What does HRT really give you... and is it needed?

[Just Mandy]

This is a follow up to another topic I started today... I know I have so
many questions

Micki pointed out in another thread that she has not started HRT, yet looks
very feminine and I think easily passes. Anyway it got me to thinking about
my situation.
OK.., Micki just let me know that her Avatar is not her... I feel really dumb... but my questions
still stand


I've only been on HRT about 2.5 months now. My face had gotten a little fatter, eyes a little more
feminine,  I have A cups breasts now, my rear end is well on it's way to getting as big as JLo's,
the small tummy buldge that I had before is now flat. I LOVE all these changes and I especially
LOVE the current state of mind. But the changes (other than the breasts and butt)  especially facial
have really been fairly slight. For me the biggest changes have been to my body, muscle loss and
re-distribution of fat. My skin has become amazingly smooth and I'm only shaving my legs about
once a week now. And at 2.5 months I know there is a lot more changes to come.

But as far as passing I think rhino, maybe cheek implants, chin reduction and hair removal will do more for
me than I think HRT will ever do facially. I'm thinking risk/reward and with all the risks of HRT, especially as
we get older and use it LONGER term, what does it really give you?

I guess the basic question is: do you have to be on HRT to be transistioning?

If you can pass with out it is it worth taking the risk?

Does HRT really feminize you mentally or make ANY changes mentally?
(This is in the other topic I started today and probably redundant)

Will it change someones face that much or is hair removal a large part of it?

If someone can pass as female without it is it needed prior to GRS surgery?

Are the body changes that I have now permanent or will they slowly fade? (I think they will revert back, but
does anyone have any experience with that?)

Are there changes/benefits I'm not thinking about?

I'm NOT saying I'm stopping HRT...and I'm definitely NOT stopping my transition,  just considering the options
of how to proceed in light of how good Micki looks

Amanda

[Beyond]

I guess the basic question is: do you have to be on HRT to be transistioning? It helps

If you can pass with out it is it worth taking the risk?  You mean continue HRT?  Definitely!

Does HRT really feminize you mentally or make ANY changes mentally?  Yes!, but YMMV
(This is in the other topic I started today and probably redundant)

Will it change someones face that much or is hair removal a large part of it?  YMMV and hair removal is extremely important.

If someone can pass as female without it is it needed prior to GRS surgery?  I don't know if anyone will take you as a patient.  Most want you to be on HRT at least 6 months.... I think.

Are the body changes that I have now permanent or will they slowly fade? (I think they will revert back, but
does anyone have any experience with that?)  Some are permanent, some partially so, some are reversible.

Are there changes/benefits I'm not thinking about?  The joy you'll feel when you're finally full-time.  A feeling of authenticity that you'll never want to give up.

[Kate]

I guess the basic question is: do you have to be on HRT to be transistioning?

That's entirely up to the person.

If you can pass with out it is it worth taking the risk?

Also up to you. There are people here who never took - or have long since stopped - HRT, and do fine.

Does HRT really feminize you mentally or make ANY changes mentally?

I have no idea. It's too intertwined with the emotional trauma of a transition usually to know what's causing what. Some say they know for sure it changed how they think, others know for sure it didn't affect them at all mentally.

People, especially my wife, tell me I'm not the same personality at ALL from before. But it could be from many things.

Will it change someones face that much or is hair removal a large part of it?

People who knew me as a male don't recognize me now. You can't see a beard in many of my male photos, and yet I look nothing like "him" now. People have told me, "I don't even remember what you used to look like." It's odd, as it's not dramatic, and yet it is.

If someone can pass as female without it is it needed prior to GRS surgery?

Depends on the surgeon. They set their own requirements, though it seems most want 12 months HRT - although it's not always a requirement.

Are the body changes that I have now permanent or will they slowly fade? (I think they will revert back, but
does anyone have any experience with that?)

I've "heard" (for what that's worth) that the breasts stay, though may shrink somewhat. The other fat may shift back to a more male pattern. Testes and other genital functions may never be the same again, but bounce back somewhat. Again, all anecdotal, I don't know for sure.

~Kate~

[Lisbeth]

But as far as passing I think rhino, maybe cheek implants, chin reduction and hair removal will do more for me than I think HRT will ever do facially. I'm thinking risk/reward and with all the risks of HRT, especially as we get older and use it LONGER term, what does it really give you?

In terms of passability, you really can't know what the changes will be until they have happened.

Does HRT really feminize you mentally or make ANY changes mentally? It did not for me.

Will it change someones face that much or is hair removal a large part of it? It made a huge change in the darkness of my facial hair.

Are there changes/benefits I'm not thinking about? Yes, most the changes I experienced are not on your list and I didn't think about them ahead of time either.

I did not expect so much change in my body hair.  It is practically all gone.

I was not prepared for how much my skin quality would change.

I did not expect as much thickening of hips and thighs.

I also did not expect my hands and feet to become thiner.

Body fat in undesirable places has been reduced.

I would not give up any of these effects.  And that's not even talking about breast development.

[seldom]

HRT is an absolute necessity in my opinion to successfully transition, but I also see it as the defining characteristic if one is transsexual or just a transgender.   The transsexual wants a womans body, chemical makeup, etc, somebody who is  transgender may pass on that.  A transsexual will ALWAYS opt for HRT if they can.  If they are saying its not necessary, I doubt they are actually transsexual.  Being transsexual goes beyond passing and living full time.  It is the goal to transform ones social role, but also change ones body to match ones identity. Without HRT the social role itself has limitations.   

I don't think one can rightfully make the claim of being transsexual and think HRT is unnecessary.  A transsexual will ALWAYS say HRT is a necessary. 

HRT does not make one a woman, but without it I doubt the person is really intent on transitioning.  HRT is an absolute necessity in my opinion to ever actually transition and without question the difference between those that are not transsexual and those who are.  Somebody who is transsexual sees the change in their body and HRT as an absolute necessity.

[almost,angie]

 I hated being stinky. I love my mones.

[Just Mandy]

Sometimes my fingers type my thoughts way before my brain has fully thought
them out and that is the case with this topic. After pondering for a few days
I decided there is no way I'll give up HRT.

But there are risks to HRT that I worry about, especially long term.

Amanda

[Kate]

But there are risks to HRT that I worry about, especially long term.

Of course, and it's only prudent to consider them. I did the same thing about SRS recently, making sure I REALLY need to do this considering all the possible risks and complications, and that I'm not just doing it "because that's what TSs do."

At this point though, both HRT and SRS are more important to me than my life itself... which is kinda sad actually, but they are.

~Kate~

[Princess]

i think i have a very passable feminine face, but no one gives me credit because i didn't transition. when kate said that everyone made the observation she looked nothing like before, that's probably gonna be my case.

[Just Mandy]

At this point though, both HRT and SRS are more important to me than my life itself.

I feel that, I feel that in my bones. SRS scares the crap outta me... so sorry... but that is the best
way for me to describe it. Not the end result, just the process, the surgery, the recovery, the pain. I
don't think about it now. I will when the time comes.

Amanda

[LynnER]

KK, Look at my avitar LoL....  This is what HRT does...

Now look at this.....


HRT has its risks yes... Just like everything else... and allot of them are hyped up <there still there, but not all that frequent>  Just get your blood tests done and you should be fine 

[Just Mandy]

You look great Lynn, you REALLY do, I love the new avatar!

And no... you will never see my boy pic posted here LOL.

Amanda

[LynnER]

LoL, yeah,  I usualy use the scarryer one, with all the evil facial hair, and the look of a psychopath...  One I have myself, the other <the one I posted> is the one my bandmates refuse to take off our myspace... <grumble grrr grumble grrrr>  But I do occasionaly show it here to get the point of whats actualy possable across to people 

[Just Mandy]

LOL... as bad as my avatar looks.... you should see the old me 3 months ago, it's what the boogie man looks like

Thanks for sharing the pic I know we all come from that but sometimes I forget I'm not with a bunch of GG's
and when someone posts an avatar like yours Lynn, it makes me want to remove mine... quickly. lol.

Amanda

[Kate]

SRS scares the crap outta me... so sorry... but that is the best
way for me to describe it. Not the end result, just the process...

Me too Amanda, me too. The recovery freaks me because I KNOW I'm going to obsess about "breaking" something, feeling like I'm held together by duct tape, lol. And the process... omg, I CAN'T think about the uhm... "deconstruction" phase

But... ya do what ya gotta do

~Kate~

[Just Mandy]

I guess you have to totally and completely focus on six months after SRS and how
nice that will be.

Amanda

[Keira]

One thing I noticed, compared to most people here on HRT,
I've got very little facial fat at all.
My cheeks are totally flat.
People think that I've got a lot
because of my very high cheekbone.
Actually, I look exactly now as I looked when I was about 20,
when I actually passed without HRT.

In my case, the biggest change has been in the body,
not the face. The main difference in the face
was skin texture, smaller pores, but even
there I've never had big pores to begin with.

[Just Mandy]

My cheekbones are high as well and the thing I noticed is they are now totally
covered when I smile, before HRT they were pointy and harder looking
if that makes sense. So that is what makes me think cheek implants would help
but I really have no clue... lol... I've studied my face too much and lost
all perspective

And I thought the other day that I look a lot more like when I was
younger and could have passed... maybe it's the fat that is lost as we age.

Amanda

[mickiejr1815]

ok, since i found this thread today, i wasn't on yesterday. i thought i would put in my 2 cents FWIW. i posted my own thread about whether any of us have transitioned without HRT, and it seesm that quite a few of us have. I will post my pic for all to see later. my avatar is WWE Dive Mickie James, and Mickie is what everyone knows me by, so when she joined WWE and myself here i figured it was a good fit. i will state for the record i am TS, i do want surgery, just not now, i'm not ready for it nor have the expenses. my wife thought that i was only a CD when we married and I could have swore i told her i was transgendered before we got married. I do want hrt, i'm just like completely terrified of needles. in my EXPERIENCES, and experiences only, i don't believe it is necessary for everyone. when i am dressed completely male and people come in to the room in front of my sis and ask ME if I am the mother of my child, you knwo kinda gives me one of those complexes. and no not everyone sees me as female yet, but i am sure they will once i start.

in my past, i have played with the girls more, related to them better, tbh, when my wife i didn't have a best man, if i had known my two best girl friends were definitely going to show up- they both would have been standing up there beside me.

i take major offense to the terms sir, he, him, and his.

i tell everyone i want to gain at least 40 pounds, and that's in my butt and breasts, i think everything else with me is just fine even though i have an adam's apple but obviously it hides when it needs to.


Just my thoughts,
Princess Mickie