lot's of questions here, but would love to see what kind of discussions this might provoke.
Hugz,
Joi 

[ana1111]

male "pheromones" have always "turned me on" lol....id say ive noticed that I never have significant body odor and id assume it changes pheromones to female as it changes sweat smell and production, skin texture etc...most things like that are controlled by hormones so I think it will change your pheromones but I doubt it would change how you perceive others...let alone change your orientation lol...I haven't noticed a difference so ya....

[Martine A.]

Pre-hrt here.

Imo, expanding or shifting sexuality is rather about finding yourself than being changed.

What I heard about hrt however, is that it can enhance sense of smell. Subsequently, one is able to better feel the 'smell' men and women.

But can't say it is to be thanked to hrt [only]. What I needed is to present myself as a woman long term, to discover I like relationship with a man. A lot. My prior aversion to men came from being bullied when I was a kid, so I didn't expect anything good to come from a man. Once that barrier was broken, I can say I actually prefer a guy in my home and in my bed.

[judithlynn]

Hi Michelle;
Once you have been on HRT long enough, your body will no longer generate male pheromones and instead will generate a significant amount of female pheromones. I have noticed the effects quite noticeably in the last 4 months. Firstly with my male colleagues they have started treating me quite differently (that is subconsciously) as I am not full time yet and there are a couple of Alpha males where I work that I see from time to time in meetings. Previously my opinion was often sought after, now they always talk down to me as if my opinion is not that interesting. I also feel that I have become and am expected to be more submissive around them. Recently I was in a meeting  with a bunch of guys and one of these Alpha males asked a question along the lines of - this is a very difficult issue what do we do now.  There was a stunned silience. I  spoke up and said well I believe we should do the following as it would solve the problem. No reaction from the Alpha male number 1 to my suggestion who went on talking about the problem. After a couple of minutes Alpha Male two  said exactly what I had said a few minutes earlier and Alpha Male said - you know Bob (alpha male 2) thats a really good idea that would solve it completely. Basically my opinion was no longer considered. Also I have found a couple of times that these guys want to give me hugs - really strange as they have never done that before to me in male mode. I asked my therapist about all this and she said basically that now my Dominant hormone in my body is Oestrogen (I have very low T levels , in fact my T level is low even for a cis gendered female), basically hormonally I am female and thus will be giving off  a lot of female phemerones. I am also noticing men now much more than I did before I started HRT. But interestingly other than perfume, I don't feel that I can detect any feminine smells any longer. Strange isn't it?

[Joi]

judithlynn: Your comment "I don't feel like I can detect feminine smells any longer" is exactly what I was alluding to. Not that I was ever aware that I was detecting "female pheromones" to begin with.  As far as I know, they are so subtle that our olfactory nerves just react to them.  It's not like smelling a ripe peach or something of that sort.  This is all fascinating to me.   

[Yenneffer]

Men stink of body odour it makes me sick

[Joi]

Awe come on Yenneffer, be nice.  It's just the one's that don't bathe that are offensive 

[Zoetrope]

Pheromones are one thing that do not change with HRT.

Sadly that is one of the things which will subtly give us away ;~(

[Zoetrope]

Pheromones are a different thing to body odour. You can't actually *smell* it.

[Lady_Oracle]

Pheromones are one thing that do not change with HRT.

Sadly that is one of the things which will subtly give us away ;~(

hrt changes your scent which is what attracts people. I definitely have a female scent, like even my genital's scent does too.

[Joi]

I tend to agree with Zoe.  If we lose our "male" pheromones, one would think that with all of the E in our system something would have to replace it.  Can't imagine that we would just be "neutral" and I definitely don't have a "male" body odor any longer & this is with just over 100 days of Xsex hormone therapy. What I wonder about though: Are cis lesbians or cis gays are attracted to the "pheromones" of their respective sexual preference?

[Jen72]

I happen to read this somewhere sorry cant recollect where but humans actually don't respond to pheromones.

Yes they would respond to hormonal scent but not pheromones. FYI the hormones themselves would change the smell of your odor and that is what can change peoples reactions for better or worse depends on perspective.

Another thing males tend to react to lol food like smells like say spices like cinnamon or fruity smells maybe.

[Cindy Stephens]

Actually, some research online seems to indicate that we can and do respond to pheromones.  If you look, you can actually buy the stuff online.  It seems to be produced by the ovaries and signals fertility.  Just having estrogen in your system doesn't do it.  I knew a number of followers of "the old way" and the women would rub their vagina, then rub their fingers behind their ears, leaving a trace of "scent."  Claimed it always worked when they go close to the guy they were after.

[Kristy1234]

I have been on HRT for almost one year. The other day my wife , of 30 years, said that something has changed or different about my scent. I smell like a girl without any body smell. So I guess that things have changed inside me. Happy face. When the wife and I are out and I am just wearing girl jeans and a t-shirt I get called mam a lot.

[Laura_7]

Actually, some research online seems to indicate that we can and do respond to pheromones.  If you look, you can actually buy the stuff online.  It seems to be produced by the ovaries and signals fertility.  Just having estrogen in your system doesn't do it.  I knew a number of followers of "the old way" and the women would rub their vagina, then rub their fingers behind their ears, leaving a trace of "scent."  Claimed it always worked when they go close to the guy they were after.

Pheromones seem to work in some way.
One person said people started making advances after they were on hormones. Before they were only seen as pals.
They ascribed it to pheromones because they said they did not change much else.

Many people say body odor changed, and quite a few people said animals had a phase of a few days where they would not clearly recognize them.

hugs

[Jen72]

Sorry cant back myself up but from the last few posts if you read them it does say hormonal influence not pheromones.

To Cindy Stephens I agree how that would work the scent of the hormones are more in the open then the males would respond to that all the more aggressively. To buy it online sure you can as you can buy snake oil too and the stuff is made from ovaries hmm is that not where hormones are produced in females???

To Christy I can see how that could be it could take that long for that subtle smell of T to have left you if you understand what I mean.

I agree it doesn't seem to be just hormones but they are not super magic in that we don't suddenly have no T or E in our system I mean we will always have some of both.  What I am trying to say is it does take time for our bodies to normalize after using a cross sex hormone treatment and the subtle smell of hormones might then eventually change to preferred gender and smell. Do not totally deny it could be a bit more complicated then that in that there is really more then one female hormone so maybe it is possible the hormonal scent is exactly that hormonal but not estrogen as an example but a different female hormone that is produced in the body in consort with the combination of all the female hormones like estrogen, estrodial, progestren and I am sure many others or at least a few.

If pheromones were that great why do they not put them in every perfume/cologne why they don't because it doesn't really work. Perhaps they do work but need a catalyst of something or maybe it really is just hormones or mix there of.

Not an expert if I was I would be a millionare lol and the experts haven't figured it out so perhaps that in lies the problem in that it really isn't something as simple as one thing but a mix of something in our bodies.  I do know certain people can wear certain types of perfumes yet another does not work for them and perhaps like I have said before its a combination of in that case skin, hormones and perhaps some other chemicals in the body. Humans are a complex organism so our smell is also complex but if one thing such as pheromones were the special magic elixir it sure would have been made and bottled years ago selling and working but to this day I have not seen anything work that well because we are to complex.

Sorry if I come across as counter to your opinion it just happens to be how I see it and I do respect your opinions as well.

[Laura_7]

If pheromones were that great why do they not put them in every perfume/cologne why they don't because it doesn't really work. Perhaps they do work but need a catalyst of something or maybe it really is just hormones or mix there of.

They cannot.
Pheromones are highly instable. To make them stable, or to bind them to some substances you need special substances which make the mix as valuable as a very valuable perfume.

Imo its the same with some devices promising to drive some unwanted animals away via high frequency.
Alone the special loudspeaker capable of very high frequency is more valuable than some devices...

As said, people report it has worked, their own scent has changed, and animals reacted differently for a few days.

hugs

[lilacwoman]

This is a really interesting topic about something that very few people know or understand so its nice its getting an airing.

I have to say that pheromones being controlled and emitted by our body must change when we start HRT.
Prrof fo this is not only do we lose the sharp male odour but we blend in a lot easier with less of those sideways 'questioning' looks from natural women.


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