One of the first changes I noticed upon starting hrt was my facial hair growth slowing and softening. I get considerably fewer ingrown hairs now and my beard shadow seems to be becoming less visible. I broke some bones this week so I didn't feel like showering or shaving yesterday. That meant when I got up today I had two days growth. There was still less than there would have been in 24 hours pre hrt. My beard was red and many of the hairs still are but many seem to have gone blonde. I could feel the mustache stubble but I couldn't see it.
Will my beard eventually just turn into baby fluff if I don't burn it out, if I just let the hormones do their thing? I have known many cis women with barely noticeable faint beards of fine blonde hair. I would have no problem with that. Heck my maternal Grandmother had a stubbly salt and pepper mustache! I know that I will probably be a hairyish woman. I am good with that. I am also not well off cash wise so putting off electrolysis (I have the wrong hair pigments for laser) would be perfect. I would like to get to a point where I am only shaving once or twice a week...I think I could live with that.
I wish it was the case, but the white ones that I have left are definitely rough and have to be treated by electro. So it hasn't been the experience for me to have them do what your hoping for. Hugs
Mariah
Facial hair almost never changes back to vellus hair. Sad but true. Prepare for laser or find a good electrologist.
Thanks y'all. I figured as much, the doctors were clear about that when I started hrt too. But it sounded like (even in your answer Liz) that there is an outside chance. I just wanted to know if there is at least third party anecdotal evidence, ergo an outside chance. Or even better a first or second hand account. I decided to throw a test into the works and shaved my upper lip against the grain today, it used to leave some roughness and would become ingrown within 24 hours. So far it is smoother than it has been since puberty began its horid T campaign all those years ago.
I noticed that both of y'all seem to have brown hair, is that your natural color? I only ask because I am on the ginger side of blonde and I know that there is more than just pigment that varies in that range. I acually have quite hairy legs and arms but no one ever noticed because it is all blonde. Any other redheads who took their time removing facial hair? What were your experiences?
I suppose my main hope is that in many and varied situations in my life I find myself an exception to a so called "rule" and it would be marvelous if this was another one of those instances!
I've never heard of anyone past just starting to have their facial hair come in for the first time ever having any sort of reversion whatsoever. As for me, my hair got way lighter and a bit less coarse, but not enough to be called vellus hair by a long shot. Still, since I can't get laser and am stuck with electrolysis I will take not having a visible beard shadow as a very acceptable compromise. :)
Vey cool, thanks Skeptoid! Mine is definitely lighter, slower and softer but if that's all that happens that's plenty. I just get excited about outside chances some times. They almost never come true but one can talk one's self into hoping that they will.
My body hair is gone or vellus but I did not have any back hair and very little chest air to start. My under arms I shave every 2 weeks and there is very little growth. My legs I shave weekly but knees twice a week.
Beard has slowed but still there. I am doing electrolysis.
Yeah, my body hair has reduced quite a bit. I didn't have much to begin with though. My chest hair has almost gone and hand and upper thigh hair is thinning out. My beard has definitely reduced a bit. My mustache, soulpatch, cheeks and sideburn areas all grow more slowly and have less rough/visible hair. The hair is still rough, just nowhere near as where it was pre hrt. I only got a few minor ingrowns from shaving my lip against the grain this last time. Pre hrt I would have had an almost instant stache of painful red bumps. Also, it is still smooth this morning so no need to shave it.