Hey everyone. I was thinking of starting T but I'm currently 33 years old. I was wondering if there are some differences (on average, I'm sure it's different for everyone) between the effects of T when starting in your 30s and starting earlier. For example, I was wondering if my voice will still drop, or drop less than someone who starts T at like 25? Any information would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hi Viktor and welcome to Susan's.

Your voice will drop no matter what age you start and the other changes will happen. You are actually younger than many who have been on T and there seem to be no big issues. Personally, beard growth is too slow and not filling in well, but that could also be genetics as my one son is the same way.

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Hey man.

I started at 24, but I have talked to a lot of guys who started at 35 and over. There are plenty around here who have no problem starting in their thirties and I'm sure they can chime in. My voice is actually higher than a few friends who started T at 30, so I think it just depends on your genetics. Same with the beard. A guy I know has an epic beard after a year. I'm 2 years in and his beard kicks mine any day of the week and twice on a sunday.

Stupid question, but are you in Tokyo?

Hi, there.  I was 33 when I started T. 

I have had no issues achieving the same changes as anyone else who happens to be younger.  There are guys here who started even later (decades later) and changes happened for them just the same.

As Ayden said, it's really more about genetics.

Welcome to Susan's.

Hi, and welcome!

I started T when I was 41. After 8 months my voice is now a baritone, I have a reasonable amount of beard growth and my body hair is coming in nicely. It does take time though: remember that cisguys take a while to go through all the stages of puberty; so too do we.

As others have said, your voice will drop... but the amount by which it drops depends on genetics rather than age. I happen to have Welsh ancestry, so I'm developing a bit of a Tom Jones voice.

If taking T is important to you, it's never too late to start.

Welcome,    viktor_tokyo!

I win, so far.     I started transitioning at 61, I'm 3 months on T, and it's going fine.

You're 33...?!  Good grief -- no worries, friend.

Hey guys thanks for the warm welcome.

And whew! That is great news.

I was wondering if age effects your transition because I've been watching youtube videos of some guys that sometimes sound like they're stuck in the voice change phase - actually why does that happen even though they're continuously taking t?

Either way that's so awesome people are starting so late.


Ayden, I'm currently living in Tokyo (6th year so far) but I grew up in New York. Let me know if you have any qs about Japan!

Quote from: viktor_tokyo on May 19, 2014, 09:23:40 AM
I was wondering if age effects your transition because I've been watching youtube videos of some guys that sometimes sound like they're stuck in the voice change phase - actually why does that happen even though they're continuously taking t?

Do you have any brothers or male cousins that you grew up with? Can you remember how long it took their voices to settle down properly? It didn't happen overnight, did it? It took years.

More accurately: approximately two to three years, from when it first started to break until it settled down into their adult voice. Same thing happens to us. That's just the way testosterone affects the vocal apparatus.

Wow 3 years! That's a long time. Yeah I didn't grow up with guys around me, never tracked anyone's voice through a whole transition. Nice to know, thanks! 

Quote from: viktor_tokyo on May 19, 2014, 09:23:40 AMI was wondering if age effects your transition because I've been watching youtube videos of some guys that sometimes sound like they're stuck in the voice change phase - actually why does that happen even though they're continuously taking t?

Basically because the voice becomes lower because the vocal chords thicken.  Obviously, adult vocal chords may have more difficulty thickening than young, supple ones.  That being said, it's also likely due to that person's genetics - or the fact that they may have only been on T for a year or less.  People here, myself included, still experience voice drops years into it.

Quote from: viktor_tokyo on May 19, 2014, 09:23:40 AM

Ayden, I'm currently living in Tokyo (6th year so far) but I grew up in New York. Let me know if you have any qs about Japan!

Nice to see a guy around here in Japan too! The husband and I have lived in Osaka for two years now, not that you would know it from my language skills. I got a little too comfortable with my level and stopped studying for a while. I speak excellent Osaka akachan-ben, though! We're originally from Alaska so I imagine your summers there would be more bearable, but I wouldn't want to give up the food here. Me and takoyaki are in a very deep love affair, much the chagrin of my waistline.

Have you had any luck with finding doctors? It's been a bit of a hassle for me to find one here to replace my doctor back home. Fortunately it's pretty LGBT friendly in my area, but you know they are here. They have rules for everything.

I'm a little over 2 years in and my voice still drops. About once every 3-6 months I get cracking and it's drops more. My voice, I believe, is artificially higher because I work with so many little ones and I have to sing constantly. My students are between 2 and 4 primarily. At home and on the phone though I have a fairly deep voice. I have 5 little brothers and the 20 year old is still waiting for his voice to totally settle. So, I don't worry too much over it. I have noticed that inflection is a big part of how I perceive my own voice. Sometimes I think I sound like hoarse woman, but my husband assures me it's just my ears. I haven't had much problem with others though.

Quote from: Kreuzfidel on May 20, 2014, 12:19:36 AM
Basically because the voice becomes lower because the vocal chords thicken.  Obviously, adult vocal chords may have more difficulty thickening than young, supple ones.  That being said, it's also likely due to that person's genetics - or the fact that they may have only been on T for a year or less.  People here, myself included, still experience voice drops years into it.

Oh nice! Congrats.

Men on both my mom's side and dad's side has somewhat high voices, so I guess I shouldn't expect to sound like booming thunder.

Quote from: Ayden on May 20, 2014, 12:58:05 AM
Have you had any luck with finding doctors? It's been a bit of a hassle for me to find one here to replace my doctor back home. Fortunately it's pretty LGBT friendly in my area, but you know they are here. They have rules for everything.

Why hello, fellow ex-pat.
I've actually never been to Osaka, I need to go visit (especially for the takoyaki, hear it's better than anything in Tokyo). That's interesting both you and your husband moved to Osaka from Alaska, never heard of that case before! Are either of you Japanese nationals?

So far I haven't had any luck finding doctors specialized in trans issues here in Tokyo. They all feel a bit suspect to me since they're involved in the plastic surgery business rather than therapy (or is that normal?).

Quote from: viktor_tokyo on May 21, 2014, 10:02:29 AM
Oh nice! Congrats.

Men on both my mom's side and dad's side has somewhat high voices, so I guess I shouldn't expect to sound like booming thunder.


Why hello, fellow ex-pat.
I've actually never been to Osaka, I need to go visit (especially for the takoyaki, hear it's better than anything in Tokyo). That's interesting both you and your husband moved to Osaka from Alaska, never heard of that case before! Are either of you Japanese nationals?

So far I haven't had any luck finding doctors specialized in trans issues here in Tokyo. They all feel a bit suspect to me since they're involved in the plastic surgery business rather than therapy (or is that normal?).

Neither of us are nationals. We're both American. My husband got his job through old connections from our alma mater. I came along on a spousal visa and found employment after arriving. Not sure how the new contract laws are affecting y'all there, but jobs here are plentiful. Well, if you don't mind being tape recorder as an ALT or at juku.

I've had the best luck talking with GPs and endocrinologists. They are still hesitant since I'm being treated by a doctor back home. I found one who is willing to supplement my hormones at the same level I'm on now. It's a lower dose than what I should be on, but it keeps the scarlet raids at bay. I'm scheduled for surgery, which would negate the doctors concerns about my needing therapy so after that he is going to review my file. I'm still looking for a doctor though. He's located near Hyogo, and that's a bit too long on the trains for my taste and quite inconvenient. Do you have someone who can translate for you? Is you speaking level functional or perapera? If so you may have an easier time of it.

I've been to Tokyo once. It was a nice trip, but I tell ya, the food here is heavenly, plentiful and really cheap. The people are closer to back home as well. Tokyo folk were a little more reserved that Osaka folk.

Quote from: Ayden on May 21, 2014, 08:59:57 PM
Neither of us are nationals. We're both American. My husband got his job through old connections from our alma mater. I came along on a spousal visa and found employment after arriving. Not sure how the new contract laws are affecting y'all there, but jobs here are plentiful. Well, if you don't mind being tape recorder as an ALT or at juku.

I've had the best luck talking with GPs and endocrinologists. They are still hesitant since I'm being treated by a doctor back home. I found one who is willing to supplement my hormones at the same level I'm on now. It's a lower dose than what I should be on, but it keeps the scarlet raids at bay. I'm scheduled for surgery, which would negate the doctors concerns about my needing therapy so after that he is going to review my file. I'm still looking for a doctor though. He's located near Hyogo, and that's a bit too long on the trains for my taste and quite inconvenient. Do you have someone who can translate for you? Is you speaking level functional or perapera? If so you may have an easier time of it.

I've been to Tokyo once. It was a nice trip, but I tell ya, the food here is heavenly, plentiful and really cheap. The people are closer to back home as well. Tokyo folk were a little more reserved that Osaka folk.

Haha, sounds like you're both enjoying yourselves here then. Great! I also think there are a ton of jobs here compared to the states. You just need to know people to get them I think.

Are you getting surgery here in Japan? (Top surgery?)

I'm actually half Japanese and perapera. Let me know if you ever need help with anything. Yeah I think Tokyo has some amazing food but they're a bit hard to find, and the b-kyu gurume isn't as good as the west - I find the food a bit too salty here in the east. Do you go to Kyoto often? Their food is awesome too! Especially the veggies.

I'm, um, way way older than 30. You're just a young'un as far as I'm concerned.   I was never read as male before T, and now I am read as male about 98% of the time. I co-moderate a group on FB for older guys (over 40). (If someone is interested PM me, but I should warn it's a "closed group" and not a secret one.) Anyway some of the guys have started T in their 40s, 50s, and even 60s. We are getting all the changes the younger guys get. Some of us grow facial hair a bit faster (maybe 1 year on T versus 5).

Changes: voice drop from alto to baritone; facial changes (more angled and so forth); fat redistribution (fat from hips and butt to stomach); lower growth (though not so much in my own case); change of smell of pee and sweat; greasier skin; etc. etc. I don't have more body hair but almost everyone over 40 I know does, but I have more facial hair on my chin and over my lip and have a baby 'stache.

--Jay

Welcome to Susans!
I'm 27 so almost 30 0_o; And everything has been going well for me so far. I of course have seen other guys transition at much older ages and do wonderfully. We have a local guy named James who is up into his 60's and is starting to transition and seems well off too! I think you'll do awesome. As other's have said. Genetics really just kinda make it in the end.

Quote from: aleon515 on May 26, 2014, 06:02:07 PM
I'm, um, way way older than 30. You're just a young'un as far as I'm concerned.   I was never read as male before T, and now I am read as male about 98% of the time. I co-moderate a group on FB for older guys (over 40). (If someone is interested PM me, but I should warn it's a "closed group" and not a secret one.) Anyway some of the guys have started T in their 40s, 50s, and even 60s. We are getting all the changes the younger guys get. Some of us grow facial hair a bit faster (maybe 1 year on T versus 5).

Changes: voice drop from alto to baritone; facial changes (more angled and so forth); fat redistribution (fat from hips and butt to stomach); lower growth (though not so much in my own case); change of smell of pee and sweat; greasier skin; etc. etc. I don't have more body hair but almost everyone over 40 I know does, but I have more facial hair on my chin and over my lip and have a baby 'stache.

That's interesting the changes happen faster. I would've thought the opposite! Didn't know the smell of pee changes either. Wow.

Quote from: Hex on May 26, 2014, 06:22:12 PM
Welcome to Susans!
I'm 27 so almost 30 0_o; And everything has been going well for me so far. I of course have seen other guys transition at much older ages and do wonderfully. We have a local guy named James who is up into his 60's and is starting to transition and seems well off too! I think you'll do awesome. As other's have said. Genetics really just kinda make it in the end.

Thanks Hex! All this is very reassuring. Thanks for the info.

Like what's been said, I think a lot of this is luck of the draw. I started at 29, and I initially had rapid and dramatic effects, and then my physical transition seemed to stagnate. I still have my uterus, which adds another variable. I had a very deep voice (for a woman) before transition, and so my voice changes were less eventful than what some people experience. I'm 33 and I have too much beard not to shave but not enough to look like an adult. I've never seen much facial hair on my cisgender blood relatives, so I doubt that has anything to do with what age I was when I started hormones.

I will say that a lot of people start hormones later in life. It's pretty new that people grow up with awareness that this is a real thing that there are words for and treatment for, so a lot of transpeople had to figure it out and pioneer/bumble their path after being well into adulthood. They seem to get as good use out of hormones as younger people do. The main problem with older transitioners is there's a longer period of awkwardness when not looking one's age (or not being read as the proper gender) can have greater consequences than it would for a younger person.

Lol I forgot about the change in pee smell. Your whole body metamorphosizes and it's nice. Even if I failed at social transition I would have been pretty happy with the physical changes testosterone brought.

Quote from: Felix on June 01, 2014, 02:58:48 AM
Like what's been said, I think a lot of this is luck of the draw. I started at 29, and I initially had rapid and dramatic effects, and then my physical transition seemed to stagnate. I still have my uterus, which adds another variable. I had a very deep voice (for a woman) before transition, and so my voice changes were less eventful than what some people experience. I'm 33 and I have too much beard not to shave but not enough to look like an adult. I've never seen much facial hair on my cisgender blood relatives, so I doubt that has anything to do with what age I was when I started hormones.

I will say that a lot of people start hormones later in life. It's pretty new that people grow up with awareness that this is a real thing that there are words for and treatment for, so a lot of transpeople had to figure it out and pioneer/bumble their path after being well into adulthood. They seem to get as good use out of hormones as younger people do. The main problem with older transitioners is there's a longer period of awkwardness when not looking one's age (or not being read as the proper gender) can have greater consequences than it would for a younger person.

Lol I forgot about the change in pee smell. Your whole body metamorphosizes and it's nice. Even if I failed at social transition I would have been pretty happy with the physical changes testosterone brought.

Yes! Not looking your age... I feel it every day already, like I have some sort of disease where you stay looking like a pre-teen but you start getting wrinkles and other old people stuff... ha (but it's only for me since people see me as a grown female).

I'm in Japan where I can't even tell if some straight cis people are male or female (until they speak) so in that way I'm lucky.

Quote from: viktor_tokyo on June 13, 2014, 02:42:11 AM
Yes! Not looking your age... I feel it every day already, like I have some sort of disease where you stay looking like a pre-teen but you start getting wrinkles and other old people stuff... ha (but it's only for me since people see me as a grown female).

I'm in Japan where I can't even tell if some straight cis people are male or female (until they speak) so in that way I'm lucky.

I'm 27 and everyone here in Osaka thinks I'm in high school... I don't get carded (since no one cards anyway, at least in kansai) but my poor husband gets some dirty looks for being with a "high school boy".