Alright, so I am one of those people from Middle Earth that was blessed with hairy feet, hands, and back, and a bald head.  I just started HRT a few days ago, and I was wondering about some of the effects with the hair.  Not sure if it matters, but I'm white, 5'9" 190lbs (and slowly slimming lol) and 29 years old.

1)  The hair on my head is pretty bad, so I doubt that HRT alone will be able to grow back.  I know my mileage may vary, but about how long does HRT (spiro, finasteride, and estradiol) take to help hair regrowth? 

2) Does anyone have anything else that they do in addition to HRT that has had positive effects on regrowing the hair on their head?  Any kind of special shampoos or voodoo magic?

3) Will my hand/knuckle/feet/toe hair go away with HRT?  If so, how long will it take?  I assume I am going to need to get laser hair removal for my chest.  I know a lot of people say that HRT has helped them keep it thin, but I have been epilating my chest/arms/legs for the past couple of months and the chest just doesn't look like it has a snowball's chance in hell without some motivation from a laser. 

4) Got back hair?  Did you before HRT?  Hoping that this goes away really soon because I can't reach it and it's going to be super embarrassing if I have to get someone to wax my back while presenting as a woman.

Thanks in advance, ladies! 

Quote from: FilaFord on February 22, 2014, 09:32:10 PM
Alright, so I am one of those people from Middle Earth that was blessed with hairy feet, hands, and back, and a bald head.  I just started HRT a few days ago, and I was wondering about some of the effects with the hair.  Not sure if it matters, but I'm white, 5'9" 190lbs (and slowly slimming lol) and 29 years old.

1)  The hair on my head is pretty bad, so I doubt that HRT alone will be able to grow back.  I know my mileage may vary, but about how long does HRT (spiro, finasteride, and estradiol) take to help hair regrowth? 

2) Does anyone have anything else that they do in addition to HRT that has had positive effects on regrowing the hair on their head?  Any kind of special shampoos or voodoo magic?

3) Will my hand/knuckle/feet/toe hair go away with HRT?  If so, how long will it take?  I assume I am going to need to get laser hair removal for my chest.  I know a lot of people say that HRT has helped them keep it thin, but I have been epilating my chest/arms/legs for the past couple of months and the chest just doesn't look like it has a snowball's chance in hell without some motivation from a laser. 

4) Got back hair?  Did you before HRT?  Hoping that this goes away really soon because I can't reach it and it's going to be super embarrassing if I have to get someone to wax my back while presenting as a woman.

Thanks in advance, ladies!

The only thing I can say is your mileage may vary. Everyone's experience with this problem is different.

I've been on a low dose of HRT from about 4 years and a transitioning dose for about 5 months. Previously I had a pretty bald spot on the back side of my head and good hair everywhere else on my head. With HRT that spot has slowly been reforesting, and with the higher dose of HRT it seems to be reforesting a little faster. I still have hopes of ditching my wig someday if it will ever finish recovering my head.

Shampoo - find some nizoral; it's usually available at your grocer down by the dandruff and specialty shampoos. As far as voodoo the closest I can come is minoxidil. I prefer the foam version over the liquid. You can get the cheaper generic version at places like costco. Rogaine is going to cost you and there is really no difference between the generic and name brand except price.

My body hair wasn't very thick in the first place and it thinned out greatly on HRT. Even my facial hair growth slowed down.

First the good news - hrt will slow down hair growth and it will become finer over time.  If you have fair skin and dark hair laser will make a massive difference.  Your face will probably need electrolysis at some point but laser does work.  When I started I used to shave twice a day and I looked like an extra from The Shire. YMMV but I don't think hair reduction will be a major issue given your age.  Of course if, like me, you leave it for a few years and both grey and white hairs then start to populate your beard and chest then laser will not be as effective and you will spend a lot longer with your friendly electrologist.  Re the bad news -  re bald spots, they don't diaper immediately but most girls do say that they have seen regrowth if finasteride or similar is used

Quote from: Eva Marie on February 22, 2014, 11:05:56 PM
The only thing I can say is your mileage may vary. Everyone's experience with this problem is different.

I've been on a low dose of HRT from about 4 years and a transitioning dose for about 5 months. Previously I had a pretty bald spot on the back side of my head and good hair everywhere else on my head. With HRT that spot has slowly been reforesting, and with the higher dose of HRT it seems to be reforesting a little faster. I still have hopes of ditching my wig someday if it will ever finish recovering my head.

If you don't mind me asking, what was your "low doese of HRT" and what is the "transitioning dose" ?

I am currently on a daily dose of  Spiro, Finasteride, and  Estradiol. 

My hair is pretty bad, but I'm sure not as bad as others have had to overcome. 

Here are some pictures of that bald head of mine.

Quote from: Eva Marie on February 22, 2014, 11:05:56 PM
Shampoo - find some nizoral; it's usually available at your grocer down by the dandruff and specialty shampoos. As far as voodoo the closest I can come is minoxidil. I prefer the foam version over the liquid. You can get the cheaper generic version at places like costco. Rogaine is going to cost you and there is really no difference between the generic and name brand except price.

My body hair wasn't very thick in the first place and it thinned out greatly on HRT. Even my facial hair growth slowed down.

Don't have any issues with dandruff.  Over the past two years I have tried the Johnny B. Hair Surivival Kit for about 6 months and didn't notice many changes at all.  Afterwards I switched to Kirkland's 5% Minoxidal liquid applied twice a day for 6 months and didn't notice any regrowth.  I took pictures and they looked pretty much identical.

I think I will end up having to get hair transplants, which sucks, because I am broke.  But I hate this wig more lol

Quote from: Aisla on February 22, 2014, 11:44:53 PM
First the good news - hrt will slow down hair growth and it will become finer over time.  If you have fair skin and dark hair laser will make a massive difference.  Your face will probably need electrolysis at some point but laser does work.  When I started I used to shave twice a day and I looked like an extra from The Shire. YMMV but I don't think hair reduction will be a major issue given your age.  Of course if, like me, you leave it for a few years and both grey and white hairs then start to populate your beard and chest then laser will not be as effective and you will spend a lot longer with your friendly electrologist.  Re the bad news -  re bald spots, they don't diaper immediately but most girls do say that they have seen regrowth if finasteride or similar is used

Yes, I have fair skin and black hair so I am very thankful that laser will be a solution.  Got a Groupon for a great deal to get rid of my face/neck/chest hair.  Just a little scared to use it.  Once I start laser hair removal, then there is really no turning back!  Sometimes I think I'm making a bad decision but it's really just my insecurities about my voice and my beard.

How long were you on HRT before you noticed beard hairs getting finer and being able to shave it less frequently?

Oh this darn beard and voice of mine.  It's making me so nervous





Edited for Dosages

Best not to be specific in general posts re medication dosages as it is in breach of forum guidelines.  Best to take these type of questions to messages off line.  With me hair growth became noticeably finer within 3 months.  At the same time I was waxing, using laser etc so it was the result of a lot of activity.  Your scalp should be fixable and quite frankly it shouldn't get any worse and even if the hair does not recover there are a number of hair replacement techniques which have worked well on much larger areas than that shown in your photograph.  If there isn't recovery with hrt etc then scalp advancement and hair thatching does and would work.  In the meantime many of us get great results from using a good wig. 
The voice appears to be a result of practice, practice, practice - intonation is just as important as pitch  Just don't hold yourself to an impossible standard - there are many cis women with quite low voices.  Listen to how they speak - their cadence and their pitch.  It will start to come with time and patience.

Yep definitely got warned about the dosages.  I'm sorry I'm a clicker - of course I agree with the terms and agreements, just let me post!  - and completely didn't read it

The wig is just so painful.  I don't know if I'm wearing it wrong or if the thing is just too tight, but it gives me headaches after a couple of hours.  I just want to have my own hair, so I need to know how much I need to save to accomplish that. 

As for the voice, yeah.  I don't know how to practice.  I don't like talking by myself.  It makes me feel crazier than normal 

I got a lot to figure out!

Yep lots to do but nothing worthwhile or truly transformative happens overnight.  There are voice DVDs and there are online programs if you can't find a speech therapist experienced with tg folk.  If money isn't an issue then judging from the Yeson threads excellent results have been obtained by many girls from this Korean clinic.

Many hair studios will give you a quote for hair grafting (FYI apparently it is much cheaper in Russia) and most FFS surgeons offer hair advancement and will give you a free quote and consult.  They are sometimes open to negotiating a lower price if your timing is flexible.

Safe travels

Aisla

Quote from: Aisla on February 23, 2014, 02:54:35 AM
Yep lots to do but nothing worthwhile or truly transformative happens overnight.  There are voice DVDs and there are online programs if you can't find a speech therapist experienced with tg folk.  If money isn't an issue then judging from the Yeson threads excellent results have been obtained by many girls from this Korean clinic.

Many hair studios will give you a quote for hair grafting (FYI apparently it is much cheaper in Russia) and most FFS surgeons offer hair advancement and will give you a free quote and consult.  They are sometimes open to negotiating a lower price if your timing is flexible.

Safe travels

Aisla

I wouldn't say "money is not an issue" but I was thinking I could be alright with wigs and use what money I have saved up to take a trip to South Korea for the VFS.  Now I am thinking I should try to work on a voice that will do for a bit and go get my hair taken care of... I think I'd rather not have to wear a wig than to sound more feminine at this point! 

Trans in Russia?  Eeek... I'll have to take that trip in man form!

Need more $$$. Hopefully my business takes off and I can afford all of the things that I want!  Until then, I'll go practice my voice and get some beauty sleep before I go back into guy mode tomorrow.

Sweet dreams

Quote from: FilaFord on February 23, 2014, 12:32:33 AM
If you don't mind me asking, what was your "low doese of HRT" and what is the "transitioning dose" ?

Don't have any issues with dandruff.

As you know we aren't allowed to discuss HRT dosages here, so I won't do that. Low dose HRT is primarily intended for people that want the mental effects that HRT brings (lessening of dysphoria) while minimizing the physical changes of HRT. My point about mentioning it is that even on a low dose of HRT my hair loss reversed. On the higher HRT dose the hair loss reversal seems to have sped up.

It is true that the Nizoral shampoo is found in the dandruff shampoo section, but for your purposes you want it because it has androgen blocking properties. Hair thins because of DHT, an androgen produced from testosterone. Nizoral inhibits the effects of DHT. And hey, ya gotta wash your hair with something so it might as well be with something that helps with hair loss, right?

As far as uncomfortable wigs - are you wearing wigs with a lace front? The ones i've tried with that construction drive me absolutely crazy because of the scratchy lace on my forehead so I don't wear that style of wig. I wear wigs with a traditional cap construction and no lace. That means my wig will not have an exposed hairline but that's OK. There is a little bit of squeeze on your head caused by the wig cap but it's tolerable.

Judging from the pictures you posted your hair loss seems to be most prominent in the front. It is my understanding that reversing hair loss there is the hardest. HRT will slow, stop, or reverse your hair loss, giving you a chance to try other things, up to and including having hair grafts professionally done.

I was getting considerable baldening. The hairline receded a lot and my corners were terrible...my hair was becoming each time more thin and weak. I started losing my hair when I was 22 years old (I am now 26).

I am on HRT with finasteride and I use every night a lotion of minoxidil and capixil. I don't know if it is the estrogen, the finasteride, the lotion or everything, but I got a considerable regrowth. I only started noticing it on the 3 months mark...really small hair was starting to grow, then on the next motnh it became longer and more visible. My corners are still bad, but my hair is now more thick and fuller. I am hoping that I will be able to cover the receding spots as soon as my hair gets longer.

Anyway, I have a few pics to show how were the effects on my hair:


First month HRT


4 months HRT

I was and am also on very low dose HRT, and within a few months my body hair disappeared except in cis female places - armpits, forearms, legs, and groin - and thinned down to short, fine, "female-looking" hairs in those places.