Everyone says that facial hair isnt effected by hrt but it now takes six days to get what used to grow in one day. I also have a few dime sized spots that have completely stopped growing. I know that less facial hair is desired, but I want to make sure that there are no hidden serious side effects I should be worried about
From the Wpath SoC v7 (http://admin.associationsonline.com/uploaded_files/140/files/Standards%20of%20Care,%20V7%20Full%20Book.pdf) , Table 1B:
Effect Expected onset Expected maximum effect
Thinning and slowed growth
of body and facial hair 6–12 months > 3 years
|
But as always, if you're worried, check with your care provider.
But that's says 6 to 12 months, I haven't even hit 2 months
That is the EXPECTED time sweetie. Everyone respond differently to HRT. :)
I am not on HRT yet, but I have changed my diet, added soy milk and other supplements over the past 6 months. I have reduced facial hair growth from it. Shave less often and it is thinning and coming back in lighter. So, I think it is all dependent on your genetics. I would not panic, but I would ask your doctor about it when you next see them. You are probably just lucky ;)
-Jade
:-*
It comes down to patience. Most of the affects take at least 3 to 6 months to start be seen or felt after starting HRT. I hate this fact but, just like you, I have to live with this fact. However, when it comes to my face and breast areas I wasn't willing to wait and started hair removal. I know that my back will be likely another spot that I have to have hair removal done on too, but that can wait.
Quote from: LuciSinger on January 25, 2015, 08:56:32 PM
But that's says 6 to 12 months, I haven't even hit 2 months
I'm not saying that it isn't happening fast enough and im feeling impatient, im saying that is happening 3 to 6 times faster than it is supposed to. I start hrt 7 weeks ago. I was worried that there might be negative side effects certain things happening to quickly
Quote from: LuciSinger on January 26, 2015, 12:05:08 AM
I'm not saying that it isn't happening fast enough and im feeling impatient, im saying that is happening 3 to 6 times faster than it is supposed to. I start hrt 7 weeks ago. I was worried that there might be negative side effects certain things happening to quickly
Like I was saying, it is probably just due to your genetics. After you ask your doctor, let us know here if it is ok. I am interested.
-Jade
You are probably right, thank you and I will
Everything else is happening at a normal rate excluding facial hair growth it slowed down by half in first month. It has stayed that speed but your not alone on slowed growth starting early. No negative effects for me at least btw
Been on HRT for a very long time now, facial hair has lightened, but has not decreased for me as much as I would have hoped :'( However, body and butt hair has virtually disappeared, legs and arms have become lighter and more "downy"... so Genetics and age play a massive part in impact on weight displacement, body and facial hair too...
Good luck with what you are hoping for Luci... I wouldn't be overly worried tho :-*
L Katy
I've been on HRT for years and it hasn't done much for my facial hair except make it softer, but not disappear in any places as far as I can tell.
My facial hair takes slightly longer to grow now. I thought this was only due to Vaniqa but actually it only started thinning when I started full dose E plus spiro.
Some cis women who have hirsuitism are prescribed spiro. So, yes, it does have some effect on facial hair.
However, it won't reduce a male beard to the point where it doesn't become an issue. For that you need laser and electrolysis.
I noticed some slowing after a few months, but it is harder to tell now that lasers have zapped most of it away.
FYI: I'm IS.
For me, it always took two days to grow just a little stubble. Now it takes three.
*makes her Chewbacca sound in protest* :~o
I had some electrolysis done today - a whole 2 hours! I was told that what was left after my 5 hours worth was what some people have after 25 hours!?
She may have been trying to boost me a little, but as I'm not super hairy generally I'm hopeful it means I won't have as long to go as is sometimes the case.
Male facial hair is structurally different from normal female facial hair. Most female facial hair is vellus hair, very very fine, short, very thin.
Male facial hair is thick and heavy and requires a deeper anchor than female hair. Testosterone helps in this regard by making male facial skin thicker to support these heavier hairs. Thus getting on HRT and the facial skin may begin to thin as T-production falls and estrogen levels soar.
This, in turn, may make hairs easier to identify and extract for electrology purposes. But... the downside is that the face no longer properly supports these thick heavy hairs either. In my own case, the areas still having significant male facial hair, like the lower chin and jawline, actually become irritated and sore the last 10 days or so leading up to my next facial hair removal session. Those areas of my face also become very unsightly as I approach the next session because the male facial hairs cause the surrounding skin to thicken, creating "bumps" where each hair is, almost looking like folliculitis but not the same. Within 24 hours of the hairs being removed at my next session, the entire face settles again, into a very comfortable mode for the next two weeks, then two to three weeks as hair begins to show again gradually thickening then one to two weeks of heaviest growth and the most irritation.
As I've removed hair, more of the face stays quiet and without problems, but the areas where hair was thickest is also where regrowth has been thickest, so have taken the longest to begin to really thin out.
I never had full facial hair growth anyway, and much of what I did have was light and thin, with dark problem areas on the sides and the chin. Dutasteride caused some hairs, especially above the lips, to grow much slower than before. HRT seems to have helped a little more, and I even seem to have lost some altogether. Unfortunately, I have more recently had some new growth of thin, light hairs on the cheeks and thickening/darkening of existing hairs even while on a below-normal dose of HRT, probably due to the biotin I take to improve scalp hair. Facial hair stops me from passing most of the time and I am really not sure how to address the problem. I do not want to do electrolysis because it is too harsh on the skin and I do not want to look older.
Well I went to my endocrinologist yesterday and he was a bit shocked with how fast things are moving, but ultimately it isnt a problem.
Yay, that's good... not that there was any doubt ;)
L Katy