So, I recently found that I can't start T because...

Asked by Anonymous

So, I recently found that I can't start T because of medical reasons (blood clot risk and other horrible stuff) is there anything I can do to help get myself similar results without risking my life and health?

Lee says:

While it may truly be impossible for you to start T, I would get a second opinion from another endocrinologist just in case.

We aren’t medical professionals, so it’s important to discuss all these ideas with your treatment team to make sure a plan is in place to make these suggestions as safe as possible if you decide to pursue one.

Okay, let’s go through the list of changes from T and see what’s what.

Facial/body hair growth:

You can hide that you don’t have body hair by wearing clothing of course, while it isn’t really possible to hide your face so this section mostly focuses on facial hair and not body hair, but the tips usually apply to both.

If anyone asks why you don’t have body hair, you can say it’s just genetic and most guys in your family don’t have a lot, or you can say you like manscaping a little too much and get carried away.

As for facial hair, you could try shaving, which won’t make your hair grow more but it might hide that you don’t have facial hair since you’ll have a clean-shaven look.

Shaving your face

You could try makeup to help with the dysphoria but that’s more of a temporary fix because it doesn’t help you pass since you can tell it’s not real close up.

Fiber mascara beard
Fake beard with hair (tw: targeted towards drag kings)
What about using things like fake facial hair, makeup, or theatrical techniques?

You can try minoxidil to increase your hair growth. A lot of people use minoxidil (rogaine) on their faces, and a few use it for body hair. It’s considered an “off-label” use- it’s officially approved for head hair and not other locations. Lots of medicines are used off-label, even prescriptions can be given off-label safely. Topical minoxidil is generally safe, as long as you use the dose recommended by the doctor/the bottle.

You can get it over-the-counter (aka without a prescription) online through Amazon or other sites, or at a pharmacy like CVS or Walgreens (it’s usually in the isle with men’s hair products like beard dye, and razors).

You shouldn’t use more than the recommended dose per day, no matter what body part it goes on (i.e. you shouldn’t cover your legs in it, unless you can stretch the normal dose that far). This is because minoxidil is a vasodilator, which lowers blood pressure. You also shouldn’t use oral minoxidil for hair growth because oral minoxidil is used just to lower blood pressure.

If you have some peach fuzz from Minox, dying your existing hair darker with facial hair dye might make it more obvious. This is also true for your body hair.

Will facial hair dye make my facial hair appear thicker/denser?

Increased muscle mass/strength:

Some good news! You can get the same kind of muscles without T; you have to work harder for it, but it’s attainable. You could get a gym membership or look online for home-exercise and workout tips, and there are even apps for exercising!

I’m not putting a lot of links here since I haven’t seen many that are healthy- some transmasc exercise tips encourage disordered eating and unhealthily low body fat percentages, and that’s something to avoid. Make sure you don’t over-exercise, and you eat enough food. We have info on that here.

Skin oiliness/acne:

I’m guessing you don’t want this change!

Body fat redistribution:

Exercise can help with this, and if you’re dysphoric about your thighs there’s always compression shorts.

Another possibility is getting Body masculinization surgery and Facial masculinization surgery! This will make you look more masculine for at least a few years, but it’s possible that over many years your body fat may go back to where it was pre-op since fat redistributes over time, so discuss that possibility with your surgeon.

Cessation of menses:

You could take a continuous cycle of birth control pills so you don’t have a period- again, this is something to consult your doctor about.

You could also try dealing with your period in a different way, like changing to menstrual cups that you only need to empty twice a day.

Or you can try wearing a pad in girls’ underwear like usual, then wearing a packer in harness over the underwear and putting boxers on top to help with your dysphoria.

More info for all 3 of the above is in the Periods and related things post

Endometrial ablation lessens your period, and sometimes stops it all together.

You could also get a hysterectomy. A hysto removes the entire uterus which means there’s no uterine lining to shed to create your period. If you get a hysto, there’s no way you’ll ever get a period again.

When I was in the hospital before I got my hysterectomy they gave me an injection of Heparin to reduce the risk of blood clots. I don’t know how surgery would work with your blood clot risk so you should discuss it with your doctor.

Hysterectomy and oophorectomy

Scalp hair loss:

I’m guessing you don’t want this change!

Clitoral enlargement:

You can pump without going on T, and that might make your clitoris a bit larger.

Pumping post

You can also get lower surgery pre-T. A meta pre-T might make your clitoris a bit more prominent and girthy, but it won’t change the length much. I’ve only heard of one person getting a meta pre-T because they’re working with the size you have. A phallo won’t make your clitoris bigger, but you can have the clitoris buried in the penis shaft so you don’t see it and it doesn’t matter what size it is.

Bottom surgery (genital surgery) page)

Deepened voice:

You could try voice training to lower your voice which involves practicing speaking in a lower voice. You can start voice training by yourself, and if that isn’t working there are professionals who do voice training and you could see one of them. They usually are licensed and board-certified Speech-Language Pathologists.

Lowering your voice

There is a surgery I’ve heard of to lower your voice, but I haven’t actually heard of anyone actually getting the surgery yet. However, the John Hopkins Center for Transgender Health is planning on starting transmasculine voice surgery with Dr. Simon Best possibly in the next year, so if that’s something you’re interested in I’d contact that team!

Vaginal atrophy:

I’m guessing you don’t want this change!

Okay, that’s all of ‘em! Again, we aren’t medical professionals, so it’s important to discuss all these ideas with your treatment team to make sure a plan is in place to make these suggestions as safe as possible if you decide to pursue one.

Followers say:

xies-the-man said: Hey just wanted to say I’m in same boat medically and if you’re so inclined you can pm me to talk about it. I know how hard it can be to get support and watch others transition!

Followers, anything to add?

Posted on September 2, 2017 with 368 notes