Eiphany: Why not just wear a wig?

[Christine167]

So confused Lesley. Are you saying that even after transition and after ditching the testicles that I will continue to lose my hair at a rate much faster than the average cis woman?

Please no... It makes no sense and hurts just that much more.

[Cindy]

I thought I was going to have to go the wig option and one day the courage thingy hit me. I walked into a high class hairdresser - sort of place guys would NEVER go to and walked up to the manager. I told him I was a transgendered woman and was going full time shortly and I didn't want to wear a wig and what could they do for me.

He sat me down looked me over and said come back in 6 weeks after you let the hair grow out, gave me some anti-frizz product and I left.

Six weeks to the day I walked back in, my short grey hair was a little longer, my bald spot was still there. He looked at me and said "I wondered if you would come back' . The he turned around and said 'Nathan is my top stylist, Rebecca is my top colour technician, when do you want to start?'

I now have auburn hair to my shoulders, no bald spot and great hairdressers who look after me and help me and who have taught me how to take care of my hair etc.

In Adelaide it get to 45C in summer. Wigs would be awkward!

The message? Try a good hair salon and see what they can do. You having nothing to lose really!


Christine, my hair grows thicker and my bald spot has gone after HRT and AAs, don't panic!!

[Beth Andrea]

HEAT!  OMG THE HEAT!

And then the sweat and the inevitable zits where the band hits your forehead.  All the time wondering if some brat is going to reach up and rip it off yer head.

I was so glad when my wig days were done.  I kept my workhorse one as a momento, but it has been retired.

As for the morning routine some days, well days I wake up late, I punt on the makeup. Other than that I don't mind.

Even if time is pressing, I always do the very basics--tinted moisturizer on the cheeks, and neutral smoothing cream to the chin, nose, and between the brows. These two steps alone smooth and soften probably 2/3rds of the uglies...

Last step before rushing out the door: I look at myself for any stray hairs, etc., smile, and find the sparkle in my eye...and tell myself, "You're lookin' good today!" or somesuch.

Then I turn and run into the door.  (It grounds me back to reality, LOL)

[Christine167]

The message? Try a good hair salon and see what they can do. You having nothing to lose really!


Christine, my hair grows thicker and my bald spot has gone after HRT and AAs, don't panic!!

Bless you Cindy. You are an angel 

[JoanneB]

For me, a wig is my only option if I want hair on my head. Otherwise just call me Friar Joanne 

I haven't had any problems using one. Wig tape helps keep the beast in place, especially important in the winter when the coat tends to pull on your hair or windy days.

My biggest beef is synthetic hair related. The ends tend to knot up very very easily. Even on expensive wigs. Even when new and long before the fraying (split ends) that inevitably happens.

[Cindy]

Bless you Cindy. You are an angel 

More of a devil I think!

Being castrated is a 'cure' for male baldness!  My body hair has gone to a female pattern and my head hair has improved in thickness and my bald spot has gone and my widows peak is far less.

Of course there are no guarantees! But never ever ever lose hope, stress will stop the good stuff.

[Dreams2014]

I thought I was going to have to go the wig option and one day the courage thingy hit me. I walked into a high class hairdresser - sort of place guys would NEVER go to and walked up to the manager. I told him I was a transgendered woman and was going full time shortly and I didn't want to wear a wig and what could they do for me.

He sat me down looked me over and said come back in 6 weeks after you let the hair grow out, gave me some anti-frizz product and I left.

Six weeks to the day I walked back in, my short grey hair was a little longer, my bald spot was still there. He looked at me and said "I wondered if you would come back' . The he turned around and said 'Nathan is my top stylist, Rebecca is my top colour technician, when do you want to start?'

I now have auburn hair to my shoulders, no bald spot and great hairdressers who look after me and help me and who have taught me how to take care of my hair etc.

In Adelaide it get to 45C in summer. Wigs would be awkward!

The message? Try a good hair salon and see what they can do. You having nothing to lose really!


Christine, my hair grows thicker and my bald spot has gone after HRT and AAs, don't panic!!

Oh trust me I have plenty of experience using hair salons that not many men would go to. I used to do the full wash, condition, blow dry, straighten, hair product routine a few years back.

My hair is still short at the moment, but I'm not going back to the barbers to get it short again!

[big kim]

I thought I would need one as I had a bald patch at the crown and it had receded at the temples.I was lucky the bald patch grew back and the receding was small enough to be covered with bangs.I like doing different things with my hair I often put it up or have a braid or pony tail,it only takes a few minutes

[Lesley_Roberta]

My comment re the hair loss was just a reasonable guess.

Cindy seems to have evidence to the contrary.

I will NOT mind trading testicles for hair. The hair I can use, the testicles, they have served their purpose, and now they are like a bureaucracy I could do without.

[Jenna Marie]

It's called "male" pattern baldness b/c it's linked to testosterone.

Every trans woman I've known who went on estrogen and was hormonally female had female hair loss patterns thereafter (which actually meant NO hair loss). Most had at least some regrowth, and a couple ended up with 100% regrown. With T suppressed/without the testicles and on estrogen, hair reacts the way it does for cis women. A very few cis women will also have hair loss, so I suppose it's not *impossible,* but...

(I don't have much to offer to the overall thread, except to be grateful I transitioned before I started losing my hair like my dad. I've actually worn it waist-length since I was in high school, even as a guy.)

[Joanna Dark]

More of a devil I think!

Being castrated is a 'cure' for male baldness!  My body hair has gone to a female pattern and my head hair has improved in thickness and my bald spot has gone and my widows peak is far less.

Do you mean widow's peak like an M pattern hair pattern or actual widow's peak? I have an honest to God widow's peak like Parker Posey and I actually think it is pretty typically female hairline. I rarely see a male (if ever) with a widow's peak without the square hairline. I have a round hairline.