Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Hello girls,

I started HRT 6 months ago, am pleased with my current changes, and I wonder if it's reasonable to expect more, I do not know if any of you would like to share your experience? Am wondering mostly bout my hips and chest. Thanks for sharing!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/q9aoyxeskojpqwn/AAB4r067s2jgB9T4cbyxnAQQa?dl=0

Changes go on for SEVERAL years...

Do you still keep getting the same, but more? (softer face, fuller legs or hips..?). I can't imagine it keep transforming for years, it sounds too nice. Is it other kind of changes?

Less muscle mass, subtle changes in face, body proportions, breast changes, body/scalp hair, etc.

Here's some study results.  Of course everyone is different and your body changes through your life and weight fluctuations..  From what I've read on here, generally 2 years is the mark where most of the changes will be done.  I think you're usually eligible for surgery from about 2 years, e.g. breast augmentation.

From The Endocrine Society Guidelines (Hembree et al. 2009), TABLE 14. Feminizing effects in MTF transsexual persons:

Effect	Onseta	Maximuma
Redistribution of body fat	3–6 months	2-3 yr
Decrease in muscle mass and strength	3–6 months	1-2 yr
Softening of skin	3–6 months	Unknown
Decreased libido	1-3 months	3-6 months
Decreased spontaneous erections	1-3 months	3-6 months
Male sexual dysfuntion	Variable	Variable
Breast growth	3-6 months	2-3 yr
Decreased testicular volume	3-6 months	2-3 yr
Decreased sperm production	Unknown	>3 yr
Decreased terminal hair growth	6-12 months	>3 yrb
Scalp hair	No regrowth	c
Voice changes	None	d

^a Estimates represent clinical observations.
^b Complete removal of male sexual hair requires electrolysis, or laser
treatment, or both.
^c Familial scalp hair loss may occur if estrogens are stopped.
^d Treatment by speech pathologists for voice training is most effective.

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From Endocrine intervention for transsexuals (Levy 2003), "Specific effects of cross-sex hormone treatment":

(I'm just including the noticeable physical effects):

Hair follicles
Androgen treatment in female-to-male transsexuals results in the induction of facial hair growth and increased sebum production that is in many cases evident within 4 months and con- tinues to develop beyond one year (Giltay & Gooren, 2000).  In male-to-female transsexuals, reduction in facial and truncal hair shaft diameter reaches a maximum after 4 months treatment with cross-sex hormones but does not progress further. Skin sebum production falls rapidly to almost undetectable levels but hair growth in length remained largely unaffected or responds only very slowly (Giltay et al., 2000). Thus male-to- female hair reduction is almost invariably inadequate with hormonal treatment alone and depends on physical means. Electrolysis is effective but uncomfortable, potentially scarring (particularly if the pain induces flinching) and often too slow to be practical as a sole treatment. Laser hair removal is more rapid, provided hair colour is dark (and skin colour is not), and becomes more comfortable as successive treatments reduce the density of hair shafts and hence the area of 'burn'.

Adipose tissue
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis of regional fat deposition in 20 male-to-female transsexuals before and 1 year after cross-sex hormone treatment demonstrates a significant increase in subcutaneous and visceral fat depots and a decrease in thigh muscle area (Elbers et al., 1999). In 17 female-to-male transsexuals a transient (Elbers et al., 1997b) reduction in sub- cutaneous fat and increase in thigh muscle area with increased visceral fat is seen (Elbers et al., 1999). Adipose tissue changes in male-to-female transsexuals, particularly increased fat around the upper thighs, is often insufficient to confer true female habitus and if the profile remains disturbing, surgical intervention may be required. The sex differences in circulating leptin levels, with women having higher levels than males irrespective of body habitus, are reversed by cross-sex hormone treatment (Elbers et al., 1997a).

Breast
Increase in breast size usually begins 2–3 months after the start of female sex hormone treatment in male-to-female transsexuals and continues for 2 years (Meyer et al., 1986; van Kesteren, 2002). Unfortunately, only one-third of transsexuals achieve more than a B cup and with 45% not advancing beyond an A cup, at least 60% require breast augmentation to achieve the appearance they desire or at least find acceptable. Breast devel- opment seems to be more pronounced in subjects with higher body mass indices and it may be worth suggesting to slender male-to-female transsexuals that they do not make too stenuous efforts to avoid the modest oestrogen-induced gain in weight that is often experienced (van Kesteren, 2002). Various attempts to hasten transition to the preferred gender have been reported (Kay & Saad, 1983; Wylie, 2000), the most common being ingestion of higher quantities of hormones than prescribed. Sudden cessa- tion of oestrogen treatment can be associated with galactorrhoea (van Kesteren, 2002). There are case reports of breast carcinoma in hormonally treated male-to-female transsexuals (Symmers, 1968; Ganly & Taylor, 1995) but none in the van Kesteren et al. (1997) series of 816 hormonally and surgically treated male-to-female transsexuals.

For many that the changes go on for quite a number of years. I suppose if you experience massive change in the first year or so it might max out at 2-3 years but for many it goes on much longer. It may be slow and subtle and it comes and goes in spurts.

I'm 5+ years in and still seeing very gradual changes in terms of body fat redistribution (including to breasts and hips). It's slowed down a lot since the beginning, but cis people take 5-10 years to finish puberty, and there's no reason to think it'd be different for us.

Thanks for the input ladies and thanks for the thorough information mfox. I am so excited now! I really thought I was halfway through at best, did not imagine it could go on for that longer, and cannot picture how it'd be like. Just very exciting ;D!