Trans and Vanity

[KarlMars]

When you picture yourself as the gender you identify with do you have an image in mind of the exact type of man or woman you want to look like? For example to get plastic surgery to change your facial shape rather than look like your natural self as the opposite gender?

I have these images of masculine facial features I want that I don't know if they'll look right on me or not because my face is naturally delicate and I have a small head. I'll have to worry about that after I've transitioned into a male.

[FTMax]

Not really. I generally assumed I would look like my dad, and that has been pretty true so far. We look very similar when I look at pictures of him at the same age, I'm just physically smaller.

The way I see it, I'll have spent so much money on surgery by the end of my transition on everything that is necessary, that I won't have money left for anything purely cosmetic even if I am on the smaller side. Thankfully, T has been pretty good to me so I am not too concerned about whether or not things look right on me.

[Tysilio]

Testosterone will masculinize your face a lot. It may take two years or more, and you may not be able to see it because the changes are so gradual, but it will happen. Your friends will see it: I said to one of mine that I thought I looked pretty much the same, and she said "Oh, no! You look completely different!"

I do see it now, and I look like my brother, pretty much.

As to vanity, what I wish I looked like: from the time I was six I've wanted to look like the young version of Clint Eastwood, but that was never gonna happen, and certainly not at my age. (My doctor said to me when I started testosterone, "You're 61, you're gonna look like a grandpa.")

I was recently taken for a senior partner at a very fancy law firm, so I guess I've achieved "presentable older fellow." That makes me very happy.

And I think in another year or so I may be able to grow a decent beard. That will make me really happy.

[Elis]

Yeah; pretty much. I've also imagined myself with longish hair, sporting a mustache with defined cheekbones. Although I'm far from looking like that which kinda gets me down. I don't think I look very different on T so far; although my barber noticed so maybe my warped mind just can't see it yet  . I'm starting to wonder if I'll end up looking like my grandad; who I got my blonde hair and blue eyes from. I'm the only one in the family with that hair colour and eye colour.

[suzifrommd]

When you picture yourself as the gender you identify with do you have an image in mind of the exact type of man or woman you want to look like?

No, I'm happy enough just being a woman. I have too much going on in my life to stress about my looks.

[Kylo]

No. I guess because I know there's no way to change my face, my height and all that. I know what I'd like but I know it's not possible so my brain gave up that line of thinking.

But I know what I've got to work with and what I can change and it's interesting how much a certain haircut or a bit of facial hair etc. can change a person's look. So I think more about what I might do with what I've got.

As for facial plastic surgery - don't have the money for that. Plus I can't really stand hospitals and operations. It'll be fun enough just getting the standard ops for transition.

[KarlMars]

Testosterone will masculinize your face a lot. It may take two years or more, and you may not be able to see it because the changes are so gradual, but it will happen. Your friends will see it: I said to one of mine that I thought I looked pretty much the same, and she said "Oh, no! You look completely different!"

I do see it now, and I look like my brother, pretty much.

As to vanity, what I wish I looked like: from the time I was six I've wanted to look like the young version of Clint Eastwood, but that was never gonna happen, and certainly not at my age. (My doctor said to me when I started testosterone, "You're 61, you're gonna look like a grandpa.")

I was recently taken for a senior partner at a very fancy law firm, so I guess I've achieved "presentable older fellow." That makes me very happy.

And I think in another year or so I may be able to grow a decent beard. That will make me really happy.

Would you ever dye your hair to look younger because you liked it even if others knew it was fake? I think when I get to be a senior if I get bald or something I'll get a really authentic looking wig, but strangers might still know it's fake. I want to be a blonde and I'd have to dye my eyebrows and beard to match.

[KarlMars]

Yeah; pretty much. I've also imagined myself with longish hair, sporting a mustache with defined cheekbones. Although I'm far from looking like that which kinda gets me down. I don't think I look very different on T so far; although my barber noticed so maybe my warped mind just can't see it yet  . I'm starting to wonder if I'll end up looking like my grandad; who I got my blonde hair and blue eyes from. I'm the only one in the family with that hair colour and eye colour.

I'm one of the few people in my family with hazel eyes. As rare as hazel eyes are I want icy blue ones instead. I have tawny light brownish hair and I want to be a blonde. So consider yourself lucky to have those natural. Do you know if barbers also do hair coloring?

[Elis]

I'm one of the few people in my family with hazel eyes. As rare as hazel eyes are I want icy blue ones instead. I have tawny light brownish hair and I want to be a blonde. So consider yourself lucky to have those natural. Do you know if barbers also do hair coloring?

In a perfect world I'd have icy blue eyes and properly blonde hair; but I count myself lucky that I have what I have. I've never heard of barber's doing hair colouring. Seems to be something only hair salons do because women want it done a lot more than men. Screw society saying men can't get our hair coloured too . My barber shop does it only because it caters only to the LGBT community.

[sparrow]

I never did have an image of how female me would look.  I just hated seeing a man in the mirror.  I knew that estrogen could make me look more feminine, possibly but probably not enough to pass as a woman.  Looks like it'll be enough for me.  With a dab of makeup, I can pass as a transwoman who's got her life together and doesn't want to go in for surgery.  With a quick change of clothes and a tight undershirt, I can pass as a guy.

[Hikari]

I would love some FFS to feminize a few features that I don't like, such as brow bossing, but it isn't really any worse on me that it was my mom. I can't objectively say that I don't look like any other woman in my family feature wise but I want just a bit more I guess. When I picture an idealized version of myself aside from that the only real difference is being thinner, and I can do that without spending a lot of money.

I am pretty fine with being a nondescript 30 year old woman who tends to dress somewhat conservatively. I won't be winning any beauty pageants, but I would never enter one anyway :p

[November Fox]

I'll have to worry about that after I've transitioned into a male.

I agree with this part.
You don´t know what you´ll look like. Testosterone can do a lot for you - and it´s possible that your face is going to change in ways you aren´t envisioning now.

My answer to the question is no. I want to look like myself. More masculine yes, but still myself.

[KarlMars]

In a perfect world I'd have icy blue eyes and properly blonde hair; but I count myself lucky that I have what I have. I've never heard of barber's doing hair colouring. Seems to be something only hair salons do because women want it done a lot more than men. Screw society saying men can't get our hair coloured too . My barber shop does it only because it caters only to the LGBT community.

I wish we had a barber shop that catered to that. I'm more likely to be discriminated against where I live. I'll have my hair cut by a barber and dyed somewhere else if they don't do coloring there.

[Emileeeee]

I don't have an ideal image I imagine, but I did go from never ever looking at a mirror to stopping to check myself out frequently. It's a great feeling to be able to look in the mirror and actually see someone attractive.

[schwarzwalderkirschtort]

I did, but then I realised that's what i look like now.

I don't care, as long as I'm not hideous and pass, that's all I really need

[KarlMars]

I did, but then I realised that's what i look like now.

I don't care, as long as I'm not hideous and pass, that's all I really need

I suspect I'll be a decent looking male, but over the years I might decide to do more to my face.