MTF Transitioning in your thirties (30's)?

[Adabelle]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea that you are 34!

that's every bit of 10 years more than i thought.

That's such a nice thing to say Tammy. Thank you! 

[JungianZoe]

Count me as another...   Started HRT 3 days before my 33rd birthday.  However, my first three months were pretty much worthless because the E dose was so low and spiro didn't make even the tiniest dent in my T levels, so I didn't begin functioning HRT until 3 months after my birthday.  Even my doc tells me the results were so bad I shouldn't even count my first three months.

I'm now at 5.5 months and the results have been amazing, but mostly facial.  Then again, I also started while 25 pounds underweight for my height (5'11", 120 pounds) and that could explain the lack of body work.  Muscle definition, what little I had, has decreased and skin has softened.

The biggest changes I'm looking forward to but haven't happened yet are that my skin is as ridiculously oily as before, and I've had no thinning or lightening of body hair.  I'm thankful that I wasn't hairy in the first place.  I had like five hairs around my belly button that weren't even coarse, and none on my chest, shoulders, back, or upper arms (I didn't even have facial hair past the outside corners of my eyes, not even sideburns).  Armpit hair seems to have had a slight loss of coarseness, but leg hair hasn't dissipated or thinned at all.  My lower arms (and elbows) didn't have coarse hair and most of it was light blonde, but there's just a lot of it.  These light hairs are also on my hands and fingers and the pores around them are huge.  Which is to say my lower arms and hands are VERY male and my least passable feature.  I still have to shave them and my legs every other day.  Hopefully all of this will change in the future.

Breast development...?  Ugh.  I don't know if it's weight or genetics, but after 5.5 months, I'm still only about halfway to an A cup.  No clue where I'll wind up given that my mom is barely an A.  But her mother and sisters all had/have D or higher and my sister is a C.  I recently put on 25 pounds and the entirety of it went straight to my belly.  Not so pleased about that one.  I had been hoping for more even distribution or something to go to my breasts.

But still, I had an instance this week where I nearly couldn't buy something because the clerk flat out didn't believe that I was the person on my license.  She argued that a) the person on my license was a boy, and b) he looked like he could be my brother, but definitely not me.  I dropped into my boy voice out of desperation (even did my voice that sounds like The Who song "Boris the Spider") and she still argued with me for another five minutes that there was no way I was a guy.  I pretty much left that store feeling like a million bucks.

So no, 33 is definitely not too late.  Like others have commented, HRT can be as much about genetics as it is about age.

[mm]

Zoe, one thing you will notice about breast size is that the tall slim girl usually have very small to small breasts.  Fat tissue makeup part of the breast size and if you have little fat you will have smaller breasts. 

[JungianZoe]

Zoe, one thing you will notice about breast size is that the tall slim girl usually have very small to small breasts.  Fat tissue makeup part of the breast size and if you have little fat you will have smaller breasts.

Kind of depends though... my sister is 5'10", 135 pounds, and has C cups.  I got myself back up to 145 (my old high school weight) in the last two months and hoping it'll make a difference.

[iris1469]

I started hrt when i was 36 and am in my 17th month. I am 5' 11" and weigh in at 155lbs. i have a banging body, all thanx to hrt! good luck

[Lady_J]

Madelyn, honey, I'm beyond 50 and believe me the thirties aren't too late to transition.  You have your entire life ahead of you. Though I don't personally know you or your situation my advice is to go for it.  As far as passing goes, it's something I think all of us worry or have worried about.  The hormones will soften your skin, give you the secondary female characteristics and certainly cause you to literally change in mood and outlook.  As a personal note, I plan on ffs because of my features and even with that ahead of me I know at this stage in my life it's all worth it.  Good luck and remember you're not alone.

[Beni76]

I am 5' 11" , 35yrs also and roughly 145 pounds so it is good to see that other girls in similar frame have had good results. Yes I know it depends on other things too. I will probably be 36 by the time I start, as soon as I find another decent therapist. My existing therapist tried saying that it wouldn't do anything to my skin lol

[justmeinoz]

I was wondering about the age gap myself.

Perhaps the reason there seem to be fewer people transitioning in their thirties would be because it is generally the decade when you are most likely to have a young family.  This would cause a lot of people to put off any attempt to change for fear of hurting their family, so they decide to wait until the kids are older. 

Or alternatively had already made a decision before they established a family, that is in their 20's or earlier.

Karen.

[gandaberunda]

I am so happy to see this thread, as a 35 year old just starting to open up to this.  I am not on HRT but I have been discussing it with a therapist.  I definitely think that maybe the mid-thirties marks a time of hitting a stride in one's career and/or family life, but for me I've always hit an impossible wall in both respects.  That is what initially brought me into therapy.  While my friends found success in careers and social life, I found disaster at every turn.

While I had a certain intuitive sense about myself but I never really thought it meant I would think of transitioning.  When I was in my twenties I had several psuedo-breakdowns relating to academics, relationships, career, family, etc.  I always channeled my energy into things to distract me from the REAL identity crisis at hand.  It wasn't until my thirties that I started to see this pattern for what it was.  It wasn't until my thirties that I had the complete desperation to challenge it, to face it and ultimately accept it.

After nearly 2 years of gender-specific therapy, I'm ready to move on to the next step.

[TINATURNER]

My name is Tina and I'm 32. This is my second time around! I started transitioning the "first time around" @ 18 years old, I am tall stocky naturally big boned person so transitioning has always been a challenge. Transitioning at 30 is definitely different from transitioning at 18, When I was younger the hormones changed my appearance at a accelerated level, I went from  a basket ball player look to femme fatal in 2 1/2 years. Breast development started rapidly within two weeks of transition, Within six months I had fully developed cup breast. I was starting the past as female I went from laughs too people actually thinking I was female, My hair was growing at a accelerated rate it was thicker fuller within months My transition was so fast by 20 years old I had a total female look and  I was beautiful muscle tone had diminished rapidly, body hair diminished, skin was soft and dewy glow like I was Pregnant. I was female totally female by looks. I stop transitioning at about 22 years old due to family situations and drug habits I got married started going to church had two kids but I still felt the inner female in me yearning I may have physically looked male but I was still mentally female I didn't feel any different from my teenage years I felt like I was the same person just in a more masculine form. I  tried to take testosterone to erase all the feminizaition harmones did to me but it didn't help I still have breast tissue So I felt like a freak show. I got a divorce and started transitioning again at 29 years old I've been living full time for the last year and it's been an uphill Battle. When I was younger transitioning was easier it seemed like the hormones were working at a Excellerated rate, I've kind of been discouraged because I've been laughed mocked I don't know if my licks what ever match my heart I'm very disappointed this time around, I feel like a monster I'm so big tall and manly lookin I think passing as female could only be a dream for me This is just my experience I just wanted to vent with people that would understand what I'm going thru

[jillian]

I am 33. I just began transitioning.

[kimberrrly]

transitioning younger might give more hrt effects, "might" coz
Also for some younger people it does not work...
Passability has more to do with how you look then your age...
Hornones arent magic pills...
And there are younger girls, age 18 for instance that can be less passable then a 30 yo, this has more to do with the bonestructure of your face then hormones

[Adabelle]

Welcome to the thread everyone. I'm very glad there are other 30 something out there that are on the path, or are at least thinking about this kind of thing like I was when I started this thread.

When I started this thread last year I was still very much dealing with the severe stress and fears of facing transition. But in the end I didn't know what else to do. I found peace with it and was able to move forward. I've been on HRT for a few months now and went full time in March of this year.

I wish you each peace and success on your journey, whatever your journey might be. I can say that after going full time I really do pass about 95% of the time. And for the people that read me I think honestly that they don't care too much. I have to work on my voice, this is something I think gives me away.

Anyway - I wish you each courage and strength. Transition is harder than I thought, but it's also much more "normal" than I would have thought too. It does feel right in many ways and my dysphoria is gone.

[hilah.hayley]

I started my transition just before I turned 31. I'm 33 now and have had some very positive results. I'd have liked to have bigger boobs or better waist or butt, though I'll have to find other methods of getting them the way I want.

[catherine - remy]

I started at 35 (well just before 36, which I am now), I found that the best results are that I feel so much beter inside than pre - hrt. In my body I have had quite a few changes on the 10 months I ve been taking them. My boobs are still quite small, but are there, as I'm stick thin this is pretty much what I thought would happen (and wonderbras are amazing), my weight has stayed very close to what I was before, maybe a few pounds more, but not much. My skin is so much softer than before, and body hair has got much thinner.

[amymichelle]

Thanks for your stories, I'm just now starting to embark on my journey at almost 38 years old. I hope when I get started on HRT that it will be good to me and really make a big change in my appearance.

[Jay-Bird]

Hi's,

I'm 33 and am at the very very early stages of transition, seeing a therapist in a few weeks for the first time.
Will hopefully be starting full hrt at 34, but with some luck some AA's in a few months.
I'd start everything now if I could, but need to get a few things in order first.
I'm happy to see there are so many in this age group
-
Miya

[Francis Ann Burgett]

Madelyn, You look great, don't you dare stop being yourself. You enjoy & become a beautiful young woman, complete & happy. It will all work out, just relax & be yourself. Speech will become calmer, softer each day you enjoy being yourself.

I'm old enough to be your mother so young girl you enjoy your life.

[purplevelvet]

I just turned 32. I feel like life has passed my by so far and I have done nothing to address the issue. I'm looking for the courage to finally make a change. Any pointers?
Alison

[Francis Ann Burgett]

Madelyn, from your picture it seems you have dark hair. If you have not used any laser hair removal systems I strongly suggest the Tria Laser product. I just received one & it works great. For you if your body & facial hairs are dark this laser treatment will/should work great. The younger the better before color changes.

Good luck, you will be OK, take it one day at a time.