I've been on T for a bit over a month now. I'm having a few real mustache hairs appearing now, and lots of extra, fluffy ones that are too soft to be real mustache hair but too dark/long to be peach fuzz. It looks like a cross of a 5 o'clock shadow and puberty 'stache, though it's still fairly subtle. (I'm descended from yetis, so I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes very obvious, very quickly ::)) I've never liked to shave my upper lip, because the little bit of hair there makes me feel more masculine... but at what point would it be good to start? I don't want to seem too unkempt, or on the other hand have it look too much like peach fuzz for a cis guy. Any advice? When did you guys start shaving?
I'm probably being overly paranoid, but I'm in a portraiture class right now... and being around an artist who specialises in the human face makes me a bit on edge at times. I know firsthand how observant even basic artistic inclinations can make one.
I feel it best to start shave whenever you decide you want to. I'm nearly 3 months on T and do have a bit of a shadow over my lip. Some of my close friends can see it but most people don't notice. I don't shave it cause it makes me feel better. I do shave the rest of my face when the hair gets too long/fluffy because I feel it looks too femme since my facial hair is a mix of light brown/blonde. My mustache is brown but still soft and not very noticeable.
As others said, shave whenever you feel is the best time. Some advice that I read from this one website would be to start shaving right away, even before T. Although it may feel nice to see facial hair growing in, it's best to shave it off even if it's just a little bit. Having hair on your upper lip that is in that in between peach fuzz and full facial hair stage is something that is associated with teenage boys and hairier than average women. Adult cis men never have that downy type hair since they shave their faces. Eventually as your facial hair thickens it will grow back into proper 5 o'clock shadow and then you can grow it out if you please. :)
Okay. I had read that shaving was good pre-T, and if I was over 20 I definitely would. But I'm still pretty young, so I couldn't decide if my facial hair growth was reasonable for a boy my age... I'm not allowed to post my exact age, so let's just say I barely managed to beat Justin Bieber to puberty. I wasn't sure if teenage boys had the in between stage, if they do I guess I'm alright.
I've just now started shaving once a week or so at...what is it now, almost 4 months? I barely had peach fuzz before, invisible at any distance greater than 2-3 inches, and now what I have is a slightly longer, thicker form of peach fuzz that might be visible at 1-2 feet if it catches the light and you look closely. I tried shaving pre-T but the fuzz was so soft the razor slid right over it (even against the grain). Now...well, some of it gets shaved. Makes no difference for passing, but I kind of like the soft stubble feel on my upper lip.
At your age you're basically going through a standard, slightly late male puberty, and all your facial/body hair stages will be within the normal range for guys your age. Shave when you feel like it - it won't hurt your passability either way.
I'm at 9 weeks and I shaved once because I missed shaving (used to do it once a week before T). I don't have any real hair growing in. No peach fuzz, no long gnarly hairs, nothing. Do what you feel is comfortable. Some people I know of shave until something substantial starts growing in.
I started shaving pre t every couple of weeks because it made me feel good. I'm 4 and half months on T now and I shave about once a week, my chin hair is longer but still blonde ::) Getting some ok side burns though and have a few darker hairs above my upper lip.