I use a product called pfb vanish to help with ingrowns.  I am prone to them.  Exfoliating is the key.  Gotta keep those pores clear so the hair doeant go sideways.  In addition to that I use exfoliating gloves to gently rub dead skin off every night before I lotion.

Thanks Tasha!  Obviously, I am very new at all of these feminine practices but I absolutely love them!  I love the smooth feeling. I also shave my lower arms and I really like that too. Very smooth. I was initially nervous about doing that, but nobody has said anything or even noticed. Another thing I just did tonight was I painted my fingernails with clear polish. I am really tempted to leave them as is even in male mode. They are really not noticeable just a bit shinier. Of course my toe nails are always painted red since nobody notices with my shoes and socks on. Makes me feel secretively feminine.

Jenny

Thanks. I did try exfoliating too. I bought some of the sugar based rub and used the gloves. Didn't really seem to help. Will have to keep trying to see if I can figure out what to do.

Jenny

Recently got a small grinder/nail buffer to take the ridges off my nails. After buffing and a rub with olive oil it looks like clear coat but with no risk of chipping or flaking.

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Lol Jenny, I'm glad I'm not the only one that shaves my arms, but I do mine all the way from knuckles to armpits... and it does feel wonderful!! The toes are easy as you said, but I took my kids out for a walk and ended up at a swimming hole and had to go barefoot... nice thing is people don't really notice, and if they do it's easy to pass off. I actually go out with fake nails on and painted up in guy mode and even then nobody really says anything.... what's really nice is going out fully feminine.... makes shopping more fun and as uncomfortable as it is, getting hit on and being called mam, lady, and using the women's restroom is great!! Hell, I even got complimented on my sexy caged high heels when I was in guy mode... life really gets better when you truly begin accepting yourself... lol, sorry about the rambling... nice to meet you!!

Actually I do shave my arms from knuckles to the armpit. Didn't make it clear. Sorry about that.  I like it so much. I just wish I could shave my back!  I generally remove the polish off my toes when I have my son. I am separated from my wife and living in a hotel waiting on the divorce. She didn't like me coming out. What do you mean by caged high heels while in male mode?  Were you wearing high heels in guy mode?  I haven't gone out in public yet. I don't have a wig yet(my male hair has lots to be desired - or lack of hair I should say) and not much for makeup yet. I want to get a makeover when I go to get a wig.  I just think that would be loads of fun!

Nice to meet you too!

It has been wonderful talking to others with similar interests as I have.

Jenny

Wow looks like we got quite a gang going now. Welcome Jerica. Everyone is welcome here. the more the merrier as the saying goes.

That interesting about the conditioner I hadn't heard that before but it makes sense. I wax and use an epilator for everything so I don't really have the same issues as shaving. well except my face which is slowly getting to be less and less. I've never liked body hair and like you Chistine I'm naturally not very hairy. I was just never willing to  remove it before for fear of "not being a guy." So happy now to be raging war against it. One day I will be rid of it all forever.     

Jenny i laughed when I read what you said about the clear nail polish because I did the same thing. I started wearing a clear nail hardener/top & bottom coat before I painted my nails with color for the first time. people didn't seem to notice and if they did they didn't say anything. I think people don't always know what to make of it when they see me and just don't say anything.

I got a happy surprise today. So I did my finger printing last week and was told it would take 2 - 4 weeks to get the response. I got it today, exactly one week later. So, off to the registry with letter and change of name forms I went.  I was told 2 - 4 months for them to process it though. Hopefully they are way off. But however long it takes once they are done I will have my change of name certificate and my name will legally be Sarah Elizabeth &(*)&^()*. <~~~ not actually censored for privacy and safety. hahaha then just have to change everything.. arggggg that'll take some time.

take care girls  *muahhhh*

love you all

Congrats Sarah Elizabeth!  How exciting! 

So are you saying you paint your finger nails with color even in male mode or do you present female full time now?  Not sure if I could do the color on my fingernails without feeling self conscious. The toes are easy since they are covered all the time.

Jenny

He he... so I think we have totally turned thus thread into a community.... thanks to Sarah's amazing personal strength and everybody's honest and intelligent input/advice this thread has been officially hijacked Amber.... lol....

Jenny, yes total guy mode... my first real purchase of feminine clothes besides thigh highs was a pair of black 5 inch heels that have diagonal rectangles cut out of them. When I first started my journey, I thought I liked to wear high heels and stockings.... other than that I was all man....

I was ashamed and embarrassed about it for years, and one day I got drunk and told my wife. She was supportive and said that it may be a little strange, but she would be okay with me doing it. After a while, I thought "well hell, maybe a skirt would be cool in the summer", and eventually I stopped lying to myself about it all and have been in the middle of my own "puberty" ever since. Before we truly realized the depth of my feelings, I was determined ed to grow some balls and express myself the way I wanted to. So I went out in man clothes, with painted toes and open toe "caged" heels. After a while, I threw in fake painted nails too, and never got a sideways look. I even bit compliments on the nails jobs and shoes I was wearing (always from women, men were always oblivious). I was always super conscious of being stared at, but now I am positive it was in my head. Now, my toes are always painted, sometimes nails but my job limits the practicality that, and I regularly dress all out after work and am not recognized by friends or neighbors, and am totally gendered correctly.

If it weren't for these girls that you see on this thread, I would never have gotten this far. They are truly inspirational and have helped me to accept myself. I am sorry for all the trouble that your coming out has caused, but somehow life does have a way of working out if you persevere (hence miss Sarah Elizabeth's amazing journey).


I love you girls!!! And I'll talk to you all soon,

Tasha

Thank you Sarah Elizabeth. I did kinda feel like I was intruding and wasn't going to come back until I saw your post.

Sounds like everything going amazingly well for you and I love how freely you chat here. You seem like a lovely girl and it's fun to read your conversation.

Waxing at home went badly for me with tons of spots so not doing that again for fear of scarring.

Epilator I hadn't thought of as was worried it could impede my laser. I'll need to ask him on Sunday for his thoughts.

Totally agree with the war on hair every victory with is to be savoured but someday it will be done forever ☺

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Hi Ladies,

Yes you have a nice thread going and it is lovely to see how you are supporting each other.

Before I transitioned I hated my arm, leg, back hair and one day plucked up (pun intended) the courage to go and get a waxing. It was wonderful! About 6 weeks hair free and the woman who did it at a female beauty salon had no issues. I told her I was trans and she helped me with lots of tips.

Funny thing I met her in the shops recently and she was looking at me quizzically - I think I know that person look. I went to her and introduced myself. She greeted my like a long lost sister. Told me that in fact she thought I was the sister of the guy who went to her salon, we had a coffee and caught up on all sorts of gossip, such as her wedding, her new husband, just fun stuff.

She asked if I needed waxing and I told her that after HRT and getting the tumours removed I had no need.

So she told me that next time I was going out somewhere special with my boyfriend to give her a call and she would give me a free make over for old times sake.

So what I'm saying is that there are wonderful people out there who like and accept us and just want the best there is for us. Don't be fearful!

Love to you all

Cindy

People so far have been great and they do seem to reflect what you project.

Before I woke up I was a ghost and treated as such, people were of no use nor interest to me and I was the same to them.

Once I was me the world seemed to get happier as I did.
I was like where were all these happy people before and like everything else it all makes sense to me now.

There are a lot of good people out there and in here I hasten to add who I look forward to talking to.

Well it was not my fault it was hijacked.  Everything seems fine anyway.  More people = more fun and discussion.

Body hair was always a sticking point for me.  I didn't particularly mind the leg hair and when I got chest hair I was happy because I was a man!  Then I got more chest hair and stomach hair and eventually back hair and shoulder hair.  This progression pissed me off something fierce.  I am very pale skinned and unlike the hair on my head, which is nice and blonde, this hair was coarse dark and ugly.  This combined with my naturally poor body image from being a fat kid to make me hide my body at all times and feel uncomfortable without a shirt on.  Over the years I did try my hand a few times at shaving in/using Nair.  It always left me with massive amounts of bumps and other unpleasantness.  So I eventually just let it be.

Once I finally decided to give it a real effort and look into aftercare and such, I am so much happier about things.  Of course shortly afterward I discovered I was trans and that part of it made sense.  I've always loved having painted nails.  Occasionally I would paint them, horribly I might add, and then remove it before the night was up and I was caught.  Now I don't have the anxiety about that and love to have them painted everywhere except work.  I cook so polish just gets wrecked from all the hand washing and grease and other nastiness.

Now that I have been informing my friends I can be me beyond my house without worrying so much about my affectations and wardrobe.  That is a new and nice experience.

Well after thinking I would be brave by wearing the clear polish to work, shortly after I arrived I noticed several fingers were peeling so I ended up peeling it all off. Oh well.

Jenny

I totally agree Amber, it is more fun with all the girls here... I was just laughing about how this thread blew up... and I totally agree about the hair, it bothered me only once I started dressing, and my wife could never even notice it....

That's sucks Jenny, it always makes it hard when we finally muster up the courage and then something happens to prevent us from moving forward....

Tasha

Hair is quite a battle as a boy it was never enough i even got teased for looking girly (oh the irony) but now I know am a girl the stuff is everywhere. The gods have quite a sense of humour.

Pity about the nails but fantastic you had the strength to do it.

Edit - Hmmmmm should probably clarify I'm not a religiousy person but find the Greek idea kinda fun like we're toys to them. Will leave the post intact but if was a forum faux pas please let me know. Last thing I want to do is upset anyone if you know what I mean but for now I'm talking as I think. Maybe I'm just over thinking it though.

Hi girls,   
  Jenny, well done on wearing the clear nail polish. it's a shame it didn't hold up but it's a step and I think that's great. I have a nasty habit of scratching... and it start to peel the polish off the nail tips. really gotta work on that. I've spent months and months taking little steps building my confidence and embracing my new self. if it wasn't for all the great people I've met on here and in person i'm not sure I would have made it this far so fast. or maybe even have tucked tail and went and hid.

you are absolutely right Cindy, there are some really wonderful people out there. A friend shared a story with me and I thought I would share it with you all http://www.upworthy.com/my-wife-surprised-her-coworkers-when-she-came-out-as-trans-then-they-surprised-her?c=ufb1  reading it made me cry, in a good way. I wish we all had such a positive story to tell.

At a group meeting this past week we broke up into small groups and played a game. to make this short it was a long path of squares with male at one end and female at the other. You started at one end and worked toward your Identified sex. along the path there were risk squares and you had to flip a card if you landed on that square. you would get the good, the bad and the ugly... sorry I'm skipping the intricacies of the game but my take away from playing it was that no matter what you encounter along the way You can get to Your desired end. Whatever that might be. as each of out stories shows what transitioning means can vary greatly from one person to the other.

on one final note for the evening I was listening to some music today and heard a song by Doug Supernaw. (old song) while all the lyrics don't apply there is one line which made me think of you all. "when the world ain't all you thought it would be. You still got me" So, girls, You still got me!! Goodnight take care

Wow!  What a wonderful story!  Thank you for sharing it Sarah Elizabeth. I wish more people could have co-workers like she had. Makes me wonder if I could have that kind of experience if I end up transitioning some day.

Oh, no big deal on the nail polish. Maybe another time. I was surprised it all peeled off so easily. Maybe I bought the wrong kind. Can't say I looked at it much before I bought it. It says top coat, professional nail lacquer.

Jenny

Lovely story. So good when nice things happen.

Game sounds fun especially the point that you can actually get to the end instead of having to settle for somewhere in between.

Not familiar with the song but love the sentiment.

Quote from: SarahElizabeth1981 on April 22, 2016, 11:01:36 PM
Hi girls,   
  Jenny, well done on wearing the clear nail polish. it's a shame it didn't hold up but it's a step and I think that's great. I have a nasty habit of scratching... and it start to peel the polish off the nail tips. really gotta work on that. I've spent months and months taking little steps building my confidence and embracing my new self. if it wasn't for all the great people I've met on here and in person i'm not sure I would have made it this far so fast. or maybe even have tucked tail and went and hid.

you are absolutely right Cindy, there are some really wonderful people out there. A friend shared a story with me and I thought I would share it with you all http://www.upworthy.com/my-wife-surprised-her-coworkers-when-she-came-out-as-trans-then-they-surprised-her?c=ufb1  reading it made me cry, in a good way. I wish we all had such a positive story to tell.

At a group meeting this past week we broke up into small groups and played a game. to make this short it was a long path of squares with male at one end and female at the other. You started at one end and worked toward your Identified sex. along the path there were risk squares and you had to flip a card if you landed on that square. you would get the good, the bad and the ugly... sorry I'm skipping the intricacies of the game but my take away from playing it was that no matter what you encounter along the way You can get to Your desired end. Whatever that might be. as each of out stories shows what transitioning means can vary greatly from one person to the other.

on one final note for the evening I was listening to some music today and heard a song by Doug Supernaw. (old song) while all the lyrics don't apply there is one line which made me think of you all. "when the world ain't all you thought it would be. You still got me" So, girls, You still got me!! Goodnight take care

I read this and I have to admit when I came out it was similar. I 'revealed' myself on a Friday and went to work as me on the Monday. I had flowers in my office, all the women polished their nails like mine. And my PhD students gave me a $500 voucher for clothes from a major department store; they had saved.

Love does exist and never doubt it.

Take care Ladies.

Cindy