What should a Trans woman at 39 worry about first. Laser hair removal for face and maybe chest also? Or name change to Ashley?

Lazer

With love, caring and understanding, Melissa Marie

Hair removal so you still have a chance to do laser instead of electro


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Few people will see your ID, but everybody will see your face.

Quote from: RevanDFS on November 25, 2015, 09:46:05 PM
What should a Trans woman at 39 worry about first. Laser hair removal for face and maybe chest also? Or name change to Ashley?

I think the saying goes, "you'll want to start on hair removal yesterday." Laser hair removal and electrolysis are long, daunting tasks, and can take trans women anywhere from 100-400 hours to completely eliminate hair (100 hours for the lucky ones). I've already done 9 sessions of laser hair removal, and about 20-25 hours of electrolysis, as well as having been on HRT for almost 2 years. The HRT has already diminished a lot of facial hair growth. Despite all these steps I still have a *very* visible shadow and still rely on the red-orange lipstick and concealer makeup method to pass every day.

I actually still haven't undergone the legal process of changing name and gender, despite having lived fulltime for a year and a half now lol! My court date with the judge should be in a week though, and I am excited!

You won't want to change your name and legal gender until you are fully ready to live full-time anyway, and for most people, full time tends to be an option only once most of their facial hair is gone. Believe me when I say it is difficult and stressful to live full time when you have to worry about shaving every day. I've lived it and am still living it (but shaving has gone from an everyday necessity to only once every 3 days now).

Good luck!

My vote is hair removal too, it's such a LOOOOOONG process that if you want to do it it's better to start sooner rather than later.

Get your name change done as soon as possible, trust me, it will make everything better.

How expensive is a name change in your state or country?

I would do it in parallel if you can but the name change can happen anytime.

You can actually use any name you like when referring to yourself. There is nothing illegal about that. However some agencies and institutions will not let you change your name without a court order (or marriage certificate).

But at work I used my name a few months before I got it legally changed.

The only problem is that if your voice changes through training or surgery before your name changes you would have to explain to people on the phone why you, a woman, have a masculine name. Or tell a white lie or something like it's your husband. It's a flattering problem to have but it can get confusing. Thankfully for me my pre transition name is also some women's name. Think of something like Madison or Murphy which is both a women's and men's name. So I lucked out there.

Hair removal you should get started asap. I regret not starting sooner and not going with laser right away. I still have facial hair and it's annoying to have to shave.

I'd say laser, only because I wouldn't want 5 o'clock shadow on my driver's license photo (to go with that fresh name) after waiting all that time for one of their epically bad photos. 

The only thing that matters is what is more important to you. I transitioned at 45. For me it was the name change. I changed my name even before I started HRT. I have been living full time for over two years and have been on HRT for 21 months, and have yet to do any hair removal. I should note that I have no chest hair whatsoever and have always had very little facial hair. I can shave in the morning and still have no shadow by 8:00 or 9:00 at night.

M a year an a half into living full tyme, 9.5 months into hrt. I did mi name change in na 3rd month of hrt, an have yet to begin electro. I suppose it all depends on yer comfort level an how ye look/feel.

Laser. Specially if you have visible body hair


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I think it depends where you are in your transition. If you're early into it, hair face and body hair need to go, HRT should help with that though. Fulltime is a good time to do any legal changes. I am now at that point in my transition I am going to do my name change because more and more it is becoming a big pain in the ass chained to my given name.