Hi everybody, I'm going to undergo an MTF transition and a big issue would be hair removal. Do female hormones significantly reduce body hair in the chest, stomach, back, etc.? I don't yet have hair on my chest or back, but I'm young so that might change in the future. I just want to know if body hair removal would be needed before transitioning.

Also, under what circumstances would electrolysis be better than laser hair removal? I've heard laser is more expensive, but is it ever more effective under certain conditions and if so, what are they?

Lastly, would it be better to get permanent hair removal before or after transition, or does it not matter?

Thanks in advance for any responses. I'd really appreciate any advice.

When I was on HRT & anti-Andrewgens (no I don't mean antiandrogens) it allowed me remove nearly all of my chest hair in only five IPL sessions but I only had a 7"X1" patch in the centre of my sternum and a few odd hairs round each nipple (lucky me they threw them in for free) it depends entirely on how much hair you have

If you have dark hair and pale skin IPL is great because it treats the largest area at a time it's the quickest too, you need fewer sessions (in theory anyway) but some of the hair may come back later and need to be given electrolysis anyway to permanently remove it.
But if you're dark skinned or really fair haired then bad luck it's going to have to electrolysis all the way.
Also if you can, persuade your doctor to prescribe Vaniqa cream it's meant to slow the growth rate of facial hair (it hasn't been tested on other areas of the body officially but it does help them too for me anyway) but be warned it's expensive so I don't know how much difference that makes I have no clue how prescription costs work in the US.

Good luck and be warned whatever way you pick will probably be uncomfortable, but getting it on the face is agony
Hannah

Well, I've got dark skin, so I suppose electrolysis is the way to go. Thanks a lot for the tips and quick response. I've been through serious pain throughout my life, so it doesn't bug me anymore. By the way, do hospitals have electrolysis professionals, or do I have to go to a dermatologist or something?

I went to a beauty salon to get mine done (where apparently rugby players get there backs and chests lasered too)
And when the NHS started paying for it I went to the outpatient department of one of the ten million hospitals in Glasgow.....where the same technician I saw at the beauty clinic also worked (hi M), oh well at least it wasn't a stranger barbecuing my face off.

I think the consensus generally is to wait until after 3-6 months of HRT so that you don't have to pay for, and waste time on, unnecessary electrolysis.


A lot of people find their body hair significantly decreases on HRT and I dare say that once you start HRT you will not seen any new body hair.