I am 27 years old and i have completed 1 year 2 months on hrt and i am not exactly happy with the result. I have seen a lot of youtube videos and i have seen these rugged macho looking turn into such beautiful women.
I don't understand why i haven't seen any changes as such to my face.
My doc is quite happy with my levels i am within the female hormone range.
I have been taking my meds orally with water as my doc asked me too.
I went through some pictures from a few months ago where i feel i looked more passable than what i do now. Initially i was very excited but now i dont exactly feel so good about looking in the mirror..
Welcome to Susan's Place. The effect hormones have on the body can be all over the place. In my case, changes to the body and face were small. I am comfortable with a somewhat boyish body and my face is mostly the result of makeup and hair. The biggest problem is our mind because we are the last one to see the femininity in our face. It took me about 4 years before one day I walked my the bathroom mirror and saw my mother looking back at me. It was mostly do to the fact I finally accepted that the face was no longer male but female. You may post personal pictures of yourself (we do have a dress code) in the how do I look thread and others will evaluate your appearance and give you feed back on any improvement that will help you pass better. Sometimes we find people who are fully passable and while we tell them so, they still have a problem believing what we say. Facial surgery is an option but many pass well without it so be very careful when considering it.
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You might switch to bioidentical micronized estrogen, available as pills.
They can be dissolved sublingually, which is supposed to be less straining on the liver and less causing clotting factors.
You might think about splitting the daily dose in a few small parts to avoid spikes and lows.
This might affect mood.
There are other ways of application.
Many people report good results with injections or implants.
There is even one form of hrt with injections or implants where the e levels are driven well into the female range and the t levels down into the female range as well, without further anti androgen.
In the uk another option could be patches or topical gel.
They might also be used together with pills, the patches for a steady level throughout the day.
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,197550.msg1757196.html#msg1757196
Bioidentical progesterone could be used to compliment estrogen.
It has some anti androgen effects, might help with mood, even out some side effects of estrogen and might help with breast development. Non bioidentical progesterone does not have these effects.
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,192953.msg1733564.html#msg1733564
A year is not a whole lot of time in the grand scheme of things. Different hormones might help, but timelines go out 3+ years for changes. We all develop at different rates. I would check with your PCP or possibly get a second opinion. I wouldn't get too down in the dumps. Changes happen every day even if we don't see them. :)
I have heard the patience is the key. Estrogen hasn't the same effect as T. One year isn't so much either for HRT. The changes may be slow and you can't do more than waiting. Often T are faster and more powerful. But estrogen can make wonders too. It just may take more time. Maybe some makeup, hair styling and clothes would help you to get the look you want. There are still hope. Many trans women doesn't pass and doesn't look feminine, but can live a good life. There are also masculine cis women. If this are a big issue, you can take a face surgery that make you more feminine. But it's important to think a lot, just in case... undo it isn't easy after surgery. Surgery cost a lot and is risky. But wait some years. There are still much hope.
Quote from: Lara on November 12, 2015, 08:08:48 AM
I am 27 years old and i have completed 1 year 2 months on hrt and i am not exactly happy with the result. I have seen a lot of youtube videos and i have seen these rugged macho looking turn into such beautiful women.
I don't understand why i haven't seen any changes as such to my face.
My doc is quite happy with my levels i am within the female hormone range.
I am on <Not Permitted> progynova directed by my doctor and <Not Permitted> flutamide/cytomide which i take twice so <Not Permitted>.
I have been taking them orally with water as my doc asked me too.
I went through some pictures from a few months ago where i feel i looked more passable than what i do now. Initially i was very excited but now i dont exactly feel so good about looking in the mirror..
Mod Edit Removed dose information
I don't have any legitimate advice to offer you in regards to HRT, since I haven't gotten this far in my transition process yet. But that's what it is; a process. I researched that the timing it takes for majorly noticeable changes to result will vary for all individuals who undergo HRT because, after all, everybody is different, right? So the best advice I can offer for you here, is to be as patient as possible!^^
My next best advice is that no one should believe everything they see....Looks can be deceiving...That isn't to ultimately say that none of those mtf transitions you witnessed were real. Its just, there are people out there who will do
anything for purely profit.
And my last one is to strive not to compare yourself, in anyway, to other MTFs or anyone else for that matter. Doing so will make this process very stressful, I'm sure, because I get pretty damn stressed just from comparing myself to someone based on their "immaculate" socialization skills. :-\
Just focus on You...not
them....~Nixy~
One of the hardest things about transition is patience. Not all human bodies are the same and they react differently to the estrogen and an anti- androgen. I have had friends who have said the same thing as you only to experience rapid changes at some point. I would spend my time now concentrating on some very important areas that as time passes will become more important. Those include determining which hair style works best with your face, your ability to apply not only makeup but the right makeup for the time of day, occasion and what you are wearing. You also need to be focusing on building your wardrobe and accessories, making sure they are age appropriate and not anything that would make you stand out and draw unwanted attention. Moreover.....your voice and feminine comportment skills need to be sharp as well. All of this takes time to learn and master. Trust me, once your changes start to become apparent to the world you better have done a lot of work on these items. If not, then you are going to get some strange looks and probably some not to kind comments. Becoming a woman that the world visually accepts is a journey......not a one day trip to the beach and back. You also need to give some thought about FFS. All males have certain markers which set them apart from females......and those markers can be very telling. FFS is expensive but is very much worth the money you spend. Even if you can't get all the things done that you would like to have at first you need to try to get those most apparent markers removed.....they include Adams Apple......male jaw contour and chin. Afterwards you can go back and get other less important but helpful work done. It will really make a difference and give you confidence moving forward. As much as SRS was important for me, the FFS has made my everyday life much easier and less stressful. But again, look at transition as a journey. The pain, frustration you are experiencing now is very much worth it as you will come out on the other side much happier, content and definitely a woman not only internally but also to the rest of the world. Good luck!!
What might also help are changes to hair style.
Bangs to cover the forehead or even brows...
carefully trimming the brows or have them trimmed...
those also might make a difference...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyKFS693dsQ
here are some hints concerning lips...
this can be done with a lipliner and two lipsticks...
I'd use organic because part of it might be digested...
hugs
first if you can show some pictures we can give you our objective opinion. Every human is incredibly unique we are so different. I've been on HRT for two years and I've gotten decent results , but I see others and wish my results were a lot better. Genetics and nature hold all the cards. How many cis people wished they were more handsome are more beautiful, I would say everyone on this planet would say they wanted better looks. As everyone has said it takes time . I'm still hoping for more curves and facial change , but I haven't the slightest idea what is in store for me. Estrogen has gave me a path to travel where there was no path left 2 years ago. I hope eventually I can look good, but I'm doing one heck better than 2 years ago mentally.
And how many You-Tube videos have you seen with girls going on about the girls that took a year or more to come in?
I think You-tube is leading cause for depression among younger trans people. Other's post to brag, to show off. The reality of hormones is YMMV, both with results and timelines. The type of E and the delivery method also has an effect. As well as an AA or whatever other drugs and even foods. Bodies and especially the endocrine system are complex and have a lot of variability from person to person.
Sadly HRT isn't a magic pill and the degree to which it feminises differs for everyone. Comparing your progress with others is not going to help your self esteem much. Some of those girls may have used surgery or well applied makeup to achieve their new looks. Give it a bit more time though, a bit over a year is not all that look on the scheme of things.
As others have already said. HRT isn't a magic pill for everyone. Different people use different things to achieve their looks. Still more can happen after 2 years. Also depending on the current delivery method and hormone levels you might want to doctor and let them know about your concerns. They maybe able to help you with that too. Hugs
Mariah
Do not underestimate the power of cosmetics. Pills alone won't turn you into a passing woman---you have to work hard in the looks department as well. Even cis women in general put a WHOLE of a lot of time and effort to pretty themselves up and look presentable in public. I will tell you right now that I absolutely do not pass without the right clothes, hair, and most especially makeup.
Most of what I've read suggests patience, and that's what I'm looking at for myself.
For the ladies that see quicker effects, I completely understand the desire to celebrate, and I cheer for the results and the happy feelings that go with.
We all take a very different path to a similar goal.
Do you believe you can change?
I think that is very important at least 50 percent, if not more
you also have to stop comparing yourself to the "typical" cis woman.... you will always come up short
not all women are typical
I have stressed over my receding male notched hairline.... "Oh, my god, that will keep me from ever looking right"
so the other day I met a super cute, very feminine woman in her late 20s, she had the exact same front hairline as me...
and nothing looked odd or weird about it, it only caught my attention because Im hyper focused on it
be your own kind of beautiful and most of all believe :)
Quote from: Roni on November 12, 2015, 10:07:38 PM
Do not underestimate the power of cosmetics.
I'll just leave this right here:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whatlol.com%2Fuploads%2Fthe_power_of_makeup_3932831492.jpg&hash=2de7c0d76ed742cb15decb94fe9cc5467b576e02)
I'm of the opinion that you get out of it what you put in to it, like a lot of things in life!
I'd say give it time but also explore other forms (besides oral) of HRT.
Quote from: Ⓥ on November 13, 2015, 04:08:39 AM
I'll just leave this right here:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whatlol.com%2Fuploads%2Fthe_power_of_makeup_3932831492.jpg&hash=2de7c0d76ed742cb15decb94fe9cc5467b576e02)
I'm of the opinion that you get out of it what you put in to it, like a lot of things in life!
It's simply amazing what you can accomplish through the use of properly applied cosmetics. :)
Quote from: RitaChans on November 13, 2015, 03:54:37 AM
Do you believe you can change?
I think that is very important at least 50 percent, if not more
you also have to stop comparing yourself to the "typical" cis woman.... you will always come up short
not all women are typical
I have stressed over my receding male notched hairline.... "Oh, my god, that will keep me from ever looking right"
so the other day I met a super cute, very feminine woman in her late 20s, she had the exact same front hairline as me...
and nothing looked odd or weird about it, it only caught my attention because Im hyper focused on it
be your own kind of beautiful and most of all believe :)
Yes. This!
something the onion got right earlier this year :) http://www.theonion.com/article/fashion-industry-declares-hottest-spring-look-is-u-35743
Quote from: Lara on November 12, 2015, 08:08:48 AM
My doc is quite happy with my levels i am within the female hormone range.
I'd double check this bit. Its easy enough and unfortunately some doctors are less than competent.
not sure about hrt, but what I did was to change stuff about my looks... I used to have long blond feathered hair, I cut in bangs and dyed it red, I over paint my lips (to change the shape) I wear lower cut tops and long sleeves to sort of cover up my bigger arms shoulders and give shape (where there is none lol) push-up bra helps too ;)
It could be that though you have changed, but you still see the old you. don't forget, you see yourself every day :)
keep faith!
xox Candi
*
Lara: Yes, it might take more time for you; your own biological system might need two years, or three years. It will happen. Enjoy the experience as it happens.
As many post, our mind's eye persists seeing our old self while others see our new self. That hill might take years to climb; confidence will make your trek go smoothly.
Some doctors prescribe additional prescriptions beyond estrogen for their M-F patients: progesterone. spironolactone, finasteride to name the typical extras provided at the USA. Check with your primary care physician provider, endocrinologist, or whomever is helping you. It is important to report your progress to your doctor.
Karen: You gave good overview advice for the practicalities of transition.
Laura: Yes, it is important to keep your hormones steady rather than spiking. One consequence will be 'morning sickness'. Yep, if you are taking too much at one time, your body will react with morning sickness same as a female gets when she is pregnant and incurs her hormone imbalance during early pregnancy. My morning sickness days led to night-time dreams of pregnancy, of all things.
Candi: Excellent closing statement; we tend not to notice our own changes that others see quite readily.
So, Lara, post your photographs to the thread where it is safe here at 'Susan's': we shall congratulate you on your progress and help you where you can make improvements.
*
I wanna thank all of you for taking the time out and replying to my post.
I am very sorry for not replying sooner.
First of all i really am having the most difficult time posting a picture here. I don't exactly know how to do it. I keep clicking on this particular little box with a frame on it that says "Insert Image" but i don't see how. ??? ??? ???
As for the changes with HRT i have to say the changes are surely there but what i feel is like for eg i had these prominent cheek bones ie after almost 10 months of HRT. I would just keep looking in my cam and smile for the heck of it just to see them like these 2 round little planets. I don't see it anymore. My dosage hasn't changed nor has my medication. The only thing that has changed is the colour of the tablets and trust me for a second i thought i was on the wrong pills but i have checked with the chemist and the manufacturer and its the same thing. I also feel like my breasts have reduced but at the same time they used to be rather hard and now they are quite soft. They definitly seem smaller especially how they used to more rounder from the sides.. they are not that way any more. I haven't lost weight or have been sick or anything.
Its just weird.
:(
Quote from: Lara on November 23, 2015, 08:23:42 AM
I wanna thank all of you for taking the time out and replying to my post.
I am very sorry for not replying sooner.
First of all i really am having the most difficult time posting a picture here. I don't exactly know how to do it. I keep clicking on this particular little box with a frame on it that says "Insert Image" but i don't see how. ??? ??? ???
Go to http://imgur.com and upload your pic(s). Then get the "BB code" link and past it here in the forum.
Quote from: Lara on November 23, 2015, 08:23:42 AM
As for the changes with HRT i have to say the changes are surely there but what i feel is like for eg i had these prominent cheek bones ie after almost 10 months of HRT. I would just keep looking in my cam and smile for the heck of it just to see them like these 2 round little planets. I don't see it anymore. My dosage hasn't changed nor has my medication. The only thing that has changed is the colour of the tablets and trust me for a second i thought i was on the wrong pills but i have checked with the chemist and the manufacturer and its the same thing. I also feel like my breasts have reduced but at the same time they used to be rather hard and now they are quite soft. They definitly seem smaller especially how they used to more rounder from the sides.. they are not that way any more. I haven't lost weight or have been sick or anything.
Its just weird.
:(
When you smile, the muscles lift up cheek tissue, which create rounder and more prominent cheeks. It looks as if you would have prominent cheekbones, which is a feminine facial feature. It is feminizing effect, even if only for the moment when you smile. If you like the more prominent cheeks "look" with or without the smile, it is a good indication you would like the effects of cheek augmentation, with malar cheek implants.
As for being unhappy about results... 14 or 15 months isn't really enough to have any significant results (in a physical sense). It sadly takes much longer for that. Many people who make youtube videos, primarily do it because they like the attention. If you look at one of those "1 year HRT" videos, you need to understand that their image isn't just hormones. Much more than subtle effects of hormones, it's about make-up, styled up hair (picture perfect), making a good photo in just the right light and shade conditions, and selecting the best pics out of many. While that might give some people hope and courage to pursue their first steps towards transition, it also gives a lot of wrong and false ideas of what will really happen.
Quote from: Roni on November 12, 2015, 10:07:38 PM
Do not underestimate the power of cosmetics. Pills alone won't turn you into a passing woman---you have to work hard in the looks department as well. Even cis women in general put a WHOLE of a lot of time and effort to pretty themselves up and look presentable in public. I will tell you right now that I absolutely do not pass without the right clothes, hair, and most especially makeup.
^ This
Unfortunately, to most us we really have to exert an effort in presenting. How I wish I could just go to the supermarket with a hair bun, a big sweatshirt and leggings and not have to worry about anything.
I have not been clocked in front of my face in a long time, but I always make an effort in presenting. I may look casual but I always have a mascara, powder and lip balm when I'm out.
Play around with cosmetics and research on clothing that will flatter you and I tell you, no one will even blink an eye when you pass by.
April
Quote from: Lara on November 23, 2015, 08:23:42 AM
I wanna thank all of you for taking the time out and replying to my post.
I am very sorry for not replying sooner.
First of all i really am having the most difficult time posting a picture here. I don't exactly know how to do it. I keep clicking on this particular little box with a frame on it that says "Insert Image" but i don't see how. ??? ??? ???
As for the changes with HRT i have to say the changes are surely there but what i feel is like for eg i had these prominent cheek bones ie after almost 10 months of HRT. I would just keep looking in my cam and smile for the heck of it just to see them like these 2 round little planets. I don't see it anymore. My dosage hasn't changed nor has my medication. The only thing that has changed is the colour of the tablets and trust me for a second i thought i was on the wrong pills but i have checked with the chemist and the manufacturer and its the same thing. I also feel like my breasts have reduced but at the same time they used to be rather hard and now they are quite soft. They definitly seem smaller especially how they used to more rounder from the sides.. they are not that way any more. I haven't lost weight or have been sick or anything.
Its just weird.
:(
It might be genetics but you shouldn't let HRT do all the job, it always better to do extra things on the side. Ultimately surgery can pretty much fix anything in the end.
Quote from: Lara on November 23, 2015, 08:23:42 AM
I wanna thank all of you for taking the time out and replying to my post.
I am very sorry for not replying sooner.
First of all i really am having the most difficult time posting a picture here. I don't exactly know how to do it. I keep clicking on this particular little box with a frame on it that says "Insert Image" but i don't see how. ??? ??? ???
Images need to be stored on another server and only the link to the image is used on this site. Because you lose the ability to edit a post, you still retain the ability to remove a picture by removing it at it's source.
This is from another posting:
Quote from: Ms Grace on August 28, 2015, 02:21:15 AM
You need the full individual URL of the pic (eg http:/photobucket.com ...) and it is possible your image host doesn't give you access to this. Once you have the URL just place it between IMG tags...
[img]http://photobucket.com/...[/img]
The image hoster was changed to photobucket...
Basically the picture is uploaded to a hoster on the internet.
There you can control who may see it, etc. You also can take down the photo at a later time.
If you want to remain anonymous:
-look at your account with the hoster. Its possible you have other private photos there which might be visible.
-deactivate gps data when taking photos and the camera has this function, and/or delete exif data from your photo.. gps data might be stored in the exif part, there are tools to remove that.
hugs
it takes rime. like 3-5 years. i know its not what people wanna be told but puberty takes time my lovely
Or you could be like me, a person for whom dramatic results are just not going to happen..
If you haven't, consider switching to a different delivery method of estrogen. There is estradiol gel and patches, which are known to be better than pills. Or you could even do half half with pills and another method.