Okay, I am preparing for my next phase/step as some real life goals have been met. However, I am still in my weight loss phase with months left to go. I have a tentative goal of being close to my target weight by May. However, I have no desire to shave, never have and oddly enough I dislike my facial hair and always have, though I typically have a sloppy growth on my face. Part, as I say is hating shaving, and part I have what is probably an irrational fear that shaving more means worse skin. So I wanted to start with facial hair removal before I am on HRT. I know I have read that folks recommend starting before HRT, I have also seen no do not as you waste money on it as follicles that are currently dormant are stimulated and lead to new facial hair growth requiring avoidable costs of additional removal of said hairs.

I figured, once I was ready I would meet with a few professionals on the matter, not only educating me further, clearing up facts and fiction, and help me decide when and where to go for treatment.

Oddly, I have met with two professionals so far and though their information was relatively similar, there were notable differences in opinion on when to start or not start HRT. The one said you really want to be on HRT, and at my age there is some benefit to starting now due to graying beginning, that I will want to start HRT sooner than later. The other said, no rush to HRT, but that hairs will grow but they can take care of that. Admittedly she said it would mean more sessions potentially but they have a lifetime guarantee and at some point that would mean just paying what amounts to a co-pay of $20 to $40 depending of the situation. Not exactly a guarantee but it beats paying for a full session price by far.

Here is the catch, or are the catches.
1. I am expecting to be at my goal weight by May, but there is no certainty I will met it by then. I have worked in a slowing of weight loss, but I have already experienced a plateau (partly by design, partly I've lost so much already) and may not get there (thus I do have a body fat % backup, though that is not that much more likely.) So it could be as much as a year out yet.
2.  If I start now in November with laser, I benefit from the winter sun and a light complexion.
3. Maybe more importantly I start to ditch the facial hair I never enjoyed, offering me some happiness.
4. I have sleep apnea and though it continues to improve with weight loss and conditioning, ditching the hair will help with the sealing of the mask (yes, I often let it get to two nights of crappy sleep before I suck it up and shave tearing into my face ugh.)

The pros are fine and good, and I do think they both gave me generally good advice and I have another consultation with a third professional next Wednesday (I like baseball and tend to do such things in threes.) However, I also see real value in getting feedback from those who have been and are going through it. Maybe everyone was on HRT before hand but I still want to get opinions from the community as well as the gals I know locally through group (there just as not too many of them locally so the input is limited as most are just starting too.)

So wondering what others experienced, and if there are any recommendations. I really was hoping to start facial hair removal even if I decided against moving to the HRT phase (unlikely that I won't but I never say never as I take this journey slowly and carefully) as I figured I might find enough comfort in just being done with the facial hair and occasional efforts to remove body hair strategically. Now it sounds like that option is dashed, as it is either going to be a complete waste as dormant follicles will be called into service at a never ending pace, or the costs will bankrupt me as I will continually have to have new sessions (though shorter and less and less often I suspect.)

Any input will be greatly appreciated.

I can describe my experience so far.  I will refrain from making (or passing comment on) any of the generalisations or received wisdom out there, given that I'm not an expert.  I've read a lot of things too, and was pretty confused prior to deciding my course of action.  Ultimately, based on my combination of dark hair and light skin and following consultations with laser and electro specialists, and on balance having weighed up the various sources, anecdotes and opinions I'd read, I opted to begin laser treatment prior to starting HRT. 

For clarity, I've been on HRT for just over a month.  I had my first laser session (with a Lightsheer diode laser as a private client in a hospital dermatology/photobiology unit) in July and one each month thereafter, so I've had four sessions in total.  Only the last session was after starting HRT. 

I always felt the same as you about facial and other body hair -- I hated it.  I considered myself to have patchy and fairly light growth, although it was described as 'fairly dense' -- at least in the top lip area -- by the technicians.  I was warned not to expect miracle results, and was expecting the first session to produce a very subtle thinning/reduction only, and for progress to be slow. 

That has not been my experience.  Very significant clearance was achieved following the first session.  It's hard to put a percentage on it, but I'd say on the order of a third of my hair was gone after shedding.  I was cautioned before the second session not to expect the same results again, but the second session achieved a similar level of clearance (relative to what was left).  Even before my third session I had a huge reduction in shadow compared to before, making it easy to cover with makeup.  After the third session, large areas of my face and neck were completely clear except for the odd hair here and there, with only more stubborn areas like the top lip, chinline, corners of the jawline and sideburn areas still retaining more significant numbers of hairs. 

In the three months between starting laser and starting HRT, therefore, I had fantastic results with laser.  Each session cleared a huge amount of hair (most of it shed between 9-12 days after treatment in my case), and by the time I started HRT I was able to wear much lighter makeup without worrying about shadow.  I've been delighted with the results. 

The caveats:

1)  Everyone responds differently to the laser.  I can't promise your response would be the same as mine, and the technicians definitely tried to manage my expectations so that I've been very pleasantly surprised by results that are far better than anticipated.  That may not be the case for everyone. 

2)  It was only three months.  I can't say anything about whether my response would have continued in the same vein -- or whether more regrowth would have occurred -- if I'd gone longer without HRT. 

3)  Obviously I'm still in the fairly early stages of all this myself, and I can't make any comments regarding whether or not I will experience any new hair growth in the long-term.  I'm pretty sure my face will be visibly hair-free after a few more sessions, but it'll be a couple of years at least before I can say anything about the treatment's permanence.


That said, I'm ecstatic about the level of hair clearance I've achieved in such a short time (and relatively limited expense) with this method.  My intention from here is to achieve full clearance and then wait and see.  If I do start to get new hairs popping up, I figure they should be easy enough to clear with electro as and when they appear. 

In the meantime, it's already much easier to go out.  I went full-time before starting laser, and the laser has made my life so much easier.  Even if I get some new hair growth in the future, I will consider it to have been worth every penny.  Your mileage may vary, however. ^^

HRT will make some difference, but honestly start hair removal now. If you can do laser then do it. Once that's been done (probably by the time you reach your ideal weight) then you can deal with the remaining grey hairs via electro. When it comes to beard removal, the sooner the better.

Thank you both for the feedback, both posts are helpful and odds are I do start fairly soon. Probably before Christmas, after I get some feedback from the therapist and a group I meet with locally. You both make me feel better about going ahead and starting this pre-HRT. I will be longer between starting this, and I also still reserve the option to not start HRT though. This is unlikely but I leave the door open as I continue to come to terms with myself. Oddly enough I still wrestle with the doubts and fears, even as I feel certain and empowered. I am not a wreck, it really is I am historically judgemental and hard on myself, and at times an over analyzer (though in this case, how can't I be?) So I may get more new growth than some, if I take to long to meet my healthy weight goals. Perhaps, starting laser would help push me even harder as I am newly motivated with a major milestone completed that I chose to let me hold off on some things such as facial hair removal.

Thanks again,
Toni

I'm glad it helps a little.  You sound a lot more patient and sensible than I did a few months ago.  Whatever you decide, I hope you get an outcome that makes you feel good about yourself.

I know what you mean about being certain and yet still being bothered by doubts and fears.  My mind forced me to go through the questioning process constantly, even though the answers were always exactly the same.  I think in my case it was my nervousness about how well I would manage the physical and social transition that prompted them.  My own experience is that being on HRT has silenced those fears completely, but of course that's not necessarily how anyone else would feel.  I feel like my mind and body are in alignment now, I'm so much more patient and relaxed, and I have more courage to face social situations and be myself. 

Anyway, sorry for getting off topic a little.  As regards weight loss, I used the time prior to starting HRT to do some of that too, and it worked out well for me.  All the best! ^^

I agree. Start. Start now. Especially if you are a good candidate for laser but starting to gray. Get as many of those little buggers with the laser that you can. Both laser and electo are painful, but electro is also slow and expensive per hair.

I started laser and then electro prior to HRT and have continued both on HRT. My experience has been less growth/ regrowth while on HRT (though my technician has been surprised by my lack of regrowth all along). I am pretty much down to just gray hair that laser can't get. Had I started sooner some of those hairs would have been dark and killed by laser.

Kim :-)

Just to be clear with what you all are saying.
Laser off all you can and the electro for the rest.
I've waited far to long in this and probably have a 50/50 dark and gray mix. So.... Laser until nothing but gray left or should I just do electrolysis forever! 

Oh darn. I just realized how old this thread is.


Wherever you go, then there you are

Do both.  Start laser, which will work on the dark hair.  This will take 6, 8, 10, treatments to complete, each must be spaced about 8 weeks apart. 

Between laser appointments you can go to electrolysis appointments.  Ask the technician to work on the gray hairs.

Use reputable people for both.  Try to find someone with good references, and preferably with experience working with transgender women.

Kim :-)

Kim, that's Brilliant. 
I can't believe I didn't think of that.
Now to budget for all this. Sigh

Thanks
Stevie


Wherever you go, then there you are

I support what everyone has said, if you are struggling to find someone look for specialists who treat women with POCS, they tend to be very aware of the issues and are sensitive to our needs and fears. They also use powerful lasers and are skilled.