Late bloomers?

[Claire Cook]

Here’s something I’ve been thinking about. I was physically a late bloomer, always skinny and small-boned. (My wrists are still smaller than most women’s.) When other guys started showing signs of adolescence, I didn’t, probably did not start shaving until I was 20, and wondered why I didn’t. (Come to think of it, I guess I was jealous when girls’ breasts started to develop and mine didn’t.) Always looked young for my age (when you are in high school and look 12, it can be a hassle), and figured it was because of delayed hormonal things. (Now of course, I’m glad to be a girl who looks young for her age!)

Anyway, here is the question. How many of you were late bloomers as well, and do you think there is a correlation here with being transgendered? I started dressing probably before I was five, so I don’t know if there is a connection or not.

[Vickie_CDTV]

The facial hair coming in later is not that unusual, sometimes it does not fully come in until one's late teens or early 20s. Mine didn't come in heavy until I was 19, almost 20. It happens for others, trans and cis.

[sandra-leigh]

Claire, in some cases that is associated with some intersex conditions, such as xxy (Klinefelter's_syndrome).

[outhiking]

I didn't shave regularly until I was well into my 20's and still I don't have a lot of body hair. I have noticed that the guys who picked on my in highschool for not shaving were the first to go bald.

[Tara D. Rose]

I am one of those as well. I am 55 but still look 35. I barely can grow a mustache, but i just don't do it. Maybe a little on my chin. The rest of my face can grow no hair at all. A few weeks ago, my wife and I were sitting waiting to get computers fixed, and a man said to us, I can tell you were her son, referring to my wife being my mom. I rolled with it for a few minutes. He kept saying how we looked alike. He had been talking to her while I was outside, then I came in and he saw I was with her and said how he could see the family resemblance.
I finally told him it was my wife. He got real embarrassed and soon left. People can't believe my age when I tell them. When I first met my wife she was all grey, but after she met me ,she colored her hair blond, I asked why? She said becasue she didn't want people to think she is with her son. But I love her so much.

[Audrey34]

Interesting thread. I had no facial hair until I was in my mid twenties. I can grow a mustache but not a beard. Years ago I tried to grow a beard when I was trying to give up crossdressing (yes, foolish Audrey). All I got was a face full of stubble that got progressively worse. My sisters were after me to "shave that mutilated squirrel patch off your face!" lol..
-Audrey

[Leah Lynn]

I was four the first time I snuck in and slipped on a dress, but developed at normal age. I was rather thin until early 20's. Still have slender arms and wrists and small (for a guy) hands. However, I was the youngest in my boot camp company, 17, and was the only guy that had to shave twice a day. Now I'm overweight but have rather nice boobs. Maybe there's no such thing as "normal"development.

[KellyJameson]

Similar for me, small but long bones, slender, little to no body hair,no male pattern balding and facial bone structure does not show the usual pronounced male traits with an eye shape that is distinctly feminine plus very sensitive,intuitive, feeling oriented instead of logical,spatial, ect..

Test out on Briggs Meyer as INFJ and very high on the "Highly Sensitive Persons" scale (Elaine Aron)

I believe it is all about the hormones starting in the womb between mother and fetus and probably exacerbated by pharmaceuticals, environmental toxins in the food, air and water and chemicals such as plastic off gasing.

Everything is being affected, fish, birds, insects, amphibians all the way up the food chain because we live in a closed system.

[Dusty815]

I cannot grow a mustache or beard, the hair comes in only in certain spots. I have no hair on my chest or back and never have. I was small all the way through high school. People look at my wedding picture and think I look 12, I was 20. The good thing is I don't think I look 51 now, maybe 42?

[Eryn]

You might be onto something. I was a late bloomer and didn't get my full growth or finish losing baby teeth until I was in college. According to my mother this was fairly normal in her family and it certainly didn't ultimately affect my size (too big) or beard growth (too much).

[tara t]

i still do not need to shave much , i have very little facial hair or body hair , the hair on my head however seems to grow like wildfire . wanting to be a girl was with me as far back as my memories go .

[JohannaSophia]

I was bigger than everyone in my home town by the time I was in Junior High and started in High School basketball and football as a freshman.

I started tucking to look like my mom and put on her underwear at about age 12 when i could still get her stretchy things on.

I got too big and too busy with sports and academics to keep going Girlie. Eventually I told my wife the story and showed her what tucking looks like and asked her for some of the things she was not wearing that would fit me.

In spite of early maturity and size I am not very hairy and got Bald fairly early so I just shave everything now.

Transgendering? That would not have worked for me as I am but had I been small and immature physically? It is too bad that most people can't afford to consider that before they marry and have families. I would have had to move away from my family and start a new life saving up to transition.

[Claire Cook]

The facial hair coming in later is not that unusual, sometimes it does not fully come in until one's late teens or early 20s. Mine didn't come in heavy until I was 19, almost 20. It happens for others, trans and cis.

"Trans" and "cis" -- I like that!

Claire, in some cases that is associated with some intersex conditions, such as xxy (Klinefelter's_syndrome).

I'd guess that dosen't apply to most of us.

I am one of those as well. I am 55 but still look 35. I barely can grow a mustache, but i just don't do it. Maybe a little on my chin. The rest of my face can grow no hair at all. A few weeks ago, my wife and i were sitting waiting to get computers fixed, and a man said to us, I can tell you were her son, referring to my wife being my mom. I rolled with it for a few minutes.

I can relate, and can just imagine how your wife felt. Once I was bowling with my mom and her friends, and someone told my mom she enjoyed bowling with her grandson. Mom gave her a look that was classic....

Interesting thread. I had no facial hair until I was in my mid twenties. I can grow a mustache but not a beard. Years ago I tried to grow a beard when I was trying to give up crossdressing (yes, foolish Audrey). All I got was a face full of stubble that got progressively worse. My sisters were after me to "shave that mutilated squirrel patch off your face!" lol..
-Audrey

Me too. the moustache was OK, but that beard was super-scraggly.

I believe it is all about the hormones starting in the womb between mother and fetus and probably exacerbated by pharmaceuticals, environmental toxins in the food, air and water and chemicals such as plastic off gasing.

Kelly, I think you are on to something here; we've had similar threads in the past. I know that for whatever reason, TG is part of me and I would not be surprised to learn it resulting from hormonal exposure in the womb.

Transgendering? That would not have worked for me as I am but had I been small and immature physically? It is too bad that most people can't afford to consider that before they marry and have families. I would have had to move away from my family and start a new life saving up to transition.

Johanna, we've had numerous discussions about what "trangendered" means. It is not the same as "transexual". I use it in the general sense that it embraces the whole spectrum of gender identity and expression -- from closet CD to post-op TS. Others may not agree.

[Jennifer B]

I'm at the other end of the spectrum. I went through puberty at least 18 months before anyone else in my year at school. Which led to much ribbing in the changing rooms. My facial hair developed in line with everyone else. The hair on my legs grew much faster than others, I was called a gorilla in sports lessons.

However... I did stay skinny for the longest time, when people were asking when was I going to fill out and put some weight on (now I have too much of course) and I will never have a six o'clock shadow.

[Brenda79135]

I had a growing spurt early in life. Between the 5th and sixth grades I grew from 5'4" to 6'2". The teasing I got was mainly from being clumbsy. I could walk and chew gum at the same time. I was shaving by the 8th grade every other day. I have not grown up much but Have grown outward. This was due to the good greman beer when we lived there.

[Beverley Sims]

I was 30 before any one actually read me.
Late enough to enjoy it fully.

[Marlana]

I have to shave everyday. I hate that. Thought about electroysis, but have commitment issues with it. Maybe someday. i've got hair everywhere. Yeesh!

[outhiking]

I had a growing spurt early in life. Between the 5th and sixth grades I grew from 5'4" to 6'2". The teasing I got was mainly from being clumbsy. I could walk and chew gum at the same time. I was shaving by the 8th grade every other day. I have not grown up much but Have grown outward. This was due to the good greman beer when we lived there.

Same here on the height. I hit 6'0 in seventh grade, but couldn't dribble a basketball to save my life. I tried my best, but kept knocking people over and tripping over my big feet :-) I finished up at 6'3 and I'm still pretty clumsy.

[sandra-leigh]

I grew at about the same rate as my class-mates. Never the tallest, never the shortest.

I looked thin, though; apparently a few times teachers actually asked my parents whether I was getting enough to eat (family lore has it that two of them sent notes home out of concern.) But (as best I can reconstruct), by about grade 4, I weighed more than the kids in my class who were not obviously "fat", but it didn't show on me. It might have all gone to leg muscle; it certainly didn't go to my chest or arms. I was perceived as being weak, and I didn't think of myself as being strong, but I had to be careful around other people -- leverage from my long arms.

As I was definitely picked on, I grew a mustache pretty much as soon as I could grow a real one rather than just a scraggle, by age 17 at latest, trying to convey to the bullies that I was no longer a young kid to be pushed around. It might have worked: I was left alone in my final year of high school. Later I went on to grow beards. I have a picture of me with a beard from when I was roughly 35; these days I look at in and wonder what the heck I was thinking!! But I do not remember any thoughts of "this will prove I'm not a woman!": it was a warning that I was no longer a kid to be picked on.

[Roberta Marie]

I started to shave when I was 15, my parents felt sorry for me and bought me an electric razor when I was 16.

When I was working at the Fire Department, the other guys use to joke that I didn't need to wear a sweater in winter, my wife could just knit one out of my body hair. Back then I use to sport a bushy, handlebar mustache that was the envy of most of the guys at the station. I could grow it from pencil thin to big handlebars in a matter of a few weeks.

Now, during the summer, when I wear mostly shorts or skirts, I have to shave my legs every day, every other day during the winter when I usually wear jeans or knit tights.

Others have suggested electrolosis for my heavy facial hair, but I'm hesitant. I don't mind shaving every day, sometimes twice a day, all that much, and there's always the thought in the back of my mind that some day my masculine side may exert itself and I might want to grow that handle bar back.

[Janet77]

When it comes to body hair, I am not only a late bloomer but a never bloomer. I never got a single chest hair, and the hair on my arms is so fine and blonde it is virtually invisible. Never had to shave my legs, when I wear stockings or pantyhose the little hair I have disappears.

[Vickie_CDTV]

Others have suggested electrolosis for my heavy facial hair, but I'm hesitant. I don't mind shaving every day, sometimes twice a day, all that much, and there's always the thought in the back of my mind that some day my masculine side may exert itself and I might want to grow that handle bar back.

You can opt to have the density of your beard reduced (to make shaving easier and lighten any shadow you have), and not necessarily completely removed. Some men who are totally cisgender opt to do this, just so they can ease any hair/skin problems they have with shaving; they can still grow a beard and mustache, but the density is not as unreasonably high mucand doesn't cause as many problems for them. (A guy really can have too many active hair follicles on their face!)

[Leah Lynn]

When it comes to body hair, I am not only a late bloomer but a never bloomer. I never got a single chest hair, and the hair on my arms is so fine and blonde it is virtually invisible. Never had to shave my legs, when I wear stockings or pantyhose the little hair I have disappears.

Oh, am I ever jealous! From my shoulders to my thighs, there's enough fur to weave an Indian blanket! Legs are shaved at the moment.

[Tracii G]

I guess the facial hair started around 17 didn't have much body hair until my late 20's.
I'm not sure where I fall in the mix here.
Very interesting question indeed.

[Eryn]

Others have suggested electrolosis for my heavy facial hair, but I'm hesitant. I don't mind shaving every day, sometimes twice a day, all that much, and there's always the thought in the back of my mind that some day my masculine side may exert itself and I might want to grow that handle bar back.

If you're hesitant, you shouldn't do it! In my case I had done the mustache thing for 30 years and was pretty sure that I no longer needed it to look older, as I had in my '20s. Laser and electrolysis were right for me as I have no desire to have facial hair again.

Facial electrolysis is a long process. Figure on a year of 90 minute sessions once a week to clear a beard. You can get a partial clearing, but that seems like a lot of time and money for a very modest effect.