Time went by fast..Hopefully this third month il notice some changes and hope to god that this annoying Masseter muscle (Jaw muscle) goes away....or atleast gets smaller! I want to hear about your third month experience and how you noticed any "Change" ;D
wow u looks like a women in avatar..nice..
i've only been on anti androgens for a couple months, but i just recently started estrogen. i've not seen any changes with the anti androgens, but i'm pretty sure i grew up with androgen insensitivity. i hardly went through a male puberty, and i'm 18 now. i hope estrogen will improve my appearance as well. i think you're very pretty by the way.
thanks :) i was born with androgen insensitivity. As this point i see no changes in my face..i always wondered what I'd look like in 6 months O_o
Quote from: Ariix on August 31, 2010, 12:08:10 AM
thanks :) i was born with androgen insensitivity. As this point i see no changes in my face..i always wondered what I'd look like in 6 months O_o
i never heard of the jaw muscle. i basically have just fat and bone there. i think your face is very pretty right now. from what i hear, it changes the soft tissue around your face, but the bone structure won't change. it can make your skin softer and thinner. you may also get more fatty tissue around there. it may even change your complexion a little.
Oooh okay..sometimes i get the "sunken cheeks" look but only when im dehydrated lol.
It's a sad fact that muscle never goes away, unless you starve to the point where your body starts breaking down protein, and then it attacks the brain first, which results in brain damage before other muscles actually start decreasing in mass.
However, muscle cells do change direction under the influence of estrogen or testosterone. I'm sure this is an oversimplified explanation, but basically, the muscle cells are elongated, and they turn 90 degrees and become shorter and taller under the influence of testosterone. The result is greater strength, and more bulging appearance. So for most MTF, they evetually revert to the original position and become longer and thinner under the influence of estrogen. The result is less strength and less bulging appearance. I don't know if that can happen for someone with complete androgen insensitivity, since that person's muscles will theoretically be in the female position already. However, even if that is the case, it might still happen to some extent for someone with partial androgen insensitivity. I really don't know. But I've heard that the process can take a long time. If I recall correctly, I've heard that it can take up to 7 years with no testosterone exposure and only estrogen exposure.
However, the female face, especially the lower part, tends to get more of a layer of fat under the influence of estrogen, which can quickly decrease the appearance of the jaw muscle. Also, it might be possible that the bone under the muscle is pushing the muscle out and making it look bigger, and that a trip to one of the FFS surgeons could reduce the bone to some degree. But I would suggest waiting to complete transition and then waiting some more to let the years pass and revisit it. My experience was that transition can stall until surgery is completed, and then the hormones can be more effective. But maybe that's not applicable to a person with androgen insensitivity.
glenda, could you pls point to an article which explains why starvation "attacks the brain first"? I always tought that the brain uses carbs as fuel and if there aren't any, it resorts to using fatty acids. It's an important question because targeting muscle loss is one of the major topics during therapy.
(I don't want to steal the topic, maybe we should open a new one?)
g
Quote from: ggina on September 01, 2010, 03:37:01 PM
glenda, could you pls point to an article which explains why starvation "attacks the brain first"? I always tought that the brain uses carbs as fuel and if there aren't any, it resorts to using fatty acids. It's an important question because targeting muscle loss is one of the major topics during therapy.
(I don't want to steal the topic, maybe we should open a new one?)
g
It's what a few different doctors I talked to about it told me. Separate occasions. Consistent advice. I think it sounds likely. I don't think it's what the brain uses for fuel that matters. It's that the brain is a source of protein that is easier for the body to break down and use when it needs protein. Just ask your doctor about it. Let us know what you find.
Sorry I misinterpreted your statement, it was very late and I was tired :) But anyway this sounds strange to me because it's the brain who tells the body what kind of fuel to use... I've already found some info on this and will continue this topic in a different thread.
g
Congrats Ariix! You're very pretty and I don't think you need anything done to your face. =)
Quote from: LukasGabriel on September 02, 2010, 06:52:11 PM
Congrats Ariix! You're very pretty and I don't think you need anything done to your face. =)
Thanksss :D <3 awhs ^____^
Quote from: Ariix on August 31, 2010, 12:52:58 AM
Oooh okay..sometimes i get the "sunken cheeks" look but only when im dehydrated lol.
drink lots of water then :)
Quote from: Maylene on September 02, 2010, 11:50:09 PM
drink lots of water then :)
Water<3 haha i take a bottle with me everywhere :)
You such a pretty face! I would wait due to you are stilling growing and hormones take time to sort how the body reshapes itself. :)