What is your relationship with your face and facial features?
Do you like your face? Has it changed a lot after HRT? Are you happy with the changes?

Do you have facial dysphoria? Do you wish your face were more masculine/feminine?
Do you think your face affects your passing? When do you experience dysphoria?

Have other people complimented your face or commented on it? Do you think you are judging your features more harshly than other people?

Have you had any surgeries or treatments on your face? Or do you plan to? Why? Have these helped?

Do you think you look strikingly different after being on HRT? Do you think you look more alien or just more you? Did you find it hard to see your face (that you've grown used to) changing...?

What do you think/feel when you see old and new pics of your face? Do you recognize yourself in the old photos or not anymore?

Is there something you liked about your 'old face' and wish that was still there? Or did you use to hate all your facial features before? Has this changed now?

Were you ever scared of the possible/inevitable changes...? (even a little bit? even if you were waiting for them?)

Is there something that surprised you in your facial changes after being on hormones you didn't expect?

When you now see yourself in the mirror, do you see an obvious man or a woman - or do you still find 'gender flaws'?

Do you now resemble more your famele/male relatives?

Is your face a big part of your identity as an individual? Do you feel like this more after being on hormones? Do you now see 'you' when you look in the mirror?

I think face is an interesting topic from a trans point of view - after all people have grown used to looking a certain way. Even if having dysphoria even about the face - your face changing might feel peculiar as face usually equals 'yourself', and must be a big part of everyone's identity as a person.

A lot of questions... no need to answer them all ofc!
This thread is also touching this topic:
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,231549.msg2059212.html#msg2059212
When did you start recognizing yourself in the mirror (on hormones)?

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I have a weird relationship with mine. My face has been the one body part I have liked about myself! I used to think I'm not really myself from neck down so...! I generally do like my face - and it is a big part of my identity. I'm used to looking 'like this'. And I do generally think I'm not bad looking - even if my body sucks there's at least one thing I do like about my appearance!

BUT I do def have facial dysphoria! When I take selfies I like the ones I look 'guyish' in. I absolutely hate every pic I look like a girl in! When I see a pic like that (that tells me 'that there is a woman/girl') I cringe and feel like 'that's not me'. Seeing pics like that makes me uneasy and sad. I kinda expect to look like a guy in the face - so sometimes I'm very disappointed if it turns out I look like a girl in them. I get a feeling of 'damn, how is this possible?! I look like a damn girl...!' I'm happy that I'm able to look fairly masculine in pics (thank god!), but those 'woman shots' I really hate. It's like looking at someone else.

I generally like my face - but I do hate some feminine features. I think my chin is too small and should be more masculine. Same about my nose or some features that just make me look 'female' or 'feminine' but are hard to pinpoint at. I expect to see a masculine face - and when I don't.... :/

I'm expecting with T I will love my looks more & more when my face becomes masculine looking. I'm really looking forward to that! I'm fantasizing of the moment I will see that cis guy in the mirror  . That must feel absolutely great!

Hi Wolf,

I have trained myself into a peculiar habit. I keep a small mirror propped up on my desk at work.  This little mirror is arranged so I have a good view of my face all day.  Every time I notice my reflection in the mirror, I pause for a few seconds, look myself square in the eye and say quietly, "I love you, Miharu! I really love you!"  Sometimes if I feel moved to, I'll pick up the mirror, hold it close to my face and stare into my pupil, all the while thinking to myself, " I love you, Miharu! "

I've been at this for a year or 2.  As a result, I am incapable of passing a mirror anywhere at any time without looking at myself, if only for half a second, smiling and thinking, "I love you, Miharu!"

Consequently any time I notice my too prominent Adam's apple, or my heavy brow or prominent ethnic nose and feel a twinge of dismay, my immediate reflex is to look into my eye and think (you guessed it), "I love you!"

That is the relationship I have with my face.

Love,
Miharu

Quote from: Miharu Barbie on March 19, 2018, 04:23:12 PM
I have trained myself into a peculiar habit. I keep a small mirror propped up on my desk at work.  This little mirror is arranged so I have a good view of my face all day.  Every time I notice my reflection in the mirror, I pause for a few seconds, look myself square in the eye and say quietly, "I love you, Miharu! I really love you!"  Sometimes if I feel moved to, I'll pick up the mirror, hold it close to my face and stare into my pupil, all the while thinking to myself, " I love you, Miharu! "

Sounds lovely! Wonderful habit 
I tell myself encouraging things too while looking in a mirror  . When I'm looking at my reflection I don't think of how feminine/masculine I look that much. Though I sometimes wish I'd actually see that cis guy looking back or wonder what I'll look like on T. But looking at pics can feel weird if I don't recognize myself in them or look visibly female.

Keep the self-love going  ! Btw the more I look like myself in general, the more I'm unable to pass by a mirror without looking in it! Before I used to hate mirrors and wouldn't like to see my reflection even in a shop window. I used to avoid mirros all my life.

QuoteWhat is your relationship with your face and facial features?

We like to avoid each other.

QuoteDo you like your face? Has it changed a lot after HRT? Are you happy with the changes?

No, I don't like it. I don't hate it - could be a hell of a lot worse. It just feels like I can't get a read on it. Like it's someone else's.

QuoteDo you have facial dysphoria? Do you wish your face were more masculine/feminine?

Yeah. I would prefer sharper, larger features.

QuoteDo you think your face affects your passing? When do you experience dysphoria?

Considering nobody can hide their face easily from everyone, it absolutely affects your passing unless you're androgynous to begin with. I only get dysphoria when I look at it myself though. Other people never mention it. Literally no man or woman has ever said about it that it was beautiful or ugly. It's never brought up.

QuoteHave other people complimented your face or commented on it? Do you think you are judging your features more harshly than other people?

Nope. People don't seem to react to it. I do though - I know for example I need a bit of internal minor jaw surgery to correct an issue from childhood - but nobody else seems aware of the problem, or seems to care, or if they do they still haven't pulled me up on it. but I can see the flaws and problems and the things that will never look the way I'd like, and I think it goes a bit beyond any sense of vanity and more into the "I want to look as normal as possible" territory.

QuoteHave you had any surgeries or treatments on your face? Or do you plan to? Why? Have these helped?

Aside from the jaw surgery, no, I don't plan on having any plastic surgery.

QuoteDo you think you look strikingly different after being on HRT? Do you think you look more alien or just more you? Did you find it hard to see your face (that you've grown used to) changing...?

Not really. I look a bit more gaunt in the face, obviously. And with the facial hair if I happen to have any, I do look markedly different at a glance but I can see the same face when I look at it. But like I say, it's a face I've always had trouble getting a read on.

QuoteWhat do you think/feel when you see old and new pics of your face? Do you recognize yourself in the old photos or not anymore?

Oh yeah, I see myself, but I also see something that looks more acceptable to me.

QuoteIs there something you liked about your 'old face' and wish that was still there? Or did you use to hate all your facial features before? Has this changed now?

No...

QuoteWere you ever scared of the possible/inevitable changes...? (even a little bit? even if you were waiting for them?)

No, because I never did think HRT would do much for it or that it would be any sort of drastic difference.

QuoteIs there something that surprised you in your facial changes after being on hormones you didn't expect?

I didn't expect it to be uncomfortable to rest my chin on my hands. Now I know why men don't do it that much.

QuoteWhen you now see yourself in the mirror, do you see an obvious man or a woman - or do you still find 'gender flaws'?

It's a guy in the mirror. But I know his dirty secrets, lol. The longer I deal with it, the easier it becomes to forget about the "gender flaws"... I think you have to learn to accept your new look, just like with all the other things in transition.

QuoteDo you now resemble more your female/male relatives?

I look a little bit like my bio dad if I try to grow out some terrible 70s hair and don't shave for two weeks. But I try to avoid that look. I don't resemble any of my female relatives.

QuoteIs your face a big part of your identity as an individual? Do you feel like this more after being on hormones? Do you now see 'you' when you look in the mirror?

I'm one of those people with an expressive/eyes face, apparently. Even my RBF gets people going. I tone down my facial movements and keep it poker so they can't get a read on what I'm thinking. Not sure but I think it's easier to do on T as you feel less bothered about accommodating other people's feelings all the time. I see "me" in the mirror but I don't wonder if "me" will always look a bit odd compared to what's in the mind's eye.

QuoteI think face is an interesting topic from a trans point of view - after all people have grown used to looking a certain way. Even if having dysphoria even about the face - your face changing might feel peculiar as face usually equals 'yourself', and must be a big part of everyone's identity as a person.

MTFs have more potential leeway with the face and making it look how they want. We don't have as much in mainstream view, apart from growing facial hair/hairstyle which I guess can have dramatic results. If you don't though, I think the changes aren't that drastic except in the jawline and overall fat loss on the face.

While familiar and somewhat attractive in my man suit. I avoid my face. My dysphoria has been in overdrive the last few months and I just don't want to see myself in my man suit. It is causing some anxiety and slight depression. I wish I could go back to before the gender bomb went off but I just can't. It will be a long road before I can look at myself and feel right. I'm trying the best to not be unhappy.

I like my face for the most part. It has flaws like anyone else...but it's mine. It has changed on HRT, but not dramatically. The changes were subtle, but important.

My facial dysphoria is much improved. Like I said, I have flaws, but I think my face passes very well at this stage and I feel very blessed. My insecurities are more rooted in other things...non-gender related. Why can't I have blue eyes?

People compliment it every day, I'm a model. And no, I think I'm pretty realistic about what I look like—good or bad.

I had a nose job, because it was sorely needed, and fat graft to the cheeks and lips. Still recovering from these but I'm feeling really good about my results thus far.

I think makeup made a bigger difference than hormones before my surgery, but hormones made an important—if subtle—impact on my face.

I feel like...that was me in another life. One I wasn't very happy in. One that feels like it was a million years ago.

I didn't lose anything I liked. I kept everything I liked about my face and  lost the majority of what I didn't like—AND gained new stuff that I love!

Never scared of the changes.

Can't think of a single negative change from hormones.

Obvious woman. I still find flaws but they aren't that gendered, and if they are, only subtly and certainly not out of the range of what's normal for a woman.

I honestly look less like both my parents now than before surgery. I still lean more towards my mom and always did. I don't really look much like my family and never did.

The face is a huge part of anyone's identity.

Before I started on HRT, I didn't really think anything of my face.  It was just there.

Then, one day about three months into HRT, I was putting on lipstick (not something I do every day), and suddenly realized that those were female lips!  Since then, my eyes have feminized quite a bit, and maybe my cheeks.

So now, when I see myself in the mirror, I think "That girl has some masculine features in her face, but she's definitely a girl."  I'm never going to be the prettiest pea in the pod, but I like the way my face looks.

My wife notices the change too.  I find her staring at me in the car.  I'll ask her what she's staring at, and she just says "It's amazing."

I beat my face then, and now 6 months on hrt.. I still have to beat my face [emoji17] someday I'll be able to afford (intensive/extensive) ffs and then I can move on with my average life finally [emoji16]

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Im starting to become more comfortable with my features. I've always had self confidence issues and still do. People tell me Im pretty and even beautiful but I still don't see it myself. I still see a million flaws but people telling me I look good leads me to believe I can't be too hideous so I am more comfortable with my appearance than I used to be. Hrt made my features more feminine but the effect wasn't really that drastic. I didn't look that different before hrt. The changes to my body were much more noticeable than the changes to my face.

When I look in the mirror now yes I see what I perceive as masculine characteristics.  I don't think there will ever be a time when Im totally happy with how I look. I don't really look much like any of my relatives. My being albino kind of makes any similarities to relatives less noticeable. When Im in public with Tyler people are surprised to find out we are brother and sister. Usually they assume we are a couple. I've noticed women checking him out and then giving me the stink eye. Lol.

Quote from: Julia1996 on March 20, 2018, 12:13:50 PM
When Im in public with Tyler people are surprised to find out we are brother and sister. Usually they assume we are a couple. I've noticed women checking him out and then giving me the stink eye. Lol.

Oh god  ! And when you're out with Tristan?! Even worse  ?

Quote from: PurpleWolf on March 20, 2018, 12:18:02 PM
Oh god  ! And when you're out with Tristan?! Even worse  ?

Depending on how Tristan is dressed it is worse. Like in summer if he's wearing a tank top and his arms are showing he gets all kinds of female attention which I really hate! Its even worse if he has his shirt off.😤

Quote from: Julia1996 on March 20, 2018, 01:38:05 PM
Depending on how Tristan is dressed it is worse. Like in summer if he's wearing a tank top and his arms are showing he gets all kinds of female attention which I really hate! Its even worse if he has his shirt off.

Well you can take all that attention as a compliment, right? After all he's with you, not with them, ha-ha!

Quote from: PurpleWolf on March 20, 2018, 01:40:07 PM
Well you can take all that attention as a compliment, right? After all he's with you, not with them, ha-ha!

That's true I guess. But I still don't like it. Lol

I just had my sister's friend tell me I'm handsome LOL meanwhile I'm sitting here with my huge cheek bones, soft skin, eyebrows tweezed to an inch of my life and hair parted like a girl [emoji23][emoji23] but she's conservative and really stuck to the binary. Or maybe I am still masculine... ugh I'm confused

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Quote from: Allison S on March 20, 2018, 03:18:23 PM
I just had my sister's friend tell me I'm handsome LOL meanwhile I'm sitting here with my huge cheek bones, soft skin, eyebrows tweezed to an inch of my life and hair parted like a girl [emoji23][emoji23] but she's conservative and really stuck to the binary. Or maybe I am still masculine... ugh I'm confused

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There's another explanation.  Maybe she thought you were pretty but worried about offending you by saying pretty and used "handsome"  instead. That happened to me a couple of times before I transitioned. A girl my brother was dating once told me I was handsome. I had on makeup and everything. Tyler asked her if she really thought I was handsome and she told him no, that she thought I was pretty actually but was afraid of offending me by saying that. Lol.

Well, my mug has never really been masculine to begin with.  Not entirely gurly either but for lack of a better description, kinda Leonardo Dicaprio lol.

Heck, I really didn't start shaving until I was 19 or 20 and I had been in the Marines 2 years by then.  Voice did change from soprano and working on it getting higher now.

And I do like my brows waxed or threaded but have been doing self-maintenance on those sneaking little white ones and trimming every couple of weeks. 

Quote from: SashaHyde on March 19, 2018, 10:20:55 PM
While familiar and somewhat attractive in my man suit. I avoid my face. My dysphoria has been in overdrive the last few months and I just don't want to see myself in my man suit. It is causing some anxiety and slight depression. I wish I could go back to before the gender bomb went off but I just can't. It will be a long road before I can look at myself and feel right. I'm trying the best to not be unhappy.

All my career life I was in either a uniform or suit.  It's so nice to be retired.  Heck, I rarely look in the mirror except to see how the twin sisters are doing and if my aerolas are getting larger., lol.

Quote from: Miharu Barbie on March 19, 2018, 04:23:12 PM
Hi Wolf,

I have trained myself into a peculiar habit. I keep a small mirror propped up on my desk at work.  This little mirror is arranged so I have a good view of my face all day.  Every time I notice my reflection in the mirror, I pause for a few seconds, look myself square in the eye and say quietly, "I love you, Miharu! I really love you!"  Sometimes if I feel moved to, I'll pick up the mirror, hold it close to my face and stare into my pupil, all the while thinking to myself, " I love you, Miharu! "

I've been at this for a year or 2.  As a result, I am incapable of passing a mirror anywhere at any time without looking at myself, if only for half a second, smiling and thinking, "I love you, Miharu!"

Consequently any time I notice my too prominent Adam's apple, or my heavy brow or prominent ethnic nose and feel a twinge of dismay, my immediate reflex is to look into my eye and think (you guessed it), "I love you!"

That is the relationship I have with my face.

Love,
Miharu

Big Foot loves you too!!!!!!



And so do we all!

I hate mine. Makes me sick to even think about it.  Just being honest.

Hugs,
         Chelsea

Quote from: Cassi on March 20, 2018, 04:33:36 PM
Well, my mug has never really been masculine to begin with.  Not entirely gurly either but for lack of a better description, kinda Leonardo Dicaprio lol.

Heck, I really didn't start shaving until I was 19 or 20 and I had been in the Marines 2 years by then.  Voice did change from soprano and working on it getting higher now.

And I do like my brows waxed or threaded but have been doing self-maintenance on those sneaking little white ones and trimming every couple of weeks.

I think you look quite feminine in your picture. I don't see anything masculine at all.