Realistic body work/changes?

[whowhatwhen]

Let's face it.
I'm only 16 or so hours into electro which means for half the week I have a very visible beard.
I ain't gonna be passing any time soon, at least not at the current rate I can afford.

What sort of things can be worked on in the meantime to make this easier when things start speeding up?
Weight loss is being provided by health problems (hey, I'll take it where I can get it) but that won't last forever.

What have some of you girls done in the gray area/time?

[Kaitlyn Michele]

There isn't much you can do other than get used to being stared at

take good care of your skin, and get in shape if possible because the surgeries go better if you are in good shape

[stefan37]

I have over 220 hours and still have my neck and some patchea on the side. As Kaitlyn said I deal with the misgendedinv andstares as I will not be able to afford any facial ssurgery until at least Nov if not even longer.

[I Am Paula]

I tried sitting around and watching my boobs grow. I think they knew I was watching, cause nothing happened the whole time. It was an experiment not worth repeating. If you try it, turn on a radio or something, cause after about twenty hours of staring, it kinda got boring.

[Angela Campbell]

it gets better. I have about 40 hrs in and so far we can clear the face and neck in about 3 hrs or less, and for the first few days afterward there is nothing to see then it slowly starts, but is very sparse and hairs are thin, so a stick type of foundation will cover it up good enough for most. Yeah you may see a few hairs if up close but not too bad. I really do not shave anymore now.

Face was cleared last Saturday and have not shaved since and there is nothing to see today.

What else am I working on...lessee....Diet, excersize daily, growing hair out, using rogain , (lol) building up wardrobe...yay...letting hormones work. Working on voice.

I have talked to my company about transition at work and we are looking at a year because of the electrolysis and hair.

[KellyJameson]

There is so much emphasis placed on external changes that I think it is easy to neglect aspects of personal development that will reflect positively on gender presentation once transition is complete which is usually measured in years.

I had and have a problem with shyness so I enrolled in a community college theatre course to challenge and stretch my comfort zone.

I have no interest in entertaining people but use it like a version of toast masters.

Transsexuals who are introverts versus extroverts have distinctly different problems to cope with because the gender dysphoria that bumps up against a temperament of one or the other seems to push the person into extremes of introversion or extroversion as unhealthy adaptation and self defense mechanisms.

Singing lessons will teach you about your voice and once again a community college may offer an inexpensive way to do this.

Your posture is also an area that is important regardless of gender and I have found ballet courses to be very helpful.

Another area that is often neglected is personal hygiene as proper care of the body beyond just simply bathing. You can spend hundreds of hours learning beauty tips as an aspect of personal hygiene.

Than there is beauty itself which an individual could invest their whole live learning and still come up short. Ever see a bad nail polish job ?

Fashion is another area it is easy to fall down on. Very few people make an effort to present themselves tastefully which I fear has become a lost art from everything becoming so sexualized.

Is transitioning only about being a woman or is it also about becoming a lady?

[Catherine Hopkins]

I'm up to 105 hours and off to e3000 in Dallas for another full clearance on 10th.

Having helped quite a few girls transition before realising I wanted to myself, I used that experience to decide that beard clearance was the number one priority and best done while still living as male and part time as the real me.

I need about 5 days growth to be treatable and that's so much easier in boy mode.

[whowhatwhen]

Definitely with you on the introverted part, I've got a 10+ year gap created by depression.
That **** wouldn't be easy to overcome without being trans.

I started going to a local group which was totally out of character for me and the culture shock was incredible, but also it was a positive growing experience.
My therapist was surprised I'd do such a thing head first like that.

:)

My electro tech is going to try laser on me, but if it fails again that means electro is the only way to go.
That means at my current rate I will be stuck with a beard for 50% of the week for another 4 years.

So far the only thing I've done was get used to being different by going with a more genderqueer type appearance, well, as much as I can pull off anyway.
Nothing negative so far but I still feel like I'm not doing enough you know?

I will disagree about the becoming a lady part though...

What can I say? I like dick jokes, I like fart jokes, I don't care about style or fashion, and I'm a huge nerd.
If I were to go that route I'd just be playing another part, like I did all the years before now.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

PHHHHFFFFTTTTTTTTTT!!!

silent but violent...PU

[TeresaL]

I used to go to my electrologist in male role because of the growth needed to work with. That was ten years ago, and it was never finished. I never want to be in male appearance again.

I'm about to restart and will ask what size patch and only grow that portion. Usually it was no wider than a finger width in a two hour setting. I hope to concentrate on areas that would help FFS first. Is that how you approach it?

[Angela Campbell]

I went in for 5 hour sessions every week until the entire face was cleared, (about 3 to 4 weeks) and now I go once a week and it takes somewhere from 2 to 3 hours to clear. Sometimes more sometimes less. I get the entire face and neck cleared every time. I am probably not typical.

But I no longer need to shave.

[dreamer_2.0]

...really hoping I can do laser. Can't say I enjoy reading posts about 200+ hours of electrolysis or two hours for a single finger-width patch. Yikes!

[whowhatwhen]

I hope so too, but I posted this thread because the reality could be me stuck with a beard for years to come.
My skin reacted horribly the first time, so if it fails again with my electrologist doing it this time then I'm pretty much boned.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

I hope it works out for you..

I"ve had close to 300 hours of electrolysis, and I still have to shave .,..I don't have a lot of hair, but the stubble grows out every day...

I feel your pain..

[stefan37]

Ask what method they are using. Flash is too high in many cases for male beards. It is noticeable by a popping sound similar to electrical arcing. My first tech used flash and my face broke out in horrible boils. The heat is too intense and creates steam, the hair pulls out but the follicle is not treated, resulting in ingrown hairs way below the surface. My new tech uses the blend method. I have over 225 hours and have had no negative reactions to date.

Inquire about what method your tech uses

[Paulette]

With over 240 hours using the blend method and I decided to just pull up my big panties and be the bearded lady for a few days. I do not like the feeling of having any hair on my face but you do what you have to do. If you keep the prize in sight you can do anything. Most people are far to kind to say anything about the lady with a beard.

[Angela Campbell]

True. There is no way around the fact that it takes a long time and is expensive, but for me it is worth it. I don't wanna do it but I have to. There will be a lot more pain and expense and waiting I am afraid before I am done. This is certainly the biggest project I have ever undertaken.

[whowhatwhen]

How do you mentally handle being full-time and still having facial hair though?
Mine is super obvious so even if I had the resources to fast track I'm still looking at a lot of sh**.

It's not all bad though, I'll share my pre-electro awkwardness of my manly mug wearing half of a sandwich bag which is taped to my face to keep the Emla moist.

Yes, it feels exactly as it looks.

[Frances]

Maxilene 5% is as efficacious as Emla, is transparent, and does require occlusion.

[LeaP]

I don't know, Corinne ... sure looks like a DIY FFS job to me! (The red print on the bag is a nice touch - almost looks like blood.)

[Marleena]

Corrine I was going to suggest the "unknown comic" look instead. I'm not sure about inhaling those fumes though.:D

[whowhatwhen]

I don't know, Corinne ... sure looks like a DIY FFS job to me! (The red print on the bag is a nice touch - almost looks like blood.)

Slide 'N Seal
:D

[Catherine Hopkins]

Numb and swollen from my E3000 treatment today but very pleased. Having started with a 34 hour clearance 18 months ago, this was my 6th session and I was hoping for 8 hours but prepared to be pleased with 9 or 10. It took 7.

I'm starting to plan how many more sessions it will be worth the flight, hotel and 6 days out of my life for what will amount to a morning in the next session or two. Also, the lidocaine HURTS and takes pretty much the same number of shots over 3 days and 34 hours as it does over one morning and 7 hours (2 girls working so those are accurate hours). There comes a time when the shots hurt more than the zaps.

[whowhatwhen]

Good to hear that you're happy with how it's working out!
:)

Although I was actually started IRL scrolling past myself wearing the sandwhich bag.
O_O

Was not expecting that :P

[Kathryn Martin]

I use Emla, but only on the mustache area and below the lip. Everything else, four tylenol number 1 one hour before the session and I am good to go.

[whowhatwhen]

ACK!
Aren't you going to kill your liver at that dose?!

From what I read on the bottle 2 is the max per 4 hours because of the acetaminophen.
Kinda funny how they'd have you get liver failure rather than get high.

E:
I have leftover T3s so I take one plus a T1 for ~40mg codeine, works well enough combined with emla.
I did switch to freezer wrap though which still looks ridiculous, but is a bit easier to work with.

:)

[Rileyaz]

Another area that is often neglected is personal hygiene as proper care of the body beyond just simply bathing. You can spend hundreds of hours learning beauty tips as an aspect of personal hygiene.

Would you please give us an example of what you mean?

[Rachel Smith]

OK now I am scared. I just talked to a friend of mine that does electrolysis professionally. She made it sound like it's no big deal. 200+ hours @ $64.00/hr is alot bigger then a big deal. Plus I won't like walking around with a bearded patch on my face. I didn't know you had to let it grow out so it could be removed or that I may need to wear a plastic bag on my face. Note to self ask more questions.

[stefan37]

I have yet to use any type of numbing creams or pain killers. My tech prefers it that way so she can adjust the power levels not too high to cause skin damage.

[whowhatwhen]

LOL.
You don't need to wear a plastic bag, it just helps force the Emla numbing cream into the skin. (for me)

Yes, you do need about 3 days worth of growth.
Yes, it's going to hurt.
Yes, it's going to be expensive.

I haven't calculated the total cost but for ~18 hours I've probably spent over $1000, and for all I know my beard could require 400 hours.
Try laser first if you can.

E:
^^^^^^^^^^
If I went that route nothing would get done, I can barely handle the pain output for 1 hour even numbed up plus painkillers.
What's weird is that after it's over you're like "huh, that's it eh?" but the whole time it was "OHGOD OHGOD OHGOD"

[Jorja]

Oh quit complaining! Pull up your big girl panties and go get your face cleared. So what if it is expensive? It is only money. Think of all the other dumb stuff you could be spending that money on like rent/mortgage, food, medicine. It is totally worth every penny you spend.:tongueout:eek::devil::D

[whowhatwhen]

The thing is though that it's really hard budget wise unless you're comfortably swimming in dough.
I mean, I pay ~$240 per month for electro alone. Add in $200 more per month for therapy and I barely have enough for any, let alone a whole lot for any fun things.

Maybe one day hair removal will be covered here just like SRS is, if you get approval.

[Angela Campbell]

Yes it is hard. I spend about $200 a week on electrolysis. The rest of the money after bills......uhhh I can buy a soda or something. That is the limit of fun for me I guess. But one day it will all be over and I will never have to shave again or look like an ugly man either.

[Catherine Hopkins]

I have yet to use any type of numbing creams or pain killers. My tech prefers it that way so she can adjust the power levels not too high to cause skin damage.

Good luck with that. It hurts like hell unless the tech has turned the power down so low "to avoid skin damage" that it's not damaging the follicles either.

She might get away with that on female body and facial hair but no way will it work on beard hair.

I'd suggest you find a technician who actually knows what they're doing with beards - few and far between.

The whole POINT of laser is that the correct equipment heats just the hair follicle's papilla. It also requires good contrast between hair color and skin color, hence the advice that it only works for dark hair and fair skin. If she's so concerned about skin damage, are you lacking that contrast?

[Paulette]

Electrolysis is a necessary evil we all face to some degree. Those with sparse beards are what we call lucky and bear like faces like mine are called painful. No matter what you do there is going to be pain. How you deal with it is up to you. You can face it and try to make those around you comfortable or you can snivel and make everyone miserable. No on wants to hurt you but pain is a factor. I try to hide the pain and just get through the process until the next time. The first time you wake up in the morning and do not feel whiskers on your face you realize the pain was worth it.

[Angela Campbell]

The girl who does my electrolysis tells me this is what separates the boys from the girls. She has seen many who come in for a session or two and never try it again. You have to really want it to go the whole distance. She mostly does TS girls and has been through it herself.

[whowhatwhen]

I'm going to snivel at times, hell, there have been a few appointments where tears were streaming from my eyes.
Everyone has a different level of pain tolerance but my electrologist has been awesome taking that into account.

One or two times I had to stop early and she only charged me for the time I used, even though I booked an hour.
:)

[Angela Campbell]

Corrine there is no shame in crying when it hurts. I do too sometimes.

[stefan37]

I have a high threshold for pain, and my tech is doing a fine job. I know of 3 others that use her and they are also satisfied. She has around 35 years experience and has a large transgender client base.
I have not had any laser, my hair at this point in my life is white and what color I do have was brown and red

[Rachel Smith]

Very funny Jorja you are. As for the rest of you fine(?) ladies thank you for making me feel no better:sad: . I am 57 I don't have years for this to work or the funds to spend. My endo told me the anti-a's should take care of some to alot of it and told me to wait until I have been on them for at least 6 months. Have any of ya'll seen a difference in that time?

[Angela Campbell]

Anti androgens and even estrogen will not have much effect on facial hair. Gotta go through the pain.

[stefan37]

Nope. Not at all. Might slow it some. I have not experienced reduced growth on my face. Body hair is an entirely different manner. My chest and stomach hair has virtually disappeared.

[whowhatwhen]

I am 57 I don't have years for this to work or the funds to spend.

It's hard financially, physically, and emotionally but think of how awesome the end result will be!
Even if you can only afford a small amount of time it's better than no time at all.

Luckily I get the next week off while she does renovations, then we try the laser again and hope I respond better.
:)

[Catherine Hopkins]

My endo told me the anti-a's should take care of some to alot of it and told me to wait until I have been on them for at least 6 months. Have any of ya'll seen a difference in that time?


Anti androgens and even estrogen will not have much effect on facial hair. Gotta go through the pain.


Nope. Not at all. Might slow it some.


Agree completely. One year on anti-androgens and the body hair has slowed to a crawl - but the beard reduction is entirely down to pain and money.