Question about HRT and hair

[generalchaos34]

Hi! I had a quick question about HRT. While its going to be a while before i even start on that, i was wondering how it affects body hair. Im not going to lie, i can be a bit wooley and i wanted to know if when you took HRT if it caused body hair to stop growing altogether or just diminished it. I know stuff like facial hair needs electrolysis, but what about back, arm, or chest hair? Am i just stuck with the razor forever?

[stefan37]

I was very hairy. Whenever I shaved or waxed my chest within 2 weeks it would be back angry and protesting as it grew back in. 18 months on Hrt. I only need to epilate every 4 weeks or so and when it does grow back in b it is very sparse and soft. And with stomach hair virtually non existent

[Angela Campbell]

That really depends on you. We all react differently. I never had much hair and it is all gone now, even leg hair. It will have an effect but you will have to wait and see what you will get.

[mary something]

it's all your mileage may vary but for me it has made a noticeable difference in about 3 months. I have no idea if it will continue or not but it is also growing back slower too which is nice.

[I Am Paula]

I'm one of the lucky ones with little body hair. Within weeks of starting HRT my chest hair quit. I shaved it last in about august, with no regrowth. My legs slowed to the point I shave them for Drs. appts, and I might for New Years. My arm hair is about the same as a GG, soft and downy. never grows.
My head hair has really amazed me. I had a very slight receding hairline, and it is clearly growing back, and my hairdresser is amazed how thick and strong my hair is compared to a year ago.
I've been lucky, like everything with HRT, your mileage may vary.
There is always a trade off...c'mon boobs! They're definately growing, but it's like watching a cactus grow.

[generalchaos34]

phew, thats definitely a load off of my shoulders knowing that it will go away or at least diminish! Whenever i see my "sweater" it fills me with utter revulsion, so having to not worry about it will be a huge relief! Ironically enough I almost never have to shave except every few days, i guess the hair just decided to grow elsewhere

[JohnH]

The hair on my chest is now completely vellus or fine. Before I started on M2F HRT some of my chest hair was becoming terminal. Also hair growth on my legs, arms, and face has slowed down noticeably. I still am bothered my nose hair, but the ear (geezer [what I call it]) hair has disappeared.

I had some thinning spots on top of my head - they are now filled in. I have been on HRT for over two years, and now I have gone to wearing C cup bras.

Johanna

[StephanieC]

Um...it seems others have had better results than me. Apparently, I take after my dad so I have more, darker, hairs growing where I do not want (especially around the eye sockets...gross). However, I tell myself the flip side of that is that I will stave off the grey hairs longer. Anyway, I lasered the areas I needed and that pretty much did the trick (for now). But there does appear to be some reduction after 16 mon or so of HRT...it just didn't work as fast or as well as I had hoped.

-stephani

[DebbieL]

HRT may help, but normally, it's a good idea to plan for hair removal or thinning anyway. I purchased a Tria and later a Remington Shaser, both of which provide high energy beams of laser or light to essentially cook the darker follicles. I've also waxed several times, including my face. At one point I grew out my beard to about 2 inches and waxed it all off. This pulled about 70% of the hair by the roots so what grows back is thinner. Laser removes the darker hair but not the lighter ones. For many of us electrolysis is still needed.

Before you start HRT, you need to decide how you plan to manage hair growth, especially facial hair. Hormones will help, but not that much. What you don't want is 38-C and a dark 5 O'Clock shadow that pops out even though full coverage make-up. You won't be able to hide the breasts and you won't be able to hide the beard. Awkward to say the least.

Normally, you get a therapist letter to your doctor before your doctor prescribes the HRT. The therapist is looking at how you have managed EVERY aspect of your life. How have you structured you job, your family, your social life, and how have you dealt with grooming issues (hair, make-up, hair management...). The therapist might initially want to see you in "boy mode" to see how you present as a boy, but then they will want you to come in girl mode to see how you are handling presentation. Often, when you can go week-ends and evenings in girl mode for a few months, the therapist will be ready to recommend HRT to your doctor. And you WILL need a doctor to monitor and manage the hormones.

[Aprilrain]

I wouldn't be to hopeful about HRT eliminating or even reducing body hair. my legs were really hairy, HRT didn't do anything to reduce it though it did slow the growth down. I've done laser all over, legs, arms, belly and bottom with really good results. Luckily I didn't have any chest or back hair.

[melissaK]

I found dosages of HT mattered. On mostly E with little Anti-T, leg and body hair didn't change much. Upped the anti-T and within months leg and body hair became fine, soft, slow growing. Facial hair growth slowed. MPB was not changed at all. . . . so, experiment (or talk your Dr into approving that).