I've been contemplating shaving my arm hair, because I feel it is more of a masculine thing to have. And i feel my arm hair also gives me away and doesn't me pass.
So i was wondering if you shave your arms, has it helped you pass or not, and have you gotten razor burn on your arms?
I use electric clippers once a week with the shortest guard to do my forearm hair
I shave my hands/fingers daily
I nair my upper arms once every few weeks
I also use john frieda go blonder shampoo on my arms and chest hair and it lightens it ever so slightly
I did in the beginning; I don't think it made any difference to other people but it made ME feel better. (Eventually HRT turned my arm hair fine and light and short.)
When I shaved my arms, it was one of the two or three most powerful experiences of my entire life. I saw my arms looking the way they always should have looked and I had a moment of pure euphoria that words can't full describe.
I used an electric shaver, so no razor burn.
It was so amazing, I immediately wrote this post: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php?topic=125483.0
An epilator works really well, apart from the pain. That goes away after the first few times, and then its really nice.
I epilate. I started just for the back of my hands and knuckles but hair sleeves look stupid. I go up to just under my shoulders every few weeks. There are a lot of cis girls that do it also.
Been shaving my entire body for years. That was one of my signs and symptoms ;~o
I had fairly noticeable arm hair that didn't respond much to HRT. I still use a combination of epliation and shaving to keep it from being apparent, but I've also been working on permanently removing it with DIY electrolysis. It's a very slow and painful process, but it's getting the job done. One thing I have noticed though, it that a lot of women you see do have noticeable arm hair, and some even have pretty dark arm hair if you look closely. Probably a lot more women who don't have apparent arm hair are doing something to get rid of it. I almost feel like complete lack of arm hair is in and of itself something that people might see as being weird or unusual if they noticed it.
Quote from: AnonyMs on September 26, 2015, 08:18:50 PM
An epilator works really well, apart from the pain. That goes away after the first few times, and then its really nice.
What is an epilator? Is it something like an electric razor?
I started shaving my arms when I turned 14. Sometimes I would "wax" using duct tape to pull off the hair. I had it all permanently lasered away when I turned 21, and I've never thought about it again. It was the best decision of my life.
If you don't like your hair, get laser hair removal right now and your future self will be so happy you did it sooner than later.
Currently I am using my arms as testing ground for different SHR laser modes.
Used to shave them, but since hair growth is now small and uneven, I fail to notice it. So I don't shave it so often anymore.
But in general yes. Definitely. Before I needed to shave my arms every two days or so.
I had my arms waxed instead - meant that it took longer for the hair to grow back and didn't have that "stubble" feel when it did. After about four waxings in the first year and 2 years of HRT the hair is now very light, sparse and fine.
Just shaved them for the first time the other day and I must say they are not going back to "hairy land" again...I have shaved my hands and knuckles for quite some time now but they are very light at the best of times...and then of course there is the palm of my hand to worry about...just kidding...seriously I am, about the palm that is
I don't shave them anymore, I trim it now
Every day. I did get a few razor burns in the beginning, but I have improved from those days.
I started shaving them about 5 years ago then soon after that I started using an epilator because it has a more lasting effect. This month I'm back to shaving because I want continue IPL on my arms as well.
Regarding passing, every little bit can help. As people tend to associate body hair with men generally, getting rid of it may help with passing but there are lot of cis woman who have more hairy arms than me and nobody seems to think that they are anything other than a woman.
Quote from: Hailey zy on September 27, 2015, 12:16:49 AM
What is an epilator? Is it something like an electric razor?
QuoteAn epilator is an electrical device used to remove hair by mechanically grasping multiple hairs simultaneously and pulling them out. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epilator (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epilator)
Quote from: Hailey zy on September 27, 2015, 12:16:49 AM
What is an epilator? Is it something like an electric razor?
It's a device to rip the hairs from your body much like waxing does. It does hurt, especially the first few times, but it's much less cost / fuss than waxing and leaves your body smooth for ages.
I do it every couple of weeks or so. My body hair is getting pretty sparse and fine from it.
Yes.
No, for my arm hair looks just like what cis females have, I have sisters who have more arm hair then I do.
I've shaved for 10+ years, maybe every other day or 3 days. That was around the time I accepted myself. After almost a week you could definatly tell I needed a shave. Last month, I lasered it off and have shaved maybe twice just to be on the safe side even though I didn't need to. I started epilating about 2 years ago but it wasn't as permanent as I thought it would be.
Yes, I shave my arms because the hair is fairly dark when it comes in. I also do my fingers and don't forget the toes if you're wearing sandals or open toed shoes!
I hated shaving my face before I transitioned, now I have all of it to shave!
Laser is an option but expensive so it's blades and a shaving brush and soap for this girl!
I don't bother shaving mine at all as i have seen some reallly hairy cis females and didn't really see the point in it. My sister and I probably have about the same amount of arm hair so another reason I don't feel the need too
I do. I didn't do it until I was on hormones and just a few days prior to my first laser treatment.
I did, and got two laser sessions on them. I'm contemplating no more laser on them because I think all the brown hair is gone now. I'll ask my laser technician when I see her in two weeks. It's either that or the HRT is already working wonders. :)
I didn't have much arm hair to start with though.
Ladies, thank you for your information and help I decided to shave my arms and i'm loving it ;D
Quote from: Hailey zy on October 02, 2015, 10:00:36 PM
Ladies, thank you for your information and help I decided to shave my arms and i'm loving it ;D
It's a wonderful feeling, isn't it? It's like a feeling freedom, of pulling off a layer of your male self to find the real you.
For me, I was so hairy, it was like taking off a heavy sweater that I had worn all my life.
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I got lucky...I'm part Asian so my arm hair looks like a natural girl's arm hair.
I don't. I tend to shave, tweeze, or laser most other parts of my body. But for now, at least, I leave my arms alone. I use them and the small of my back as a test bed to see what HRT is doing. Plus I am not out at my job and don't want to send up any red flags, being a guy with shaved arms. Fortunately I am blessed to have almost no body hair, other than the usual spots.
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I know a lot of girls with really dark body hair. Many of them do, shave their legs but not their arms.
If you find them disturbing you can always try to bleach them.
Sometimes i do, sometimes I dont. I prefer to do so. I plan on getting laser but not because arm hair is necessarily too masculine, but just because I prefer totally smooth arms.
I might consider letting them grow and then bleaching them. Blonde hairs on tan skin is so cute (I think at least)
HRT totally changed the character of my arm hair plus its blond.Plenty of my cis female friends have hairier arms.It's just not an issue.
Early on I shaved them because my arm hair was thick and dysphoria inducing. Now HRT has done a lot of work but I still shave them because there are patchy areas of darker, thicker hair. Not as thick as it was, but I can't deal with that look. Every month or so I let it grow out a bit to check the patchiness. When they stop that I'll likely stop shaving them.
I have always hated being hairy. It was a relief to finally shave it all off. Hrt has taken away almost all the hair from my chest, but seems to have made little difference to my arms, and I shave them almost every day. Hey-Ho...
Oh, and because of all the positive comments I just ordered an epilator.. ;D
I both wax and shave. If your shaving for the first time, you might be tempted to shave it all. I don't recommend doing that. You may need to give your skin time to get used to it. I recommend shaving with the direction of your hair and only taking 1-2 passes the first time. Make sure to exfoliate and use something like aloe to reduce irritation. Start out by doing it every few days over about a month, then you can start shaving much closer everyday. Waxing is a slightly different story. It will be very painful the first few times, but will eventually get better. Waxing is the better of those two options because it gets rid of the stubble for a couple weeks.
In the first month or two of transition I kept my arm hair shorter than it had been but still present. My hair was blond to begin with but very thick and long. I did shave my hands and knuckles and I shaved the insides of the forearms and the whole of my upper arms to try to shape it into hairy woman's arms. I did that routine every day for a while. I was presenting in a very androgynous way so this all made sense. As I felt more feminine though it began to bug me. So one day about three months into hrt I shaved it all off and felt amazing. I had to shave every day and they only stayed smooth for the first part of the day. When the growth slowed down, the pattern and the texture changed (I now only have to shave it once a week) I tried to let it grow back out. It made me far too dysphoric. I will try again though. In part out of social pressure, none of the cis women I work with has bare arms. One of them, a lesbian (sorry, I don't want to stereotype but true is true) doesn't shave anything! I feel like the odd one out...ha! Imagine that, a trans woman feeling insecure because she's not as hairy as the cis women she works with! I never saw that coming when I started down this path...I love transition! 😜
I do it almost everyday in the shower. I must be smooth at all times :)
Quote from: qqqq on October 03, 2015, 08:41:00 AM
I don't. I tend to shave, tweeze, or laser most other parts of my body. But for now, at least, I leave my arms alone. I use them and the small of my back as a test bed to see what HRT is doing. Plus I am not out at my job and don't want to send up any red flags, being a guy with shaved arms. Fortunately I am blessed to have almost no body hair, other than the usual spots.
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I haven't shaved the small of my back either! It doesn't bother me and I don't care if anyone else sees. It was never too hairy to begin with. It is kind of nice when I reach back there and find less and less each time.
I have hair on my feet and toes too. I shaved it once but decided I rather like it. I am sincerely hoping that hrt doesn't take much more if it, it is fading. It is only half of what it was.
Oh yes, we sure do know how get that hair off! I love arm hair --on men. HRT has helped to create finer, softer body hair for me but I still shave it off my arms and other places strategically. Sheesh I even shave my ears! But I don't like the stubble feeling and consider epilation a better option except for the pain.
If "wishes were fishes I'd own a bigger boat" and never shave again ;D
It's a yes here too. I shave all the bits i can reach and cringe over the bits i can't.
Sophie
Hi Hailey,
shave... no : laser to eliminate it definitively.
Take care,
Hannah
After surgery, I had little problem with hairy arms, chest, or leg hair. I have no need to shave those areas anymore. Just the armpits once a month.
Cindi
I just gave this a try after seeing this topic and wow does it feel amazing!
Don't think I can go back to hairy again :D
I've been on estrogen for two years and I only shave my body hair like once every 6 months. I wish my facial hair was like that.
Pfeh. The freckles on my arms are so dark, you can't see the hair anyway. Same goes for my legs... you can't really tell that I've skipped a week.
And then in some cultures a somewhat hirsute woman may be considered more desirable. I am happy to encourage other women to skip shaving their arm pits and legs so why not allow myself that same option? Because I identify with some stereotypes of my own is what I now conclude. Soft and smooth feels "right" even if it doesn't make sense.
When I have gone in to the big cosmetology clinic for laser the place is almost all women being served. I do feel funny about literally buying in to these standards of beauty.
I keep a razor in the shower and do a once over every morning when I'm getting ready. I'm not out yet though, so it makes me a bit nervous, no one seems to say anything though.