I did a horrible thing for my psyche and read this article on the "truth" about taking T.

saying things like you'll go bald in a year and you'll sound like a midget and you'll be awkwardly fat and have scars and there no way in hell your gonna look like the man you envision and probably look more like  a neckbeard with no hair by the time your 25.

i don't know why i was reading this or why i kept reading it but now it's got me thinking and that's not cool i was all prepared to waltz into my therpists office grab my letter and go get these hormones but AUUGHHH!


anyway perhaps some long term users of T could help me out.


things like balding. I know it relies on your genes, but do we really all go bald so soon? I have hair like my father's. he's 50 and hasn't balded or greyed a hair. my mom has finer hair but also not any womens kind of balding. guess im just wondering if ill take after them or is T gonna strip me of hair? I understand if I'm older and i bald but im not even 20 im young, lemme have some hair for a bit. anyways what's your experience with it.

really besides just balding, I feel like I just need to hear from some ftms that have been on it for a while, what they know and how they feel on it. i feel anxious and nervous and overactive in my mind all the time and I don't know if this will help me. I know I have dysphoria but my mind is second guessing and I just want to hear from some people that know what's up.

I'm sorry that I don't really have any first hand experience given that I'm still pre-t but I do have what I call an FTM mentor. He's been on hormones for close to 11 years now and he still has a full head of hair and from what we've discussed he hasn't experience much receding. He sounds like any other guy you would hear out there and is actually trim. He's 5'7" which isn't too bad in height for men in my area. So I think his description pretty much rules out all of what the article said. Hope this helps you.

Weeee represent the FTM Guild....

Methinks you have been reading some hate-filled lies spread by an anti-trans bigot.

I have been on T for five years. My hair is thinning a bit in front, but I'm far from bald. I do have anxiety about it, but apparently no more than any cis man does.

My voice is deeper than my best friend's. It is still changing and gets a little deeper and more resonant from time to time.

I weigh considerably less than I used to before I started my transition. Even though I've gained some weight back (an injury is making it hard for me to exercise these days), people still compliment me on how great I look.

I have scars on my chest. At my age, I'm not too keen to run around shirtless in public, but here's the way I look at the scars: would I prefer to have those disgusting growths on my chest? Hell, no. And a lot of trans guys have little to no scarring, depending on what procedure they have had.

I couldn't envision the way I would look as a man. I couldn't envision the way I would look as a "woman," either, because I was so hopeless and closed off that I couldn't think about my future in that way. Now I'm looking forward to getting a new passport photo in seven or eight years and having a pic with a BEARD.

At fifty plus, I have a very nice mustache, the beard, and sideburns; and I still have head hair although, as I said, it is thinning a bit in front. But it's not noticeable yet to anyone but me and my barber.

Honestly, it took me a couple of years (close to three, I think) to get used to the idea that I might lose a significant amount of hair. For some reason, that was like the last straw after a lot of sudden changes, including losing my partner, my home, and, for a little while, my job. Once I started getting some control over my life, I started to worry about my hair a lot less. I am a man, and most men experience hair loss if they live long enough. For me, the bottom line is that I will never stop taking T, period. Hair loss be damned. Testosterone is right for me. Just like any boy going through adolescence, though, I did need a period of acclimation to my new circumstances.

If T is right for you, I suspect that you will work through any issues you have with the less desirable effects if you even have any. And if T isn't right for you, you won't have to worry about it.

Quotethings like balding. I know it relies on your genes, but do we really all go bald so soon? I have hair like my father's. he's 50 and hasn't balded or greyed a hair. my mom has finer hair but also not any womens kind of balding.

If your mother has brothers, they will be your best indicator of possible baldness.

Ha, i got an uncle on her side, hes balding pretty bad, hes 47 though nothing uncommon


I suppose i was just reading some hate, i watched some youtube videos of guys 7 - 12 years on T and they look great.

Think i just had some confidence shattered there a moment. My boss sat me down today and questioned the hell out of me today and of course it got my gears going. i've always been so cautious its annoying.Im good now hearing you guys and some of the videos.

Still going to get my letter sunday. Gotta keep focused on the goal.

Im so sorry to bother you , but im new and how do you post things on here like on board?

Bottom of all the threads listed , theres a button that says new thread or new topic, its kind of small towards the middle of the page. Hard to describe.

Play some eye spy, you'll find it

Do yourself some good and stay away from that website. I know which one you're talking about, and the person that writes those articles is very bitter, angry, and hateful. Balding does happen to a lot of guys, but there are medications you can take that will help. Talk to your doctor.

Declan@ yeah, it didn't do me any good to read that damn article, full of hate, just bugged me out for no reason, i just wanted to read on some more of the medical side effects of long term use but it's hard to find without bumping into hate or nothing over 3 years on T.

Will definitely talk to me doctor if my hair starts thinning too much. balding is kind of in my family, not really at all on my dads side but my moms yes. but really i was reading more for how it's gonna effect me inside. my anxiety and my dysphoria and how or if it will effect my organs or create any problems for me and i just can't really find anything solid.

I recently read that same article. It made me feels gross, but then I shrugged it off as that writer's bad reaction to feeling insecure and/or jealous or something. Nothing to do with us!

I know several trans guys on T and they don't seem to be losing their hair faster than any other guy, or have unusual voices.

I've been on it for almost nine months, and the only negative side-effect has really been that my blood pressure is slightly higher than it was before and my cholesterol is a little worse. They do bloodwork to make sure you're healthy. You won't randomly wake up with a myriad of health problems unless you're self-medicating. That said, it's really my fault for being so sedentary for the past few months, lol. I still have all my hair (with the exception of what I lost when my hairline became more masculine) and my family has balding on both sides. Thick hair too. Not on medication to prevent balding either.

Worry of hair loss is a something I have seen bring my cismale friends to thier knees with worry, so I would only think it is pretty normal to worry about. When you think about the fact that many DHT blockers like Propecia have so many side effects yet men will still take it just to stop hair loss really does illustrate the gravity of the problem.

That being said things with fewer side effects like minoxidil and retinen-a do seem to work for many men too, so it isn't that bad. Also some men who are confident like Patrick Stewart have really rocked while not having a great deal of hair.

Quote from: Hikari on February 01, 2014, 04:26:18 PM
Worry of hair loss is a something I have seen bring my cismale friends to thier knees with worry, so I would only think it is pretty normal to worry about. When you think about the fact that many DHT blockers like Propecia have so many side effects yet men will still take it just to stop hair loss really does illustrate the gravity of the problem.

That being said things with fewer side effects like minoxidil and retinen-a do seem to work for many men too, so it isn't that bad. Also some men who are confident like Patrick Stewart have really rocked while not having a great deal of hair.

I don't think it's confidence so much as it is having a facial structure that looks great with a bald head. I shaved my head once and realized that wasn't something I needed to do again, lol.

Basically, with that article, the author has taken all of the possible negative side effects of T and has focused on them.  No where and in no way do all of those things happen to people taking T at all - much less is the "fact" that these things will inevitably happen to all guys taking T.  It's just not true.  Even she says in her own words that these side effects "sometimes" happen to "some" guys, so don't get hung up thinking that these things are going to happen to you.

You mentioned that you did a "horrible thing for you psych" and read this article.  Did your psych specifically recommend this article?  I find that pretty disturbing honestly - this blogger writes terrible and hurtful hate speech and I don't think that any reputable psych should be using her material to "educate" trans* folk or even acknowledge it.

Quote from: BeefxCake on February 01, 2014, 02:03:56 AMsaying things like you'll go bald in a year...

That's blatantly untrue.  I'm over 2 years on T and have no thinning and am certainly not bald.

Quote from: BeefxCake on February 01, 2014, 02:03:56 AM...and you'll sound like a midget...

This is really laughable.  Yes, some trans* guys do have slightly higher-pitched voices due to the size of their voice boxes, but the majority that I've heard sound identical to cis-guys. 

Quote from: BeefxCake on February 01, 2014, 02:03:56 AM... and you'll be awkwardly fat...

It's true that there's no way you can change the positioning of your hip bones and pelvis.  Unfortunately, for some guys with more prominent hips, they may be shaped differently to most cis-guys - but generally, you can off-set any awkward shape by working out your upper body, which draws attention away from the hips.

Regarding fat redistribution - well it's simple.  Lose weight and eat a healthy diet - maintain regular exercise.  Just like anyone else.

Quote from: BeefxCake on February 01, 2014, 02:03:56 AM...and have scars and there no way in hell your gonna look like the man you envision...

Yes, you'll have scars. So what? 

I would just say that I've seen a lot of guys fall into the trap of thinking that they'll come away with a perfectly sculpted, masculine body and end up saying that they're basically just a chubby, balding middle-aged man.  Well, you can't change genetics - balding may happen - as someone else said, there are treatments for that.  Chubbiness means you need to get off your arse and exercise and eat healthier.  All of these "complaints" are generally able to be remedied - it's just laziness to think that you can sit back and expect to look like Ashton Kutcher just by taking T.  Ain't gonna happen.

People just need to be prepared to accept that they may not look like their celebrity idol - but with hard work and perseverance, they can make the most of the features that they DO have and be pretty damn well handsome.

Quote from: BeefxCake on February 01, 2014, 02:03:56 AM...and probably look more like  a neckbeard with no hair by the time your 25.

Well, it's possible.  Facial hair depends on genetics and how old you are when you start T.  If you're 23 when you start T, then it's possible you'll only have a neckbeard (or less) at 25.  It's also possible that you'll go the opposite way and have a Viking beard at 24!  I have noticed a lot of trans* guys with  neckbeards, but that's typical amongst young teen cis-males, as well.  The beard starts as a neckbeard for most guys - regardless of being trans* or cis - and it takes about 5+ years to develop full facial hair (if it's in your genes to develop it at all).

I think, on the one hand, it's good to educate yourself about the negative (possible) effects of T so that you're prepared for those things if they were to happen.  But reading it from someone like this blogger is not the way to go - it's good that you've brought this to us on Susan's who can more adequately educate you from a firsthand experience perspective.

I do think you have to ask yourself though like... what if you got ALL those negative side effects? You know?? B/c you could. And then what would you do?? I just mean like, you do kind of have to be prepared for a bad outcome, since there are good and bad outcomes cosmetically. NOT saying that has to be what's important though.

Personal example... um, I started living as a girl, took E, and heard a billion times that I'd grow boobs. I knew I was gonna, but I wasn't really thinking like, about whether that would be ultimately what I wanted. Actually I knew I didn't really want boobs but that came with the territory. Now I'm like wanting to detransition and I'm looking at being a cis boy with 30F boobs. It didn't have to happen to me!! lol. I'm gonna have to get top surgery to be a cis boy again. If I had really experimented more with transition I might not have done it in the first place. Grrrr, lol.

I'm not trying to be scary though. I just think it is worth some serious consideration if the thought of side effects is like unacceptable to you. =')

Pshaw, really baldness or thinning happens a lot, even for women. There are so many options for hair loss now; Rogaine, Biotin, hair plugs, etc. etc. You get scars from top surgery? Grow a man-pelt or get a bitchin' tattoo! Lots of options, some that can even make you feel far more connected with your new self than staying miserable in the old.

Haha thanks guys and gals, I'm feelin much better about it now.


Kreuzfidel@

I say psyche as in whats in my head, my therapist would never recommend that bigoted bs of an article. It was my fault trying to find some medical negatives of T and it got me tangled up in that hate storm.

What i found was what some mentioned, higher blood pressure, infertility, possible cancer, liver stuff. Basically things i can keep on top of.

Oh i know i wont look like a male model just by taking T, i workout and exercise a buttload especially recently as i try to get rid of some of my excess fat and reduce lady curves so the T can make more a difference on my fat distribution, since im aware the lady fat wont go anywhere  on its own.


As far as scaring, im not too worried about my case, i think ill be alright. Im small enough to get keyhole so im very lucky in the scarring department.

And i got to thinking, balding isnt really the worst thing, you've all expressed you still got your hair, and if mine starts to go later im not trapped i have options.

I get my letter today, gonna grab life by the horns, gonna go for it cuz hey a balding tub of a man sure beats this girl body lemme tell you.

I know I'm definitely no expert on T but as someone who has met a quite a few trans men over the last year I can say you shouldn't worry too much. They are some very attractive trans men who have deep voices and a full head of hair. So I think that story you read is total bs or the account of someone who was very unlucky with T.

I was looking for similar information... Drawbacks, contraindications, and negatives of taking T. It's really too bad that THAT nasty piece of work shows up. I'm interested in learning all I can about the very real consequences of T, not some hate-filled spew, barely based in fact.

Macg: exactly, im sitting here, i know what itll do to me physically, but i just want to know if this transition is going to shorten my life or hurt my organs or something, the medical, but there is just no information.