Hi,
I hope you can help me, as I cannot think of any other group to give me better insight to my question.
I am male and transgendered, on the low end of the scale so I am pretty much okay as I am. I often wonder however, if there is any real difference of "feeling" between "male" and "female" breasts; other than say weight or looks? We are of the same flesh; males are just "underdeveloped".

So my question is directed to any FTM that has had breast reduction. Does your new "chest" really feel any different (other than say weight or looks) or is it more about the visual confirmation; that I understand completely?

Thanks!
Mike

Hi Mike, welcome to Susan's Place! I don't have an answer, just wanted to welcome you aboard. You get a thread bump, too! See you around, hugs, Devlyn

Welcome to Susan's Mike!

Quote from: mike on October 14, 2013, 10:31:56 AM
I am male and transgendered, on the low end of the scale so I am pretty much okay as I am. I often wonder however, if there is any real difference of "feeling" between "male" and "female" breasts; other than say weight or looks? We are of the same flesh; males are just "underdeveloped".

I am a little confused, are you FTM who's not transitioning? Also, are you talking about physical feelings or psychological feeling?

I haven't had any procedures, but I'd imagine there's a different sort of feeling because breasts have a gland inside while a biological male chest does not. Getting just a breast reduction doesn't take out that gland for females or transguys, whereas FTM top surgery would.

Devlyn,
Thanks for the hello and bump:)

LearnedHand,
I am a male looking for FTM insight on what it physically feels like to have breasts and then not have them; assuming it can be described. In reverse, I can imagine what the personal phycological impact would be should I get breast implants for example. My question is, if I/someone did get implants, would the breasts really "feel" any different to the body after the newness of the transition wore off; weight aside?

Also, I am not sure that your description of the "human breast/chest" is correct. I am not a medical professional but have done a bit of research; here is a little something I found:

"Women's breasts when mature are composed of a nipple and areola, behind which are the ducts and lobes, nested within fatty tissue (stroma). Men's breasts also have a nipple, areola, and ducts, but few lobes (for milk) and usually scant fatty tissue."

Thanks.

Quote from: mike on October 14, 2013, 12:31:03 PM
Also, I am not sure that your description of the "human breast/chest" is correct. I am not a medical professional but have done a bit of research; here is a little something I found:

"Women's breasts when mature are composed of a nipple and areola, behind which are the ducts and lobes, nested within fatty tissue (stroma). Men's breasts also have a nipple, areola, and ducts, but few lobes (for milk) and usually scant fatty tissue."

I am not a medical professional either, but I was referring to the mammary gland, which as far as Wikipedia is concerned, is not really present in biological males due to hormones, the basic anatomy is the same but biological females are developed more because of that: "Lactiferous duct development occurs in females in response to circulating hormones. First development is frequently seen during pre- and postnatal stages, and later during puberty. Estrogen promotes branching differentiation,[12] whereas in males testosterone inhibits it."

FTM top surgery is basically like a mastectomy with some contouring to make it look more like a bio-males:  Chest-Wall Contouring Surgery in Female-to-Male
Transsexuals: A New Algorithm

QuoteMy question is, if I/someone did get implants, would the breasts really "feel" any different to the body after the newness of the transition wore off; weight aside?

If you're curious on what it's like to get breasts, you'd probably have better luck going to the MTF board and asking the ladies.

Yep,
Think we are basically saying the same thing about physiology:

From Wikipedia:
"Male mammals typically have rudimentary mammary glands and nipples, with a few exceptions: male mice do not have nipples, [32] and male horses lack nipples and mammary glands.[citation needed] The male Dayak fruit bat has lactating mammary glands.[33] Male lactation occurs infrequently in some species, including humans."

Next step was to ask the girls who have transitioned (MTF) but wanted a genetic females input as they have the most natural progression to male gender and could offer the best insight; regarding breasts anyway.

Thanks.
Take care

i still have my breasts, but i also remember what it was like to not have them. the feeling is very different. breasts have never really felt right on me, in a way that's unrelated to weight or the visual aspect.

every time something touches them i can feel that they are breasts, and not just the skin on my rib cage. i can feel that there is a different tissue inside, when they are squeezed. it doesn't feel anything like fat would. when i move, i can feel them moving too. the jiggling when i run is annoying, having them between me and the bed when i lie down is even worse.

the breasts are felt especially well when i don't wear a bra.

how i miss the time before they started growing.

Well don't know the feel as I never had either (about to change in 14 days if I were counting). But anyway, there are folks that have had reduction first. It does limit your options. If you had a reduction, you could not have keyhole however, if you want a reduction you probably can't have keyhole anyway.

You might check out videokidsam on youtube. He had reduction first and talks about it. He does quite long videos and there is a lot to sift thru. I don't usually recommend him for that reason, but his videos are good. It might help in telling you the difference in the experience and so on.

--Jay

Jay,
Thanks for your comments and good luck; not that anyone is counting:)!!

Taka,
Thank you for your comments, they are very helpful; this is the sort of discussion I was looking and hoping for. If you don't mind, could we pursue this a bit further??

I get the "never really felt right on me" comment as I have similar feelings towards my body. For me however, it is more of a feeling like being on the fence; could have gone either way, being born male or female that is. I sort of feel like I am in limbo.

At my average weight I can "sort of" fill an "A - B" cup as I avoid developing my "pecks" and experience some of the same feelings you have described related to movement and touch. I think I can also relate to your comment about breasts feeling different as well; not like fat.

Having said all that, and taking away touch and movement as I have some "weight"; my breasts do not really feel or register with my brain any differently then say my arm or leg for example. Not sure if that makes sense but don't know of a better way to describe it?

In case you are wondering, I would say the same thing about my genitalia once you take away motion, sight and touch; no real sense that it exists. Having opened that door, I wonder if the real difference in "feeling" only truly gets experienced when hit (pain) or aroused because of male/female development or lack thereof. For example, if I get hit in the chest it is really no big deal; a kick in the groin however is a different matter. Kinda of the opposite for females?

Thoughts?
Thanks!!!

Just a quick note here, hon.

The guys here aren't females. And might well feel very uncomfortable being thought of as such. Maybe it would be more productive to ask the girls in their boards. They have the same sensations you're thinking about in their breasts, and might be more open to discussion on it. For most guys here, they don't really want to even think about those parts of themselves and it might be awkward to talk about.

Yeah I am also not sure re: the purpose of this post. NOt meaning to imply you don't have one. If you have doubts, you should do nothing. My feeling about surgery changed a LOT thru transition, but not everyone's does. I was helped a lot by being in therapy. The focus was never on surgery. It's just over time my feelings changed.

Reduction is a simple procedure, top surgery (at least double incision) is a more complicated procedure and involves skin grafts (nipples). Involves more time for healing, that kind of thing.

--Jay

Quote from: mike on October 14, 2013, 10:31:56 AM
Does your new "chest" really feel any different

So it's not a real chest, just imitation?

Quote from: Sephirah on October 15, 2013, 08:19:09 PM
Just a quick note here, hon.

The guys here aren't females. And might well feel very uncomfortable being thought of as such. Maybe it would be more productive to ask the girls in their boards. They have the same sensations you're thinking about in their breasts, and might be more open to discussion on it. For most guys here, they don't really want to even think about those parts of themselves and it might be awkward to talk about.

Thanks for making this point I was just about to step in as well. I think the OP is just less informed than most people who discuss this so I didnt want to jump all over him about it. You put it much nicer than I might have, thanks for diplomacy.

Quote from: chuck on October 16, 2013, 05:50:07 AM
Thanks for making this point I was just about to step in as well. I think the OP is just less informed than most people who discuss this so I didnt want to jump all over him about it. You put it much nicer than I might have, thanks for diplomacy.

I agree with that assessment. I am still not exactly sure what the OP is asking. And I think Sephirah's post was a very nice diplomatic reminder.


--Jay

Quote from: mike on October 15, 2013, 07:48:04 PM
Jay,
Thanks for your comments and good luck; not that anyone is counting:)!!

Taka,
Thank you for your comments, they are very helpful; this is the sort of discussion I was looking and hoping for. If you don't mind, could we pursue this a bit further??

I get the "never really felt right on me" comment as I have similar feelings towards my body. For me however, it is more of a feeling like being on the fence; could have gone either way, being born male or female that is. I sort of feel like I am in limbo.

At my average weight I can "sort of" fill an "A - B" cup as I avoid developing my "pecks" and experience some of the same feelings you have described related to movement and touch. I think I can also relate to your comment about breasts feeling different as well; not like fat.

Having said all that, and taking away touch and movement as I have some "weight"; my breasts do not really feel or register with my brain any differently then say my arm or leg for example. Not sure if that makes sense but don't know of a better way to describe it?

In case you are wondering, I would say the same thing about my genitalia once you take away motion, sight and touch; no real sense that it exists. Having opened that door, I wonder if the real difference in "feeling" only truly gets experienced when hit (pain) or aroused because of male/female development or lack thereof. For example, if I get hit in the chest it is really no big deal; a kick in the groin however is a different matter. Kinda of the opposite for females?

Thoughts?
Thanks!!!

As a guy who hasn't had surgery yet I can see what your saying, But on being kicked in the groin that hurts everyone and I've been kicked down their quite a few times

I'll just add in that Mike is a new member, and seems to be new to exploring trans issues. While he didn't word things properly and went about things in an insensitive way, we should still try to make him feel welcome and give him a bit of help in feeling comfortable here.

Mike, the Male to Female board is right over here. If you think you may be MTF, the ladies will be glad to help you out in answering any questions, just of course be sensitive in asking personal questions about people's bodies. You said above you were thinking about breast implants, implants won't feel anything like naturally grown breasts would; however, if you decide to get on estrogen or other HRT to become more feminine, you should have breasts that start to naturally grow as a result of the HRT. The ladies will be very knowledgeable about this process.

Just saying "male" on a trans* board can get confusing, because it could mean that you are a FTM transgender (like I thought above), cis-gender male, or some other sort of identity. The best way to word it might be to say you are MAAB (male attributed at birth) who's questing whether you might be a trans woman, or androgynous, etc. This will help ease some confusion.

Also, the correct term is "transgender" not "transgendered".

See you around Mike.

Quote from: LearnedHand on October 16, 2013, 05:21:44 PM
Also, the correct term is "transgender" not "transgendered".

Depends on whom you talk to. I prefer that people not use "transgendered" (it seems illogical to me), but I also oppose "a transgender," whereas others are perfectly fine with both.

I'm still puzzled about the OP's query. My first response, mentally, was "Of course it feels different," but if you rule out the two items he said to rule out, I'm not sure what is left.

I rarely toss in responses anymore. (Pretty much a ghost on the forum now) but I will say that what are asking is hard to describe.

I don't have extreme disphoria like a lot of my brothers here, but I do dislike my chest. Your question may be better answered with the ladies.

However, I'll take a stab. Keeping in mind I don't have extreme disphoria, I don't like my chest. The best way I can put it in lay terms is that I hate the weight. I was heavy for a while, and it feels similar. I disliked feeling heavy, or fat of you will. Now that I'm just about in shape, my chest retains that sensation. It's out of place, like it shouldn't be there. It's a part of my body as much as my legs, arms or waist, but I dislike it. Imagine having water balloons attached to your body and being unable to get rid of them. At the moment I can't think of a better way to describe it.

As far as a difference, I notice a difference when I bind versus when I don't. When I bind, everything is secure, no bulges and I feel comfortable. I won't say normal, because I personally don't think anyone is 'normal'; the human experience is too vast and complex to say that there is a 'normal'. But I feel comfortable, like that is how my chest should be. I remember when I was young and before the dreaded trainer bra was introduced, however. When my chest was like everyone else's, I felt comfortable. I never cozied up to growing breast, and I never wanted them. It never felt right. It was like someone glued something to my chest and I could not rip it off no matter how hard I tried; and my scars show that I certainly did. As an adult I can appreciate the sensations during sex with my partner, but as a gay man he appreciates the nipple sensation and could care less for anything else about my chest. Personally, once I get surgery my life will be more comfortable and enjoyable.

If I'm not clear, I apologize. It's late where I am and I have to be up early.