Ok this may sound completely silly but felt like sharing none the less. So I have been shaving my chest for awhile since no one ever really sees me with out my shirt on and it had me thinking what else could I do. Well today I shaved my armpits which I never really liked having hair there anyway - I know silly right?
But it felt kind of good, and makes me feel a bit more feminine even if no one else knows, the point is I know and I wanted to share my silly little victory with everyone here. ;D
Cool...I guess :D
Best get use to it ;)
Quote from: Aina on August 24, 2013, 11:26:26 AM
Ok this may sound completely silly but felt like sharing none the less. So I have been shaving my chest for awhile since no one ever really sees me with out my shirt on and it had me thinking what else could I do. Well today I shaved my armpits which I never really liked having hair there anyway - I know silly right?
But it felt kind of good, and makes me feel a bit more feminine even if no one else knows, the point is I know and I wanted to share my silly little victory with everyone here. ;D
Sometime many look at the huge events like HRT but forget that these little things bring a lot of inner peace to many. I so can remember back in the day.
Enjoy everything you try to do to make yourself happy.
Izz
Quote from: Aina on August 24, 2013, 11:26:26 AM
Ok this may sound completely silly but felt like sharing none the less. So I have been shaving my chest for awhile since no one ever really sees me with out my shirt on and it had me thinking what else could I do. Well today I shaved my armpits which I never really liked having hair there anyway - I know silly right?
But it felt kind of good, and makes me feel a bit more feminine even if no one else knows, the point is I know and I wanted to share my silly little victory with everyone here. ;D
Yay for silly little victories! First time shaving any new area can be a WTH am I doing moment. Glad it brings you happiness! Little steps! Hugs, Devlyn
I know what you mean I have just started shaving my legs, arm pits, and all the bits and bobs *wink wink* and it was surprising how just that made me feel more feminine. :)
Add me to the shirt-stays-on club. I started with my pits - most wonderful thing ever....until I shaved my torso. It's amazing how feminine that feels in the shower.
I also tried epilating my chest and had a major break out - so far it's still there after 2 days. (Epilator worked OK on the belly... legs may be tomorrow evening after the shorts-required indoor/outdoor family party).
Hah! It doesn't sound silly in the slightest. A huge leap like transitioning is made up of lots of little steps like deciding THAT hair THERE needs to be GONE!
Well done you.
Rosie.
The next step is the "shirt comes off" club.
I shave everything but a small "landing strip". I also do water aerobics at the Family
Y. Swimming trunks, no shirt, no hair.
Oh yeah and substantial boobs too. It's a amazing experience. I'm sure people notice but I've had no comments. I was worried about my boobs until I saw an older guy whose boobs drooped down nearly to his waist. Mine, being only a few years old, are quite perky.
Randi
Quote from: kabit on August 24, 2013, 12:40:21 PM
Add me to the shirt-stays-on club.
It's these silly little victories that add up to real life :)
This is the first time you do something that will just be so routine before you know it :)
I held off shaving my chest until I had to because of summer and skimpier tops.
That's because I knew once I saw my chest empty of hair, I would never, ever, ever, be able to let it grow again.
It isn't silly at all! It's a biggie! The first steps are the toughest!
Congratulations!
Now try the legs! You may be surprised to find no one notices!
We are own sum of fear
Hugs
Cindy
That's great, but just keep in mind, someday, you are liable to look at your armpits, legs, etc. and think to yourself 'screw it, it can wait a few more days..." And then just wear clothes that hid it, lol.
Try your legs too....no one ever notices and i started shaving as soon as the hair got dark in middle school.
I'll second the legs. Especially if you are in shape. No one ever asks me about them and I walk around in shorts here in the Georgia heat all the time.
My wife finally touched them and my butt yesterday and had herself a jealous moment. It made me feel good.... Pretty even. :)
Quote from: kariann330 on August 25, 2013, 05:46:33 PM
Try your legs too....no one ever notices and i started shaving as soon as the hair got dark in middle school.
I would, but I have pretty hairy legs....and I haven't come out to anyone yet - nor have I been to a therapist yet. So Not sure I am ready for that not at least till I come out to my family first.
I am also still in that doubt phase, I go back and forth. :P kind driving myself crazy, but I do what I can to see if it makes me feel better and this did as does shaving my chest. I am sure getting my legs would also - but again having pretty hairy legs and then one day not would raise eyebrows in my house.
Well... shoot. Looks like I'm wearing long pants for the rest of the summer!
I just shaved as much as I could reach - pretty smooth, though I'll have to do some stray hair touch-up tomorrow, I think.
It does feel wonderful. I am using Avalon Organics Lavender lotion afterward. There's a huge mess to clean up in my bathroom (thankfully a mostly private one), though I got the bulk of it. I don't have clippers so I just dry-shaved the hair off... it was quite thick so shaving gel wouldn't do much for me. A dull razor is the way to go and keep it away from tender areas!
I'm sure there are better ways to go about doing this... but hey, I was MAAB and didn't have this class in school! ;)
Quoteand didn't have this class in school! ;)
neither did I,
From the other side, shaving the armpits and legs and everything else is such a lady thing. My mom had to force me to do it ("Do you want the boys to laugh at you?!") and as soon as I moved in with other family, I quit shaving.
*lays all over this thread with my manly hairiness* Better run, don't want any hair cooties! ;D
Quote from: kariann330 on August 25, 2013, 05:46:33 PM
Try your legs too....no one ever notices and i started shaving as soon as the hair got dark in middle school.
Yeah. Unless you have extremely hairy legs, most won't even notice it, even family. Only the ones that are always critical of me have ever noticed, so I just don't visit them in the summer time.
Quote from: kabit on August 25, 2013, 10:38:30 PM
I don't have clippers so I just dry-shaved the hair off... it was quite thick so shaving gel wouldn't do much for me. A dull razor is the way to go and keep it away from tender areas!
I'm sure there are better ways to go about doing this... but hey, I was MAAB and didn't have this class in school! ;)
Hair conditioner while in the shower doubles as shaving lotion. I'm not particularly hairy, but it still took me 3 days in a row to get it all off. The good news is once it's all off, it only takes about 5 minutes for the touch-up.
What if you have legs that make Sasquatch look like a naked mole rat?
Quote from: Blastradius on August 26, 2013, 12:34:16 AM
What if you have legs that make Sasquatch look like a naked mole rat?
I'd suggest using a trimmer first to knock down the majority of it and then a shaving cream and razor to get it nice and close. I use the gillette fusion proglide as my razor and it gets things nice and smooth. Also I'd recommend aveno positively smooth shaving cream as it slows regrowth if used regularly which means shaving less often.
Just a word of warning though be careful with the trimmer, if the skin isn't tight like in areas with caresses or fold, it can pinch it. Also make sure you use a newish blade in the razor. My rule of thumb is never use the same blade more then twice. I know there's a lot of people who say you don't have to replace it that often but for male hair my experience has been two times and you start noticing more nicks and razor burn.
okie cool thats a good idea. I have been super nervous to try my legs since they are super scary :P
You can also pick up a bottle of Nair for the first pass to take care of it
I use a Seiko Cleancut PS335 trimmer and then finish off with a Sekio Cleancut ES-412.
The PS-335 will trim any length hair down to stubble and the ES-412 foil shaver makes it totally smooth.
No cuts, no razor burn.
Quote from: ComplicatedMe on August 26, 2013, 02:04:45 PM
I'd suggest using a trimmer first to knock down the majority of it and then a shaving cream and razor to get it nice and close.
Any hints on doing the back? I can't reach parts.
I'm really happy with my legs. Wore shorts to my therapist's appointment and went to the mall afterward. Nobody notices legs - or if they do, they don't stare...
The back is a struggle and all I have to suggest is a lot of stretching and awkward poses in front of the mirror. You'll probably have to go over it several times to get it all too, because no matter how certain you are you got everywhere it always seems like one little spot was missed. It's also a struggle to remember that everything is reversed so when you are looking in the mirror and you think you need to go right it's actually left in real life. Anyway just keep at it and you'll get it with practice.
Quote from: ComplicatedMe on August 26, 2013, 08:01:27 PM
...It's also a struggle to remember that everything is reversed...
That's my #2 cause of nicks & cuts. #1 is tender spots.
And the mirror image thing is worse in my left hand. My right hand is smarter.
Initially I was terrified that everyone would notice I suddenly shaved my legs, but no one said anything. I prefer to shave in the shower because the water seems to help a lot for not hacking myself. Any little spots missed I touch up later when I'm dry. I decided now to expand my laser regimen to include my legs though because I get too many ingrowns and it should at the very least help slow down the growth until HRT kicks in. I'm really glad I started with my face for laser because everything else on my body has been significantly less painful by comparison. I just had my first legs session and it was joyful in how minimal the pain was.
I just made an appointment for laser. I'm a bit nervous about it - since it's the first permanent change I'm considering and it's noticeable at work and home (to anyone who knows me).
But I have permanent 5-o'clock shadow otherwise. I could use foundation, but I'm not a big fan of heavy makeup.
Don't be nervous about Laser It doesn't hurt between zaps.
I started with face then moved to front back legs and arm pits.
Anything left oh a Brazilian. :embarrassed:
Still going with laser at the moment but the difference is mind blowing.
Nobody has noticed or said anything so don't worry.
Unless you point it out it will be fine.
Like you I had a permanent 5 -o'clock shadow but slowly it receded.
Still a bit left but nowhere near as bad now.
My anxiety has lessened and I feel much better now.
Laser doesn't make any more mess of my face than shaving already caused. I decided that transition or not I would still fully remove my beard hair because my face and neck were in a constant state of irritation and regular ingrowns. The improvement in my skin alone has been substantial. The technician said it also performs some skin rejuvenation. Don't be afraid of it. I think it will be electrolysis that is worse.
no matter where you shave, the first thing to do is soften the hair with lots of water. take a bath, sit an hour or two in the sauna, do something that's good for the skin... shower dries it out and isn't as good, but that too helps. i don't have a beard, but my brother does, and he almost never shaves without having sat a while in the sauna first.
on sensitive areas, it's best to always use a sharp razor. for my legs, i use the razor until it starts pulling the hairs rather than cutting them. most women will say you can use any kind of soap, using some special product isn't necessary for people who have lived with e that long...
to avoid cuts, one thing is to make sure you never make a sideways movement with the razor. not always that easy, depend on what body part you're trying to shave. another funny advice i once heard was to never shave on a rising tide, that worked for at least one guy who always cut his face.
but this was about victories, not shaving.
congrats!
if it feels good, maybe you're doing the right thing.