Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So...I like how I generally look really feminine...except for this...

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag60/Keira150/A3D2606E-797D-4B73-B6A0-FC68FAD7A6CE-261-0000000B8E71D961_zps0cb6da8d.jpg

My disgusting arm hair...

What can I do about this?

Can hrt make my arm hair go away or at least become less noticeable?

Because there is no way I will ever look passable... (as in feminine enough to be misse'd)

As it is...Im not sure how long or if I can even get hrt...well at least without major difficulty and being analyzed by "the gender experts".

-Skye

I wasn't analyzed by the gender experts. 
I just asked a doctor.   

Constant waxing will thin it out considerabley.  Finer hairs...

For more permanent results I bet two or three laser passes

I used to shave my arms (saved the laser $$ for my whiskers, damn good investment imho)...I forget now, about once a week or so. I have a pic of me on a bus somewhere, and my arm hair is clearly visible.

Now, after one year + HRT, my arms need a very light shave about once a month...mainly for my own sanity, no one can see my arm hairs past 5'....yes HRT does wonders on body hair in general, too. (At least in my case)

Skye I have a laser tech in terrace
She is doing a full face and neck to toes
For only 650.....I think she luuvs ts girls...
Not a lot to save up to....and she quoted me
A 2 hour lasing timeg

Quote from: Beth Andrea on April 26, 2013, 12:11:58 AM
I used to shave my arms (saved the laser $$ for my whiskers, damn good investment imho)...I forget now, about once a week or so. I have a pic of me on a bus somewhere, and my arm hair is clearly visible.

Now, after one year + HRT, my arms need a very light shave about once a month...mainly for my own sanity, no one can see my arm hairs past 5'....yes HRT does wonders on body hair in general, too. (At least in my case)

What was your arm hair like before hrt?

(Yes I know YMMV lol)

I absolutely hate mine...I try not to look at it as much as possible...

I plan on saving my money for facial laser...does facial laser work out pretty well?

Wax, epilate, shave or laser.  They will get lighter, but they may not totally go away.  I have noticed a lot of cis-girls have dark arm hair.

I just shave, about once a week.

Quote from: XchristineX on April 26, 2013, 12:09:17 AM
I wasn't analyzed by the gender experts. 
I just asked a doctor.   

Constant waxing will thin it out considerabley.  Finer hairs...

For more permanent results I bet two or three laser passes

Yeah...I might consider laser or waxing...but at the same time I'm not so sure...my arm hair is light at the roots so it probably wouldn't be worth it to use laser...

Quote from: Ms. OBrien CVT on April 26, 2013, 12:21:55 AM
Wax, epilate, shave or laser.  They will get lighter, but they may not totally go away.  I have noticed a lot of cis-girls have dark arm hair.

I just shave, about once a week.

What about stubblez though?...

You only get stubble with cut hair...
Waxing self is past intermediate....
You can stretch skin....break hairs ..get awfi ingrown
You need to exfoliate properly with waxing.  .
Laser

It takes several days before it is visible, then I shave it.

Quote from: Ms. OBrien CVT on April 26, 2013, 12:37:14 AM
It takes several days before it is visible, then I shave it.

I would totally do what I did to my legs...shave and epilate a few days later...but I can't because I'm not out at where I work and I don't want to come out...nor do I want to cause any more crap than needed...

I'm almost at the point where I need to get another job that doesn't involve interactions with people...(at least directly)

Quote from: Skye-Blue on April 26, 2013, 12:20:37 AM
What was your arm hair like before hrt?

(Yes I know YMMV lol)

I absolutely hate mine...I try not to look at it as much as possible...

I plan on saving my money for facial laser...does facial laser work out pretty well?

Based on the pic in the OP, your arm hair looks finer than mine, and it seems to go about 2/3rds of the way from wrist-->elbow. Mine was full hair, entire forearm.

Laser is WONDERFUL. I didn't really notice it, until I would stop shaving to get electrolysis (have to have enough whisker sticking out to allow the tech to grip the hair to remove it, once the follicle is zapped)...after 12 sessions, I no longer have the "Fred Flintstone" grey whisker-shadow (which I always had; it's the hair that is below the skin which shades the skin, creating the dark, "smudged" look of the facial hair area).

So no Fred Flinstone shadow, I can go 2-3 days without shaving and no one but me sees the whiskers (I don't see them, but I can feel them). Yeah, it was a good spending.

Also, I had 6 sessions for "Brazilian"...my preference before was to establish an equal-appearing distribution of hair on the body...shaving creates a "bald" look (which is mighty fine imho), but I like a light layer of hair...I used to have to shave "down there" about once a month, and it'd be good (after the initial grow-out) for about 2-3 weeks...once I did the Brazilian, I shave maybe once every 4-5 months, and the hair is a lot softer (although I don't know if that's due to the laser, or to HRT). But yeah, laser did have a good effect on those hairs, too.

Legs and chest I shave about once every 6 weeks or so, I rarely need to. Before, it was once a week. Only thing different for them is HRT.

I have dark hair, olive skin. (btw, most of the surviving whiskers are gray LOL)

And don't be bashful about asking the techs for anything...every one that I dealt with knew or suspected I was TS, and they all brought up "Oh, we do everything...and I mean "everything. Even the area between the...mmmm *points to the genitals*....and the ...hmhmmhm *points to the a$$*." Some used obviously clinical words, others used euphemisms...but they do talk openly about the hair removal that we need and want.

Quote from: Beth Andrea on April 26, 2013, 12:55:11 AM
Based on the pic in the OP, your arm hair looks finer than mine, and it seems to go about 2/3rds of the way from wrist-->elbow. Mine was full hair, entire forearm.

Laser is WONDERFUL. I didn't really notice it, until I would stop shaving to get electrolysis (have to have enough whisker sticking out to allow the tech to grip the hair to remove it, once the follicle is zapped)...after 12 sessions, I no longer have the "Fred Flintstone" grey whisker-shadow (which I always had; it's the hair that is below the skin which shades the skin, creating the dark, "smudged" look of the facial hair area).

So no Fred Flinstone shadow, I can go 2-3 days without shaving and no one but me sees the whiskers (I don't see them, but I can feel them). Yeah, it was a good spending.

Also, I had 6 sessions for "Brazilian"...my preference before was to establish an equal-appearing distribution of hair on the body...shaving creates a "bald" look (which is mighty fine imho), but I like a light layer of hair...I used to have to shave "down there" about once a month, and it'd be good (after the initial grow-out) for about 2-3 weeks...once I did the Brazilian, I shave maybe once every 4-5 months, and the hair is a lot softer (although I don't know if that's due to the laser, or to HRT). But yeah, laser did have a good effect on those hairs, too.

Legs and chest I shave about once every 6 weeks or so, I rarely need to. Before, it was once a week. Only thing different for them is HRT.

I have dark hair, olive skin. (btw, most of the surviving whiskers are gray LOL)

And don't be bashful about asking the techs for anything...every one that I dealt with knew or suspected I was TS, and they all brought up "Oh, we do everything...and I mean "everything. Even the area between the...mmmm *points to the genitals*....and the ...hmhmmhm *points to the a$$*." Some used obviously clinical words, others used euphemisms...but they do talk openly about the hair removal that we need and want.

Thanks for the info :)

Btw...does hrt do anything for butt/around that area hair?

Best is to find out. .
Get a expert waxer to do entire body after
High Spiro....

As for laser.   Diode for black.
Nd yag for lighter colors

I've heard of butt hairs coming back as velous..
I honestly dont remember from my first transition
As it being bad back there..  so Maybe it did
Go to velous hair

Quote from: Skye-Blue on April 26, 2013, 12:42:40 AM
I would totally do what I did to my legs...shave and epilate a few days later...but I can't because I'm not out at where I work and I don't want to come out...nor do I want to cause any more crap than needed...

I'm almost at the point where I need to get another job that doesn't involve interactions with people...(at least directly)

I'm not out at work or ft or anything, but I lasered off all my arm (and chest and face hair). Nobody says anything. I don't even care any more. I hated my arm hair so much I'm a thousand times happier with it gone.

Quote from: TiffanyT on April 26, 2013, 01:52:28 AM
I'm not out at work or ft or anything, but I lasered off all my arm (and chest and face hair). Nobody says anything. I don't even care any more. I hated my arm hair so much I'm a thousand times happier with it gone.

My ex freaked when I first shaved my arms (and hands)...she was mortified that "everyone will see THAT!!"

No one did. No one noticed. And I was happy that the hair was GONE.

:)

Quote from: Beth Andrea on April 26, 2013, 01:59:27 AM
My ex freaked when I first shaved my arms (and hands)...she was mortified that "everyone will see THAT!!"

No one did. No one noticed. And I was happy that the hair was GONE.

:)

I'm seriously thinking about getting rid of it now...and then if I get a couple days off Ill just epilate...yay smooth arms! :D

Skye, just so you know, I shaved my arm hair off through ALL of high school and college, the prime years of guys having to prove how manly they are, and not a single person ever said a word to me about it. Arm hair is not something that people notice. Not all guys even have it. And hell, even if people did notice, what's the big deal? Just say something like "Yeah... I just enjoy having smooth arms. So what?" And that's the last you'll ever hear about it.

And in regards to whether HRT will get rid of it or not... well, it is admittedly a YMMV thing, but arm hair is usually one of the biggest areas of hair that HRT gets rid of. I'm only three months in, and already I'm at the point where I pretty much never have to shave my arms anymore. When I was shaving it as a guy, I had to do it like every 4 days to keep it smooth, where now I've gone 3 weeks and there's still pretty much nothing visible. (But I still do it anyway because I like them to be completely smooth.) I'd say the reduction in that area for me is at least 70% already, and I'm only 3 months in. For me, HRT killed the stuff almost immediately.

Quote from: Skye-Blue on April 26, 2013, 02:05:11 AM
I'm seriously thinking about getting rid of it now...and then if I get a couple days off Ill just epilate...yay smooth arms! :D

Shaving is faster, and less painful...but must be done more often.

I says go fer it, girl!!  ;) No one's gonna be hurt, and re: the wife....in general it's better to apologize than ask permission...

Quote from: Beth Andrea on April 26, 2013, 02:09:40 AM
Shaving is faster, and less painful...but must be done more often.

I says go fer it, girl!!  ;) No one's gonna be hurt, and re: the wife....in general it's better to apologize than ask permission...

Yeah I've already epilated my upper and lower legs...whew that was tough work...but soooo worth it! I'm waaay less dysphoric because I did that.

What do you mean "no ones going to be hurt" ;P

Lol, epilating hurts like hell...

Thank you everyone for the support and advice so far...

I think I may hold off on laser until hrt takes effect (of which I have not gotten as of yet :( )...if I had the money I would totally do laser though (on my body hair that is). I'm definitely going to have to do my face...ughhh too many money related things to do...so little funds...

Quote from: Skye-Blue on April 26, 2013, 02:05:11 AM
I'm seriously thinking about getting rid of it now...and then if I get a couple days off Ill just epilate...yay smooth arms! :D

I got drunk and waxed my arms the first time!!! It hurt so much but felt so good.

Quote from: Skye-Blue on April 26, 2013, 02:15:47 AM
Yeah I've already epilated my upper and lower legs...whew that was tough work...but soooo worth it! I'm waaay less dysphoric because I did that.

What do you mean "no ones going to be hurt" ;P

Lol, epilating hurts like hell...

Thank you everyone for the support and advice so far...

I think I may hold off on laser until hrt takes effect (of which I have not gotten as of yet :( )...if I had the money I would totally do laser though (on my body hair that is). I'm definitely going to have to do my face...ughhh too many money related things to do...so little funds...

The story of everyone's life, babe...

The trick is to prioritize:

• Make a list of each thing that needs to be done individually. (Don't just write, "laser hair removal", write "LHR = beard/face area, LHR = chest, LHR = Brazilian, LHR = ass, etc") Include the cost of each thing.
• What is the most money you can do, right now?
• Which item(s) on the list can be done with that money? (mark them with an asterisk* )
• Which item(s) on the list, marked with an asterisk, cause you the most grief? (Mark with another asterisk)
• Which item(s) on the list, marked with two asterisks, will do the most to help you "pass"? (Mark with another asterisk)
• Accomplish those things, in that order...3 ***, then 2 **, then 1 *.
• Review and re-prioritize as the mood strikes.

Often these medical places (laser, plastic surgery, etc) will have a credit program, if you have good credit. The one I use also offers 0 interest for 6 months-1 year, depending on how much you spend on one procedure (or a "package")

Good call Beth....
I was off work all winter and could only afford face lasering.
So that is what I did...I dont have new clothes they are all donated
Fro. Girls that love me....

Couldn't afford more than just a basic face for make up...

But here I am ny cost cutting areas In my life...no smoking drinking
Fast food...I have done 4 fu fave treatments....
Skye. I have laser techs every city I go to....
Some are welfare affordable.  .
I thiml coz they really are empathetic...I never told mine I am..
She figured me out fast LOL and dropped the price A LOT

Thank you Beth and Christine :)

Hrt should thin out your arm hair it I've noticed that some of spots I have missed when shaving the hair that is growing now is a lot finer than the hair I had there before. I don't think you have that much arm hair anyways at least compared to my pre hrt days where when I would let my body hair grow out I was pretty much an ape. Stubble changes on hrt too it's definitely easier to put up with stubble the hair a lot softer so it doesn't have that sand paper feel. But I don't think you have to worry too much about your arm hair once you've been on hrt for a while. :)

Hey Skye, 

For now you can simply shave or wax if you don't want to wait for hrt or start laser.  Personally, I don't  think your hair is bad at all.  You could get away with shaving until you get on hrt.  Unfortunately, I have Sicilian heritage in my blood, so I know all too well about stubble and sympathize with you.  So, I would start laser if you can afford it and want to begin the process.

In any event,  if you can't afford traditional laser treatment, I know there are hair removal lasers you can buy online.  I hear that they aren't as effective, but something is better than nothing.  Plus, it is much cheaper in the long run even if you get a high end laser.  Due to my financial limitations, this is probably what I am going to have to do. 

Skye - I had way more arm hair than you do (and longer - ugh!!). I was another one who shaved it off... until about a year on HRT, when I noticed the majority of it didn't seem to be growing back and I had to shave less often as well, and I let it grow in to see what happened. Now it's sparse, fine and short; barely noticeable from a few inches away.

(I had literally 3 chest hairs, but for some reason the butt/lower back hair was the bane of my existence, too. That's not *gone* now, but it's reduced enough that I shave once a month and can otherwise ignore it.)

Thanks for the helpful advice everyone! :)