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If someone gets their male facial hair removed to the extent that they don't need to shave at all and there's no shadow, what effect does that have on a male appearance? Would it look particularly unusual, or anything? I read in one place that a lack of shadow can make you look older, because it looks like your hair has gone grey, and that beard area skin has a different texture that will remain even after beard removal. I'm not so certain about that, though, because I know some men who are completely smooth shaven and no beard is visible whatsoever, and they look fine.

Just want to know what I'm getting into, I'd prefer to always be able to have a good "man mode" when I want.

Personally I have found it is very hard for people to estimate my age now. My beard isn't totally gone yet though!

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Quote from: MollyPants on January 14, 2019, 11:54:40 PM
Personally I have found it is very hard for people to estimate my age now. My beard isn't totally gone yet though!

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

Hi MollyPants,                     14 January 2019

As cute and pretty as you are, when you reach 110 I'm sure they will think you're 39. When I was your age I looked about 12 or 13. Now that I'm 78 most folks think I look 178. And when I tell them I was born in 1840 and fought in the Civil War, they believe me.

Do yourself a big favor and stay out of the sun; avoid sun tans and use a high SPF Sun Block on exposed skin when you have to be out in it. You're a beautiful young lady; stay that way by limiting sun exposure.

I know you have an abundance of cloud cover where you live; you can still receive excessive sun exposure when it's cloudy. Protect yourself and remain beautiful.

I'm going to check back on you in 24 years; I expect you to be just as pretty then as you are now.

Best Always, Love
Christine

Men look years younger. I started with laser prior to HRT.

Quote from: Lucca on January 14, 2019, 11:05:32 PM
If someone gets their male facial hair removed to the extent that they don't need to shave at all and there's no shadow, what effect does that have on a male appearance? Would it look particularly unusual, or anything? I read in one place that a lack of shadow can make you look older, because it looks like your hair has gone grey, and that beard area skin has a different texture that will remain even after beard removal. I'm not so certain about that, though, because I know some men who are completely smooth shaven and no beard is visible whatsoever, and they look fine.

Just want to know what I'm getting into, I'd prefer to always be able to have a good "man mode" when I want.

Well a clean shaven look is just fine for a man, otherwise, why would so many razor blades be sold to guys?  Laser or electrolysis would reduce the hair and the need to shave, so beards and mustaches are out, but many men do not have either.  But as you say, the smooth shaven look is just fine.  Not sure about the age appearance.

I would think that clothes, curves, boobs, and hairstyle would be more of an issue in male mode presentation than the clean shaven look.   :) 

Chrissy

I'm vacillating on whether I want to go full-time and go on HRT or if I'd rather just crossdress when I'm not at work. However, I don't like my facial hair regardless, I just want to make sure it doesn't look, like, a disfigurement or something if it's the only permanent gender-related body modification.

Quote from: christinej78 on January 15, 2019, 12:22:44 AM
Hi MollyPants,                     14 January 2019

As cute and pretty as you are, when you reach 110 I'm sure they will think you're 39. When I was your age I looked about 12 or 13. Now that I'm 78 most folks think I look 178. And when I tell them I was born in 1840 and fought in the Civil War, they believe me.

Do yourself a big favor and stay out of the sun; avoid sun tans and use a high SPF Sun Block on exposed skin when you have to be out in it. You're a beautiful young lady; stay that way by limiting sun exposure.

I know you have an abundance of cloud cover where you live; you can still receive excessive sun exposure when it's cloudy. Protect yourself and remain beautiful.

I'm going to check back on you in 24 years; I expect you to be just as pretty then as you are now.

Best Always, Love
Christine

Aww thank you! I think that photo is but generous to me though! Your message made my day! :)

Over in England I haven't seen the sun properly since last year now!

Fingers crossed!

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I think it makes you look younger,  your skin is like a kid's who can't grow a beard. Other than that, people will still read you male if that's the only change happening.

I started hair removal just a while back, beginning with IPL on the cheeks.  When I grow out the beard for a session, most of what grows out is now white.  I don't think that it makes me look older.  The hairs are white but I have less razor burn. Maybe that helps.  Besides, it doesn't show unless I skip days shaving.

I did get a comment on a camping trip that I looked pretty clean for having been in the woods for a week.  Um, I was also the only one who had taken a bath in the river, but maybe the face helped.

@Lucca
Not liking your facial hair is enough to warrant getting laser. I felt better after the first three sessions when it was noticeably thinner and easier to shave.

I started laser beard removal years before I decided to transition.  It can be a little patchy in the middle phases,  which will vary for everyone based on what your shadow is like by default.  In my case,  I had pretty patchy facial hair to begin with.  I've been mostly hair free for over a year now.  Very few people have ever said anything. I've told people that do ask how I stay so clean shaven that I lasered it because I just didn't want to have a beard and was tired of shaving (a half-truth at least). I think you can manage without issue, even if you don't transition.  Still shave my white whiskers away,  but I can shave with just water now in a pinch..since density is so low.  Razor burn and folliculitis are a distant memory.

A couple of things others haven't said

- not having facial hair will change your skin complexion as the blue from the hair won't be there. People will notice.

- laser is used as a treatment for many skin problems and so you may find that your skin itself becomes smoother in a way that it would not on electrolysis.

- if you are on HRT, the other physical changes combined with the change in skin complexion could be enough to out you (it outed me)

Then popular music/TV/movie star Dean Martin said once in the 1960s that he had gotten electrolysis on his face just so he wouldn't have to bother with shaving. He never seemed to have any problem maintaining his "man mode".

Quote from: jill610 on February 05, 2019, 04:19:55 AM
A couple of things others haven't said

- not having facial hair will change your skin complexion as the blue from the hair won't be there. People will notice.

- laser is used as a treatment for many skin problems and so you may find that your skin itself becomes smoother in a way that it would not on electrolysis.

- if you are on HRT, the other physical changes combined with the change in skin complexion could be enough to out you (it outed me)

If you don't mind me asking, did you do full facial hair removal with laser only or did you also have electrolysis?

Quote from: RealLacy on February 05, 2019, 11:44:59 AM
If you don't mind me asking, did you do full facial hair removal with laser only or did you also have electrolysis?

Laser got rid of maybe 90%, and the rest is white. I have maybe a dozen hours of electrolysis on my face under my belt as my focus recently was preparing for GRS. I did 12 cycles on my face and I started getting comments around cycle 4 or so, and it was pretty obvious the facial hair was on its way out by cycle 6.

Quote from: jill610 on February 05, 2019, 06:12:56 PM
Laser got rid of maybe 90%, and the rest is white. I have maybe a dozen hours of electrolysis on my face under my belt as my focus recently was preparing for GRS. I did 12 cycles on my face and I started getting comments around cycle 4 or so, and it was pretty obvious the facial hair was on its way out by cycle 6.

I think I want to have some electrolysis done.  Can they do one general area only?  I would want the cin area done only, because that is the most complicated to shave, with all those curves. 
The rest is easy done once a week, or once every couple of weeks, if HRT does a little reduction.

Quote from: Dietlind on February 05, 2019, 09:02:58 PM
I think I want to have some electrolysis done.  Can they do one general area only?  I would want the cin area done only, because that is the most complicated to shave, with all those curves. 
The rest is easy done once a week, or once every couple of weeks, if HRT does a little reduction.

It's like a gun they just point and shoot. If your hairs are dark (not dyed it has to go to the root) laser can reduce them with some completely dead follicles. In my experience electrolysis is needed to finish the job.

Quote from: NatalieRene on February 05, 2019, 09:13:50 PM
It's like a gun they just point and shoot. If your hairs are dark (not dyed it has to go to the root) laser can reduce them with some completely dead follicles. In my experience electrolysis is needed to finish the job.

I had 3 laser sessions, and they took care of my dark hair.  Now I have only this almost colorless hair stuff left, not even gray, almost opaque, and I just want it gone around the chin area.  Because of the non color, I can't get a 5 o'clock shade anyway.

Quote from: Dietlind on February 05, 2019, 09:17:44 PM
I had 3 laser sessions, and they took care of my dark hair.  Now I have only this almost colorless hair stuff left, not even gray, almost opaque, and I just want it gone around the chin area.  Because of the non color, I can't get a 5 o'clock shade anyway.

Laser can't detect those hairs. You will need to have electrolysis to finish the job.

Quote from: NatalieRene on February 05, 2019, 09:34:53 PM
Laser can't detect those hairs. You will need to have electrolysis to finish the job.

I know, and I want it done around the chin only, everything else is easy to be taken care of.