Hi,

I am 26 and have just started hormones and just want to know about hair removal on the chest while breast development is occurring.

I have quite a bit of hair on my chest and I am wondering what the hormones will do to this. Will the hormones make most of it disappear? Or will I need to get it removed and will it hurt while the breasts are developing?

I am asking because I have noticed people saying their breasts were saw and tender after a few weeks. I already have a little tissue or fat in the chest area so does this mean they are about to grow so should I get the hair removal started within the next week.

Any help would be appreciated.

Most of mine went away on its own, but I do occasionally have to pluck some thick ones from around the nipples....

Over time the hair should reduce on its own.  I epilate (ouchie to start with but you soon get used to it).  Others have electrolysis or laser hair removal.   I doubt that is is going to affect the inner tissue development of the breast.

My chest hair has gotten thinner Hopefully most will go away after time
Sarah

Quote from: LynnER on December 08, 2009, 03:25:14 PM
Most of mine went away on its own, but I do occasionally have to pluck some thick ones from around the nipples....

Yeah, thank you for putting that out there. I'm trying to get up the nerve to ask my electrologist to do it but meh. She has copped feels occasionally to see if I'm real (and she thinks I don't notice, lol  ) so I'm sure she would do it, just...ack.

A. I don't want to take my boobs out for her and
B. OUCH

I guess I should just suck it up, maybe wash the vicodins down with some Lambrusco next time and just do it. There isn't that much and it wouldn't take but a few minutes to do, it's the whole ick factor that's hard to process 

Sounds like a trip Becca
Sarah

What's that, 8 vicodins and a bottle of wine? Heck yea baby, gots to wub the narcotics 

I started laser on my chest soon after starting hormones.  The hair may have lightened on its own - I don't know.  The laser actually hurts less on the chest than on some other, more tender parts but it's a bit ouchy near the areolas.

My laser gal is very professional.  I'm usually so busy chatting with her I hardly notice what she's doing.  I doubt that she's ever felt me up but of course has put her hands on my chest as she has everywhere else. 

(And now that I'm getting hair removed from "down there" in preparation for GRS, she is even more familiar with my body - even the icky parts.)

- Kate

According to my electrologist, the dark hair around the nipples hurts less to treat with electrolysis than on the face. Haven't tried myself.

However, women have hair there sometimes. It may or may not go away on its own.

Quote from: sarahc on December 08, 2009, 03:23:00 PM

I am 26 and have just started hormones and just want to know about hair removal on the chest while breast development is occurring.

If I may, I'd suggest that you wait a few months before considering hair removal elsewhere than the face. Usually, after a few months to two years on hormones, the body hair becomes much thinner and distributed in a "female" pattern, rendering the need for boday hair removal less urgent.

At the end of course, "normal" body hair removal for women will still be available, and probably much cheaper.

Went for laser and was told it wouldn't work on me because of the grey hair.
Sarah

Oh Lordy it sucks to be you. A friend and I were reflecting on why older trans women are usually so grouchy, and the consensus was they they did facial hair removal pre laser. I think going from scratch with electro would traumatize me too. Laser may or may not be permanent, but at least it puts off some of the torture.

Becca
What the hell do you mean grouchy. Hey it what it is. Not all of us are young and beautiful
Love & Hugs
Sarah

Quote from: LynnER on December 08, 2009, 03:25:14 PM
Most of mine went away on its own, but I do occasionally have to pluck some thick ones from around the nipples....

Ditto, plus I didn't have much to start with

Quote from: aurora17 on December 09, 2009, 01:51:37 AM
If I may, I'd suggest that you wait a few months before considering hair removal elsewhere than the face. Usually, after a few months to two years on hormones, the body hair becomes much thinner and distributed in a "female" pattern, rendering the need for boday hair removal less urgent.

At the end of course, "normal" body hair removal for women will still be available, and probably much cheaper.

This is honestly good advice. If you are actually pursuing transition, hold off on the rest of the body (other than maybe bikini and armpits.) I spent *thousands* on laser on full body before HRT to try to cope with not transitioning, and now I am anyway, and... well, it did make me feel better, but the money could have gone to a lot of other things.

Quote from: sarahF on December 09, 2009, 08:40:32 AM
Went for laser and was told it wouldn't work on me because of the grey hair.
Sarah

Sarah,
The first place I went told me that, but I got bad vibes from them.  I went to another place and have been happy with the experience and the results.  I'm getting electrolysis for the white hairs, but the dark ones were zapped by laser.  That way I don't have to have every single hair removed with electrolysis.

- Kate

Sarah,

Aurora put it best.  Unless you're starting as a guy who, when shirtless, looks like he has a sweater on, hormones at your age should clear most chest hair up.  At this point, most of my chest hair is gone via HRT... there's 1 or 2 strays in my cleavage - (resolved with a quick flick of the razor once a week or so) and I have nipple hair typical of a genetic woman.  Nipple hair is not painful to get using electro.

Quote from: sarahF on December 09, 2009, 10:21:43 AM
Becca
What the hell do you mean grouchy

I'm sorry honey I didn't mean it how it sounded. It was an innocent conversation I swear lol. The other girl is gorgeous but I make babies cry if Im not careful and could never say something like that and mean it. We were complaining about electrolysis pain not older people    Rawr rawr!

Hi Sarah,

Just my experience, maybe I'm lucky, but I held off doing any body hair removal, including chest and back until over a year on HRT.. and found that I did not need to pursue it.  yay!  One bit of less pain, agony, and expense.....

At just over a year into HRT, I considered laser/electro for 'patchy spots', but I held off, and 2 years in.. I don't even think about it, there is no need.   At your age, I would guess your results would be similar, but we all react so differently, eh?

Best Wishes,
Melan

What about us furry types?

Can we expect that kind of reduction or are we SOL?