Hi girls, I just got my letter for HRT. Before all seemed vague but since I got my diagnose I can seek for FFS in September. However, my face is rather masculine, and I am affraid that doing HRT even for 5-6 months will feminize my body, thus, conflicting with my facial appereance. Nonetheless, I read that one's face changes during HRT's first years, so does it mean that doing  FFS before HRT is a bad move??? 
I understand that things change during HRT; however, my masculine jaw and nose shape won't go soften alone, tho.
I am not doing cheeks cuz during HRT they can become too pronounced due to fat and water retention from the hormones..
I saw the timeline from some girls who replied to other posts. this is mine:

0- changing just name from Alexander to Achila (instead of Jackie)
1- begin HRT regimen
2- surgery in 6 months (sep/oct)
3- get my wardrobe in order and work on my voice in the meantime
4- change gender after FFS is completed

My timeline was:

0- Begin HRT
1- Begin Laser after 2 months of HRT
2- FFS after 5 months of HRT
3- Change wardrobe after I recovered from FFS
4- Changed Name and Gender on License

I was pretty young though so that might not be optimal for everyone.

Edit: I'll add, my transition as a whole was pretty atypical from what I understand. For example, I presented as a boy right up until the morning of my FFS. I don't think I ever went out as a girl ever prior to it. My mom only started calling me Kristy a few days before it in order to practice. The fact that I was a girl was my single greatest conviction, though, so to me the real life experience test-run wasn't necessary.

Quote from: Butterflyhugs on April 20, 2012, 03:22:10 AM
My timeline was:

0- Begin HRT
1- Begin Laser after 2 months of HRT
2- FFS after 5 months of HRT
3- Change wardrobe after I recovered from FFS
4- Changed Name and Gender on License

I was pretty young though so that might not be optimal for everyone.

Edit: I'll add, my transition as a whole was pretty atypical from what I understand. For example, I presented as a boy right up until the morning of my FFS. I don't think I ever went out as a girl ever prior to it. My mom only started calling me Kristy a few days before it in order to practice. The fact that I was a girl was my single greatest conviction, though, so to me the real life experience test-run wasn't necessary.

This was exactly my story with ffs too, although I had it after 14 months of HRT.  I think I went out as girl maybe twice prior to ffs, and didn't go fulltime until 2 months after ffs.

Being 41 I feel like things are a it more clear for me regarding how I want to spend the rest of my life.

0 - Therapy (still going weekly. Changed therapists midway because I wanted more than a "letter" for hormones.)

1 - Started HRT

     a. Voice lessons (worth it)

     b. Started laser

2 - Slowly integrating females clothing into everyday life

3. Started electrolysis (blond hairs left after electrolysis)

4. FFS and oriectomy surgery for August (yay!)

5. RLE

During this whole process I have come out to family and friends introducing everyone to me

How do yall pay for this? Geez I'm having trouble finding money for laser

Quote from: Alainaluvsu on April 20, 2012, 07:14:30 PM
How do yall pay for this? Geez I'm having trouble finding money for laser

My parents paid for most of my transition, but I also live in a country that has a decent minimum wage and very low unemployment.

Quote from: Raneth on April 20, 2012, 07:29:03 PM
My parents paid for most of my transition, but I also live in a country that has a decent minimum wage and very low unemployment.

I own my own place outright and make twice the minimum wage... lol!

Quote from: Jackie Witt on April 19, 2012, 11:13:43 PM
I am affraid that doing HRT even for 5-6 months will feminize my body, thus, conflicting with my facial appearance.

No... it will not... at least not to the degree that you are thinking of. 

Most surgeons recommend waiting at least for 2 years of HRT to see what if any changes will occur to the soft tissue of the face. The older you are, the less dramatic the changes generally speaking.

5-6 months will not overly feminize your body as much as you think. JennX is right.

Most doctors strongly suggest waiting 2 years for HRT to make changes in your face before going through FFS.

Also, in your post it shows you wont even be buying clothing until after FFS. I would really go fulltime or even parttime first before FFS.

What if you got the surgery, went fulltime and realize it wasn't for you? Surgery is irreversible. I know you are thinking "that will never happen" but I know quite a few girls who got FFS too soon and even before fulltime and then whigged out.

0- changing just name from Alexander to Achila (Achila is a androgenous name and has a good numerolgy vibe onto it)
1- begin HRT regimen (May, 2012)
2- surgery in 6 months or still cannot go out (sep/oct 2012 )
3- get my wardrobe in order ( I meant "in order" as tossing my guy stuff or sorting thru)
4- change gender after FFS is completed ( I must have face/ looks/ name all in tandem so I can go for the gender aspect of it)

Thanks for your great posts.  I have been dressing for 5 years and just could not go out because of my super masculine face..honestly, I am not trying to find an excuse to go FFS  just that I am one of those Italian looking guidos w very strong masculine features that make impossible to pass; on top of it I am completely bald and I shall wear wigs for the rest of my life which makes me look even more ackward w my current face. I am all set for this great hair systems that are more sexy, well taken care of, and exuberant than actual female hair..so my 5000$ in hair shall crown only the right face
This 4 years of home cross-dressing (I call it home schooling) I have prepared me to start it off right. I want to ask about voice lessons. Which is the best course to take?

well everyone is very different when they approach voice

I invested a very small amount of money in Kathe Perez just to get the fundamentals.

Then I did this:

1. bought a digital recorder (15 bucks)

2. Download a spectograph (http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Spectrograph-Download-112411.html)
2a. Try to keep your voice at 175 and 256 Hz, averaging 200 Hz on the spectograph

3. Practice an hour a day for 4 to 6 months

4. Get tips from CandiFLA on youtube and http://www.genderlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/voicebook020.pdf

5. Try to avoid using falsetto

Its really complicated to describe through writing. But start with those tips.

also this is me talking to you

http://vocaroo.com/i/s0qZWSG8g5JD

Hope this helps too