Hi ladies, I don't usually venture over to this board but I'm hoping someone here can help me as most of the FTM actually want facial hair growth and I'm in the vast minority. Do you ladies do anything for permanent hair removal or does HRT alone result in enough? I started getting facial hair at 2 months on T, didn't expect that since men in my family have a hard time growing facial hair but I'm starting to get like a grizzly and I don't want any facial hair.... getting so tired of shaving my face and having most of it back again before bedtime. I never tweezed before but today started on my upper lip and damn that hurts!  but it mostly I realized thats going to be a never ending battle as theres just way too many hairs to be a viable option.  I bought a home electrolysis thing but only used it today for the first time, not sure if its a scam or if they really work and figured I'd check if anyone has tried this. I read that the only FDA approved permanent hair loss option is electrolysis but going in and risking the scars all over my face (which home electrolysis supposedly doesn't do) seems extremely expensive and high risk. Maybe I'm wrong in this but I'd be interested in any feedback you ladies have.

HRT will lighten and thin body hair, and might slow down facial hair growth, but it won't get rid of it.

For that we have to endure hours and hours and hours of painful electrolysis or laser hair removal.

Also, I really feel you on the shaving thing.  HATE shaving my face. 

When people say your body hair lightens, does it also reduce in size (length) as I have super soft dark hair on my chest  and tummy (cm max length), yet the centre of my chest has hair that's much longer (3-4cms)

While hrt do anything to reduce density and length? Or will it require a few laser treatments to clear it all to female hair?

I checked google for images but there is nothing to show before/after hrt on body hair

I'm still waiting for HRT, so can't say from personal experience, just that everywhere I've read up on HRT says it does effect body hair by lightening it and making it thinner, less noticeable/has a "feminizing" effect on it.

Most of these descriptions don't go into any real detail, as to not make any guarantees on it.  Personal accounts I've read have kinda shown it varies (as with everything) and I've not heard whether or not it effects length at all.

It does have an effect on it, but be prepared to possibly require permanent hair removal if the effect isn't enough.

Ok so back to my post...what are the options for permanent hair removal? Is it just professional electrolysis? Does home electrolysis like I just bought actually do anything or is it just a scam? Is there something else I'm missing?

Laser isn't much of an option since it doesn't remove but reduce hair and not effective on light hair or dark skin from what I've read.

I have a couple of natal male friends who wanted their beards reduced/removed and it is by no means uncommon. Electrolysis is the way to go if you have light coloured hair or dark skin. I would suggest going to a professional for removal and use the home kit as a 'top up'.

Quote from: Cindy on February 26, 2014, 12:52:44 AM
I have a couple of natal male friends who wanted their beards reduced/removed and it is by no means uncommon. Electrolysis is the way to go if you have light coloured hair or dark skin. I would suggest going to a professional for removal and use the home kit as a 'top up'.

Thank you, I had a feeling the home kit was too good to hope for. I'll start looking around for a place to begin electrolysis soon.

Quote from: overdrive on February 26, 2014, 12:58:55 AM
Thank you, I had a feeling the home kit was too good to hope for. I'll start looking around for a place to begin electrolysis soon.

Oh and lots of guys get their bodies waxed to remove body hair. If you think about it have you ever seen a hairy wrestler in the WWE etc!

Just don't neglect the reason you've grown facial hair, Overdrive.

With T in your system, you might be stuck with facial hair..

Quote from: kelly_aus on February 26, 2014, 01:14:06 AM
Just don't neglect the reason you've grown facial hair, Overdrive.

I really don't know what this is even supposed to mean.  I hardly think wanting some permanent hair removal in any way makes me less of a man.  I don't know what you think I'm neglecting by wanting this.

Quote from: Cindy on February 26, 2014, 01:02:21 AM
Oh and lots of guys get their bodies waxed to remove body hair. If you think about it have you ever seen a hairy wrestler in the WWE etc!

I'm a professional athlete too, less body hair is a necessity for me so I do remove it from other areas as well. I can deal with temporary removal in other areas where, post sports career, body hair will be ok but I've always hated facial hair so that's one area I still don't want hair to grow if I can prevent it.

Quote from: overdrive on February 26, 2014, 03:54:34 AM
I really don't know what this is even supposed to mean.  I hardly think wanting some permanent hair removal in any way makes me less of a man.  I don't know what you think I'm neglecting by wanting this.

You are taking T, which is the cause of your facial hair.. You will likely find that as long as there is T in your system, facial hair will happen..

And I'm not saying it makes you less of a man.. I'm not even sure how you got that?

Quote from: kelly_aus on February 26, 2014, 03:59:41 AM
And I'm not saying it makes you less of a man.. I'm not even sure how you got that?

You say "Just don't neglect the reason you've grown facial hair, ".  I'm growing hair because of my transition, Since you think I'm neglecting a part of that transition is where I got this.

Many men spend their whole lives keeping their faces clean shaven of hair (including every relative of mine). I know its going to grow because of the sheer volume of follicles on the face, I just want to eliminate as many as possible so the hair grows less, thinner, etc resulting in less shaving and not having the undesirable beard by dinner every day. 

Quote from: overdrive on February 26, 2014, 05:02:23 AM
You say "Just don't neglect the reason you've grown facial hair, ".  I'm growing hair because of my transition, Since you think I'm neglecting a part of that transition is where I got this.

Many men spend their whole lives keeping their faces clean shaven of hair (including every relative of mine). I know its going to grow because of the sheer volume of follicles on the face, I just want to eliminate as many as possible so the hair grows less, thinner, etc resulting in less shaving and not having the undesirable beard by dinner every day.

I was referring to the fact you seemed to be neglecting the fact that while you are on T, facial hair will grow. You seemed to be implying that you wanted full clearance - and that aint going to happen while on T.. I'm not even sure you'll thin it much..

I would definitely talk with my doctor to see if laser treatment will even work  while taking testosterone on a full time basis. I haven't got a whole lot of experience with the laser deal but I do know it can be quite pricey and if taking T just keeps it sprouting out it might be a waste of money. I would definitely ask my doctor about it or call a place that specializes in laser hair removal. If I had to guess I would say it should work just like any other guy but I would definitely check with a professional before spending a lot of money.

Quote from: kelly_aus on February 26, 2014, 05:44:35 AM
I was referring to the fact you seemed to be neglecting the fact that while you are on T, facial hair will grow. You seemed to be implying that you wanted full clearance - and that aint going to happen while on T.. I'm not even sure you'll thin it much..

That does not sound correct Kelly. Electrolysis should permanently kill off the hair follicles. If it weren't permanent while on T then why would anyone even bother starting electro prior to HRT? I'm still pre-HRT and have noticed a dramitic reduction with my electrolysis treatments.

To the OP, be prepared for a lot of pain getting your facial hair removed. Electrolysis just plain sucks. It will take a while too. They say only 30% of your hair is ever growing out on your face at a time. To kill the hair follicle it has to be in an active growth phase too. I've heard the average beard takes around 200 hours to complete.

Alaia is correct.

T activates follicles to grow thicker and darker.  It doesn't really sprout brand new follicles every day.

Once the follicle is dead it's dead, T or not. 

For people who are good candidates, such as myself, laser hair removal can still result in sufficient "reduction" as to be effective - I had 99.99% of my facial hair killed permanently, and while that's  merely a "reduction" in that there are some survivors, it's only a handful that I can wax/pluck once a month or so.

I will warn that my laser tech told me that T causes facial hair follicles to suddenly "activate" when they hadn't before, meaning cis men (and cis women with hormonal imbalances, including menopause) will suddenly start growing facial hairs they'd never seen before. I'd assume that what that means is that for someone on T, there's always a small risk of developing new hairs and having to do another round of treatment.

(Oh, and yes, estrogen HRT reduced my body hair in both thickness and length, so that for example an inch-long aggressively thick black arm hair is now about 1/2 inch long, almost invisibly fine, and nearly blond. Chest hair - of which I only had a dozen or so - disappeared entirely, or rather changed to vellus hairs, which are those tiny baby-fine fluff hairs that appear on women.)

if you dont want face hair then why are you taking T.

Thanks for the feedback ladies. I'm Caucasian but darker skin and tan extremely well, I get darker than my very dark skinned Nigerian friend in the summer so from what I understand laser isn't viable option. I'll find a place that does both and talk to them about it and see what they suggest.

Yes, definitely get a laser consult from someone who is an expert and can see your actual skin/hair. You never know; my impression is that most untanned Caucasian people with dark hair are likely to be decent candidates, and laser is both fast and cheap by comparison (I was finished in about 6 ~20-minute sessions).

And, sheesh, there are things I don't like about HRT too - I could do without the thunder thighs and stretch marks, for one - but it doesn't mean I shouldn't be on estrogen or am not a woman! My support to you, overdrive.