The All New 'Before & After' Topic (v 4.0)

[JLT1]

Ok. Here goes.
My before picture was back in 2013. An attempt to be what everyone else expected me to be.



My after picture was yesterday. One year HRT. I'm holding out for the Grandma look.



Be gentle!!!

Hugs,
Donica.

You look happy.  (and way better than before!)

Hugs,

Jen

[kaitylynn]

You think this might be my best picture or is avatar worthy?

Totally avatar worthy!  All of your pictures posted are, but I love your smile in this one

[hiddengirlsheila]

Thank you. Believe me, its hard to smile when i know i dont look completely female and have some masculine features still without HRT and my dysphoria gets turned on more a little bit but its only appropriate to smile in a picture i guess. I wanted other people's input and opinion on how i look because i wasnt really sure, when i look at myself i see a lot of maleness that needs fixing and correcting but i guess i do look feminine for still being pre-transitioned.

I'm glad i can achieve (with little effort on the makeup) a quasi feminine image, meaning not fully, but almost to where it is convincing without HRT. There are several ways to present a more feminine image without HRT, not all transgender people go on HRT but i plan to in the near future. HRT and damaging my hair folicles for a few years with laser removal will totally enhance my image to being very feminine even without makeup. The goal is to be feminine without makeup honestly as not all girls wear makeup or even lipstick. I'm not striving to be a super model, just more of my real female self to make me more comfortable and content and happy and also so that people wont get my gender wrong anymore and see me as the woman i always was meant to be but i wont go out in public in woman clothes even on HRT until a year or two has passed. I'm only 30 years old, i dont want to transition late as a more youthful appearance also makes you more feminine. Wrinkles, saggy skin, ect contribute to being less feminine with less softer features but there's anti-aging products out there and your diet will also help stop the decay process of aging, getting the proper nutrition and vitamins and minerals as well will make you healthy not just on the inside of your body. Testosterone will also continue to make me more masculine as i age so i need to be on HRT before it becomes more of a challenge to look feminine.

I already have the long female style hair (that's not a wig in my pictures), with HRT it will be better. I dont know what i should do first HRT or hair removal? How much does laser removal or electrolysis cost? I know HRT is kind of cheap and can be covered by insurance, specifically anthem blue cross and shield. Genital surgery will be expensive if insurance doesnt cover it. BA and implants i'm not sure about, i want to see how HRT affects my breast area.

Now full body pictures i'm very reluctant about, i barely have boobs, and i'm overweight. I'm my own worst critic. I might develop a female hip sway and tone up my butt a little bit with diet, supplements, whey protein, and exercises.

Anyways, this is a picture of me semi smiling...its ok i guess but i'm not smiling most of the time other than pictures so this is what i usually look like...

[Donica]

You look happy.  (and way better than before!)

Hugs,

Jen

Thank you Jen! Oh yes, so very mush happier now!!!

Hugs,
Donica.

[Donica]

Wow impressive...... What a change..... 😊

Thank you Drexy!

Hugs,
Donica.

[hiddengirlsheila]

Is it ok if i post a few more pics?

By the way laser hair removal is 50 dollars a session here per body part and HRT is relatively cheap 1500 dollars a year...very capable of making that work out even without insurance and i have been saving up money (for a vacation) but i think i'll use it for transitioning instead. I have more than enough patience for HRT to really make changes happen, i'll feel better with my dysphoria just for being on HRT and knowing it is doing something for me albeit slowly. The estrogen hormones will do good for my female brain too putting me more at ease and less anxiety. BA and GRS will be the last things i plan to do (if i can do them and afford it), i will someday but not immediately so it will be a long ways into the future probably. FFS is 8000 dollars but not all of us need that and i already have a pretty feminine face so i think HRT will be the cherry on top for making it look more feminine without FFS. FFS might be cheaper than 8k just because i wouldnt need a complete makeover of my face since its not extremely masculine, just some parts of it would need surgery like my chin i guess.

Problem is, i'll be doing all this behind my dad's back, he might eventually notice the changes HRT would be making...i cringe when that day happens as i am scared about that.

[Northern Star Girl]

snipped:

Is it ok if i post a few more pics?
- - - - - - -

@hiddengirlsheila
Dear Sheila:
Yes, of course you can post more pictures.... 
...and you can post them on this thread and there are a couple other existing threads that have to do with posting photos, transitions pics, passing pics, etc.....   and you can start a new thread to post your pictures on if you wish.
Wishing you well,
Danielle

[Sonja]

Is it ok if i post a few more pics?

By the way laser hair removal is 50 dollars a session here per body part and HRT is relatively cheap 1500 dollars a year...very capable of making that work out even without insurance and i have been saving up money (for a vacation) but i think i'll use it for transitioning instead. I have more than enough patience for HRT to really make changes happen, i'll feel better with my dysphoria just for being on HRT and knowing it is doing something for me albeit slowly. The estrogen hormones will do good for my female brain too putting me more at ease and less anxiety. BA and GRS will be the last things i plan to do (if i can do them and afford it), i will someday but not immediately so it will be a long ways into the future probably. FFS is 8000 dollars but not all of us need that and i already have a pretty feminine face so i think HRT will be the cherry on top for making it look more feminine without FFS. FFS might be cheaper than 8k just because i wouldnt need a complete makeover of my face since its not extremely masculine, just some parts of it would need surgery like my chin i guess.

Problem is, i'll be doing all this behind my dad's back, he might eventually notice the changes HRT would be making...i cringe when that day happens as i am scared about that.

@hiddengirlsheila - Don't forget you can also use fillers around your face which is a lot cheaper but effective for feminising the face.
Just tell your dad you've been moisturizing your face so it doesn't get old and wrinkly. done. But getting rid of any beard shadow is going to be way more noticeable than just smooth skin, its a colour change and people will notice when it doesn't change over the course of a few weeks/months - but hey - this is the path we're on..

Sonja.

[hiddengirlsheila]

Thank you Danielle for being so nice, warm, and friendly towards me and your support and encouragement. It's good to have sympathizers among us and we each give each other more strength to dealing with our gender dysphoria.

@Sonja, True contouring the face is much cheaper than 8k. Someday i might get FFS just to make it no doubt to people that i am really female since most people judge by physical outside appearance but for now hormones and makeup will have to do. I just cant go overboard with the makeup, that's all. FFS wont magically solve anything other than me not having to wear as much makeup which would be great but its more to have other people see a more female face, yet, it wont change that i already know i am female inside, it will just make me feel more confident to go out in public as a female i suppose and it will lower my social anxiety. I guess it can be considered a stepping stone to appearing and becoming more of my female self yet is 8k worth spending that makeup can also do without having my face cut open and bleeding with the incisions? As that sounds painful i would imagine. I'm also doing exercises and acupressure to narrow my chin.

Indeed that my dad will notice i no longer grow hair and not just facial hair, he will wonder why and he will notice that i will start to grow breasts being on HRT...the hair removal will be obvious to him especially since i complained to him about my body hair before but the growing breasts and being more feminine might indicate to him that i am taking some kind of medication (for other issues i have) that is causing that to happen and he will want me to stop taking it, at that point i will have to reveal to him i am transgender and on HRT...he may not be surprised due to a few reasons. For one thing, a few years ago i told him i was a woman after my therapist at the time breached confidentiality which she wasnt supposed to do but he just shrugged it off and probably doesnt think about it anymore. He wrote it off as i'm just more compassionate and emotional than most "guys"...this time he will still probably go into denial and i will have to explain to him some things but he has picked up on subtle signs and indications of my natural womanhood and female tendencies when he was around me in the past. He even asked if i was gay at one point and said he would have to quit making gay jokes...nope not a gay "man" even though i'm bisexual and not lesbian either, but sexuality has very little to do with gender identity.

[ds1987]

Alright, so I usually do a one pic/two pic before-and-after, but I want to do a brief montage - somewhat for my own benefit.  This has been an evolution and will continue to be so, one that I have a habit of losing sight of and forgetting my progress as a result.  So here goes..


Summer of 2015


Spring of 2016 - a few months before I came out as gender fluid


Summer of 2016, I came out as GF and dove into makeup experimentation


Late 2016, I had finally "realized" I was trans and began coming out to family and close friends.  This was first time out as a girl with my BFF, was called "miss" by the hunky bartender


My mother and I on my birthday January 2017, I came out publicly as transtioning


Summer of 2017, I'd been on hormones for a few months and really started to see changes..I had also ditched my wigs, was out full time, and had chosen my name, Aria


November 2017, I was one of six girls at an overnight getaway, the only trans one but was fully accepted by everyone I was with


Sometime early spring of this year, I was seeing much more of me without the need of tons of makeup


Last week, wearing only mascara.  I don't always see girl without makeup, but I really come through here


And finally, my current favorite pic of me, taken two days ago

[Northern Star Girl]

@ds1987
Wowzers...  thank you for posting your transition timeline pictures.   You have amazingly transformed into a very beautiful woman.   I am so happy for you and your success. 
It is very encouraging to other members here to see your progress all during your journey to date.

Again, thank you for sharing.
Hugs and well wishes,
Danielle

snipped photos to save space:

Alright, so I usually do a one pic/two pic before-and-after, but I want to do a brief montage - somewhat for my own benefit.  This has been an evolution and will continue to be so, one that I have a habit of losing sight of and forgetting my progress as a result.  So here goes..

Summer of 2015

Spring of 2016 - a few months before I came out as gender fluid

Summer of 2016, I came out as GF and dove into makeup experimentation

Late 2016, I had finally "realized" I was trans and began coming out to family and close friends.  This was first time out as a girl with my BFF, was called "miss" by the hunky bartender

My mother and I on my birthday January 2017, I came out publicly as transtioning

Summer of 2017, I'd been on hormones for a few months and really started to see changes..I had also ditched my wigs, was out full time, and had chosen my name, Aria

November 2017, I was one of six girls at an overnight getaway, the only trans one but was fully accepted by everyone I was with

Sometime early spring of this year, I was seeing much more of me without the need of tons of makeup

Last week, wearing only mascara.  I don't always see girl without makeup, but I really come through here

And finally, my current favorite pic of me, taken two days ago

[Donica]

Wow Aria!!! That is an amazing transformation. You look wonderful. Keep rockin it girl!

Hugs,
Donica.

[JLT1]

Alright, so I usually do a one pic/two pic before-and-after, but I want to do a brief montage - somewhat for my own benefit.  This has been an evolution and will continue to be so, one that I have a habit of losing sight of and forgetting my progress.


And finally, my current favorite pic of me, taken two days ago

Awesome. Wow,  you are beautiful.

Hugs,

Jen

[Sonja]

@ds1987
Wow Aria - that's an amazing change, and you're looking great!! Love your last pic and your avatar pic - great photos of a new you! and lovely to see you with your mum - that's really nice!

Take care,

Sonja.

[hiddengirlsheila]

Aria, can you please answer this question for me, was that miraculous change all due to HRT alone or did you get surgeries? I would appreciate it if you can answer thank you.

Meh, here is another picture of me pre-transitioned/HRT...i think the lighting of the picture makes me look sexier though lol. I might put this picture up as my avatar. What do you think?



I found out that chin augmentation is 2500 dollars, i'll eventually be able to afford that but the makeup and contouring is doing a good job so far. There are cisgender and biological women with big chins, specifically asians and some other ethnicity so i dont know if its absolutely necessary to get my face cut open just for a slight narrowing that acupressure and chin exercises cant eventually accomplish as there is a girl who does those and she had plastic surgery done on her chin and she still does the yoga chin exercises as eventually your muscles in your chin area get used to being adjusted to the exercises you are doing and they tighten up and it stays that way permanently. The other thing is eyelid surgery to make them less droopy but again applying makeup, mascara, and styling your eyelashes (or getting fake eyelashes) can resolve that (which most women do anyway regardless of their naturally bigger eyes) and i would still do it after the surgery. Doing massaging and acupressure to your eyes will help too. Eyelid surgery is very expensive so i doubt i'll get that. For now without vaginoplasty (which is 12000 dollars) and GRS, i need HRT and hair removal. BA is another thing i might do in the future but HRT will give me breasts even if they might be a small cup size. I have to get more protein and exercise to lose weight and also get a bigger and more toned butt too to what i like to call an "apple of a butt".

[ds1987]

Good morning Sheila,

This is all with HRT so far, no surgeries.  I've been considering various facial surgeries, though a recent surge in dysphoria is pointing to others first...



This is me with no makeup and in a less flattering light than the second to last pic in my earlier post.  Although you can still see a lot of the changes, I'd say this might be more accurate to what I look like.  I've been considering eventual FFS for my chin, forehead, and orbital bones.  Makeup does a lot for me, but I don't want to feel the need to wear it nearly as much anymore.  Bone doesn't change, though cleaning my brows, preliminary hair removal, smiling genuinely, and the joy in my eyes have feminized me a lot more than I'd expected.

So I guess it's a mixed bag as to how I feel about my looks.  I see this pic and a lot points to "feminine," "androgynous" at the least.  But my desire to have FFS stems more from not wanting to see what I was when I look at who I am, which is its own can of worms...

[Colleen_definitely]

Honestly you really are doing quite well in the feature department. Working on your chin, nose, and brow wouldn't hurt but even without makeup I don't think you're really in need of any of them.

I can relate though. Do I really need any work?  Considering how people gender me, no. But I still have that nagging feeling when I look in the mirror or photos.

[hiddengirlsheila]

Based on my pictures and i had boobs from HRT and also softer features from HRT, what would you think people would gender me as in public? Note i'm kind of a big girl 5'10 tall and a bit overweight...I dont think i need much surgery other than my chin which i might not need surgery for that either but at least its one of the cheapest things of FFS to get done. I thought it would be much more than 2500 dollars which is surprising that its the cheapest area of FFS. Dont get me wrong thats still very expensive because i dont have a ton of money right now.

I think my nose is fine, of course it could be more narrow but people really arent going to look at my nose when judging whether i am female or not. I do but if i look female in everywhere else people arent to say "oh the nose you're a man"...my eyebrows could use lifting but i think they are ok. I should trim and shape them more i suppose. Other than that though, hair removal and HRT are a must (for me). I'll worry about BA, breast implants, GRS, getting a vagina, and getting a bigger butt later which mostly comprises my bottom region that people really dont judge and wont even see because i'm not walking around nude and naked. You should transition only for yourself though.

[hiddengirlsheila]

Would my hair look better if it was a lighter brown color? Just wondering...it used to be blonde when i was a child like my mom's hair but it turned dark brown.

[Harley Quinn]

Would my hair look better if it was a lighter brown color? Just wondering...it used to be blonde when i was a child like my mom's hair but it turned dark brown.

I'd say just adding some highlights would be your best bet. I dont find it flattering going too far from your natural hair color.