Girls, Hi, hugs, I am Johanna, 6 and a half weeks into HRT, with great results so far. My questions in this thread are about hair, but just to let you know briefly the other great stuff that is happening to me, I have obvious protruding nipples and round very small breasts that poke through my shirt when the shirt is pulled tight. My breasts are often a little sore so I think they should continue to grow nicely. My nipples have been erect since Day 3 of HRT. My nipples are always erect, they never go down. My former body odor problems disappeared 3 weeks in. My facial acne has almost totally disappeared. I think my eyes look more feminine although this one is harder to measure but I do think so. I am 56, yet the palms of my hands have changed to silky smooth hands of a 25 year cis girl...incredible! I only have to shave every 2 days instead of every day, and I might be able to get by with still less frequency of shaving on my face. Parts of my face look smooth and also younger.
My emotional changes are the most amazing thing of all. I never dreamed I could feel this great in life. It is affecting me SO positively that I am having increased success in closing sales in my own business and in my work as a Professor at a large university where I live in Latin America.
I feel SO great. I take estradiol valerate and micronized progesterone, no anti-antogens. Full doses from the start. No low dose "gatekeeper" impediments to my transition.
The progesterone makes me feel euphoric and it makes me feel RIGHT. I think maybe the progesterone even makes me a little "high" emotionally even though I don't take any drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.
Now as to HAIR...
1) When I was younger, my hair usually was a lovely natural light medium brown that always started to curl a medium amount whenever I let it grow to the mid-point of my neck. I never let it grow much longer than this.
2) Before I started transition on full HRT hormones 6 plus weeks ago, I had a much receding hairline, and medium hair growth. Some gray, not a lot, but some.
3) Now, the hair down the back of my head is starting to grow much faster! In the back, it seems to be mostly the natural light medium brown color of my youth. Wow...I am amazed by this...what a pleasant surprise for me.
4) Emotionally, these power female hormones have caused me to lose ALL desire to get a haircut anytime soon. I NEVER expected such a strong emotional reaction about this. Wow!
5) I have started to use a female, fragranced good-quality shampoo. I think I will now add a good cream rinse to my routine, as I want my hair to grow longer and beautiful.
6) I want to grow at least shoulder-length hair, all natural.
7) I don't want to use extensions until and unless it becomes a total necessity. I want to try all natural, medium long flowing hair with my natural medium curl.
In the meantime for work while presenting "male," maybe I could use a hair elastic to put my hair into a ponytail, as many "macho men" who are sort of "hip" do, in any case. Maybe this is not so frequent for people of my age, but so what? Staying young is in part about attitude and posture and presence and presentation. I think I can do this (with a ponytail at work, I mean, after my hair grows long enough to merit it).
9) With some luck, maybe in about 2 more months, or 3 more months, I can have shoulder-length, slightly-curly hair, regardless of whether I am "presenting male" or "presenting female."
10) Our beloved estrogen and progesterone seem to be a "fountain of youth" for me for my skin quality, hair quality, hair color, and so on. Wowowowowow!
Sooooooooooooooooooooooo,
What suggestions do you girls have for me? I am "all ears" and very receptive to many different ideas, opinions, and explanations.
Should I go to a unisex hair salon and ask the female stylist, or gay male stylist (in the Latin country I live in, nearly all male hair stylists are gay -- I have asked many of them, and every one I have asked says yes they are gay), tell them I am transitioning to female (well, they will be able to see my new breasts in my shirt, even without bra)...and ask them to style my hair in a way that is decent for a female, yet still okay for a male?
Would this work?
Is there any special type of shampoo I should be using?
Assuming I continue to get nearly all my younger natural light medium brown down the back of my head with little or no gray, what further advice do you gals have?
After my hair gets to the top of my shoulder blades, assuming I am successful in growing it this long naturally without hair extensions, would your advice change at that point?
How long do you think I can grow my hair down my back, and still be able to "get away with" wearing it in a ponytail while presenting "male" while working at the University and/or with private clients, at least for a little while longer?
Warm embraces for any kind words of advice you might be able to give me,
Johanna.
I AM FEMALE.
