Is this really happening?

[Dee Marshall]

I'm 2 years 7 months in to my medical MtoF transition. Recently I've noticed that my beard shadow seems darker. I'm in my late fifties and before HRT there was a noticeable amount of grey in my beard and my testosterone level had gotten quite low, well below the bottom number for a healthy male and closer to the top level for a healthy female. Could those grey hairs be turning dark again? Mind you, I have noted slower growth and some reduction in coverage.

[Susan]

Hairs have a limited amount of pigment cells...

As we get older, the pigment cells in our hair follicles gradually die. When there are fewer pigment cells in a hair follicle, that strand of hair will no longer contain as much melanin and will become a more transparent color — like gray, silver, or white — as it grows.

[HappyMoni]

I love my electrolysis person. She calls them 'light' hairs in stead of grey. I, in fact, have so many 'light' hairs that I suspect I will one day be a blond. And I do plan to have more fun! 
Moni

[Janes Groove]

If you had electrolysis or laser and it got rid of the shadow it could be  back because hair has a 3 year dormancy period.  So it might not be old hair.  Just new hair that has been dormant for 3 years.

[Dee Marshall]

Thank you all for the info. I haven't had laser or electrolysis yet, but at least it makes more sense now. I hope to be starting laser soon. It's pretty much the last step in my transition. Surgeries are beyond my means and at 58 they don't sound cost effective anyway. Thank goodness I don't have that type of dysphoria. My face has pretty much the same bone structure as my mother and my sister, brow ridges and all. Lots of Neanderthal genes!