Worried that HRT is making my face MORE angular

[starting_anew]

I'm six weeks into HRT, and interestingly, I'm starting to see some really subtle changes.  I'm actually starting to pass consistently, but I do attribute that mostly to my voice.

Anyway, when I was showing a trans friend my pics, she said it seemed HRT was making my face slightly more angular.  I'm small framed (5'4" and 105 lbs), so her thought was that I needed to put on weight.  The problem is that I've been trying to put on weight like crazy over the last number of months, but to no avail.

Has HRT adversely affected your ability to pass, if you started off weighing not that much?


Here are some pics (I apologize if you've seen my posts elsewhere):

http://imgur.com/a/Wfawo

[Deborah]

Honestly, I don't see it as more angular at all.  Gaining weight will help though.  You could probably use 20 to 30 lbs more.


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[Ms Grace]

Six weeks is hardly any time at all in the long scheme of things. It takes a while for the hormones to make a significant difference. Give it at least six months and try a comparison then.

[Wednesday]

What is your friend seeing is just  combination of:

A) Skin tightened

B) In the last pic long hair close to face sides makes face look a little bit more defined and long.

Anyway estrogen does not masculinize the jaw. For those girls who are slim what it does is to make her jaws a little bit more chiseled/defined which is not a masculine trait itself. In fact a defined jaw is considered aesthetically optimal for a female.

What distinguishes a female jaw vs a male jaw is chin height, chin width and mandible width. Those things cant masculinize with HRT. In fact you can get a little bit narrowing (not so much) thanks to a certain reduction of facial/jaw muscles triggered by estrogen.

Putting weight can soften somewhat the angles in exchange of adding more overall bulk to your face and jaw.   So... It may be not a great idea. Putting weight may work for some people but for many girls it just worsens they overall appearance. Just think about average ciswomen: slim/normal weight females dont look more feminine that overweight females.

[stephaniec]

a good way to put on weight is to drink liquid nutritional  supplement along with your meals.

[Deborah]

When I said 20 lbs would help I didn't mean to get overweight.  I was just comparing you to my daughter who is about your height and weights 130.  She's also a full time fitness instructor working out six days a week for multiple hours a day and not fat at all.


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[starting_anew]

Oh, believe me, I would love to gain 20 or so lbs.  I've tried really hard, but I guess I have a fast metabolism. 

Taking dietary supplements is a good idea - thanks!

[Deborah]

Well, you look pretty young too.  In a couple of years, HRT or not, weight will come easier.  Too much easier for a lot of us.


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[Wednesday]

When I said 20 lbs would help I didn't mean to get overweight.  I was just comparing you to my daughter who is about your height and weights 130.  She's also a full time fitness instructor working out six days a week for multiple hours a day and not fat at all.

But in your daughter case most of that weight is muscle, and muscle has less volume per lb than fat. Also she can choose where the bulk goes by training specific areas when building muscle. Fat distribution, even on hormones, is unpredictable. Thats why I caution people before gaining weight (by just getting fat and not muscles). I know plenty of girls (cis and trans, my mother is one of them), specially those ones who are fast oxidizers (fast metabolism) who get most of the weight on their bellies.

Putting some lbs by just eating more may be or may be not a good idea. Getting some lbs by training those areas you want to increase may work better (and you're gonna gain a bit of fat too), but it is harder and requires a nice diet and being tenacious exercising.

[Deborah]

Putting some lbs by just eating more may be or may be not a good idea. Getting some lbs by training those areas you want to increase may work better (and you're gonna gain a bit of fat too), but it is harder and requires a nice diet and being tenacious exercising.

Yes.  Those are very good points.  Exercise will also have the benefits of making one a lot healthier and raising self esteem among other things.


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[Wednesday]

Oh, believe me, I would love to gain 20 or so lbs.  I've tried really hard, but I guess I have a fast metabolism. 

Taking dietary supplements is a good idea - thanks!

If I were you I'll be aiming for 10 lbs to see how it goes. If you want to put weight by just eating while having a fast metabolism you should go for food with high amounts of fat like cheese, nuts, fried meals, etc.

[starting_anew]

Thanks this has been helpful and I'm freaking out a little less.  You're awesome!

[Wednesday]

You're pretty welcome girl, I can't do nothing but being awesome, its just my inner nature

I suggest you to get a glance at google looking for weight gaining diets and foods for fast oxidizers (or fast metabolisms). There is plenty of useful nutritional info.

[Kclaire86]

when I started HRT I was 5'10" and 160 lbs... After a couple of months it looked like I was kinda becoming gaunt in the face like you describe... but then... idk what happened lol I gorged and I couldn't control it, I got up to 187 lbs... thankfully though that ended and I am back to 157, the good part however is that my face has rounded out and I kept all the fat in my butt and thighs. it all shed from my stomach.

[KayXo]

Spiro can make your face look more sunken as it is dehydrating. Progesterone helps to increase fat deposition.

[Angélique LaCava]

I've been on HRT for bout 6 weeks n it's making my face more hallow n taking away fat by my jaw line which is Wat I want gone so I'm happy bout a more angler face. I always envied Jennifer love Hewitt for her jaw line.