One of the biggest issues with transitioning from male to female is hair. Mostly too much in most places, but too little in others.
In doing my research online about transitioning one of the things that was reiterated by people was that they wished they had started electrolysis earlier. It can take several years to completely remove the hair from your face. So as soon as I could I found a really good place that does electrolysis close to home and started. It is pretty painful, and expensive, but it is the only way to get rid of facial hair. I go once a week for an hour.
I started shaving my armpits and legs years ago. I even did a full laser treatment on my chest a few years ago as well. I actually started wearing a swim shirt a few years ago when I started all the shaving. I hated wearing that thing. I wore it when we were in public, or if friends or family were over swimming at our house. I just didn’t want anyone to say anything about the areas I had started shaving. I am so happy that I don’t have to wear that dumb thing anymore! I am out and proud and loving it!
It is not all about hair removal though. This summer I also made an appointment to get a consult for hair replacement. I have a noticeable thinning spot on the top of my head. Not very ladylike. Thank you very much testosterone. So I went in and got a quote for a small surgery that would take some hair follicles from the side of my head, and transplant them to the area where it is thinning. Everything looked good, put down a deposit, and set a date for the surgery. About a week before they called and wanted to know specifically what prescriptions I was on as I had marked “HRT” on the form I filled out. I told them I was not on them yet, but would be soon. They still wanted to know, so I called my Dr. and then let them know the specific drugs I would be on. They called back a couple days later and wanted to know more. I guess they actually prescribe one of the drugs that I was going to be on in a low dose to counteract the testosterone that causes hair thinning/loss for male pattern baldness. They asked me why I was going to be on these drugs. I told them I was transitioning. The nurse I was talking to said they needed to talk to the Dr. and would call me right back.
Now I want to preface this with how I went to my consultation a month prior. I was in “girl mode.” I wan’t in a skirt and heels, but was in a feminine cut shirt and girl shorts, had gel nails, girl sandals, makeup and my purse. The consult person even complimented my nail color and we talked about gels.
Back to talking to the nurse on the phone just days before I’m supposed to have my surgery. The nurse calls back and tells me that they can’t do the surgery as scheduled and that I would be refunded my deposit. They said the Dr. really wanted to talk to me and asked me if I could come in to the office that morning. I was confused, hurt, and frustrated. I didn’t have any plans that day, so said I would drive up there right then.
I got to the office and the Dr. came in right away. He was really nice, and super apologetic. Basically he explained that the same rules that apply to getting gender-reassignment surgery apply to any surgery. He said that he could not perform the surgery until I had my letter of readiness, had been on the hormones for a year, and had been living as a woman for a year. I was totally baffled. We weren’t talking about major surgery that would alter my body parts. We were talking about getting rid of my bald spot. WTF?
It was just a matter of the doctor wanting to follow the standard medical practice. He was a highly accredited by whatever medical board oversaw him. My best guess is that he wanted to make sure he was following all medical practices and guidelines to the letter. It just further fueled my assumption that the medical “guidelines” that dictate procedures and timelines for transgenders are totally made up and not based on real data.
Anyway, it actually all turned out for the best. He took a really good look at me and my hair. He observed that I actually have a lot of hair in my ‘bald’ spot, it was all just super thin. He suggested a treatment option where they inject my own plasma in the bald spot to stimulate hair growth. It was half the cost of the hair transplant surgery. So I signed up for that and had them do it the same day. Apparently if it is a “procedure” or “treatment” and not a “surgery” it is okay and I don’t need all the other stuff for being transgender. Sigh.
While I was waiting for the procedure to start and getting the paperwork done, I was with the person that I did the original consult with me. She claims that I never told her that I was transitioning. I don’t honestly remember if I said the specific words “I am transgender,” but I thought the implication was pretty clear. Oh well.
The treatment itself was pretty quick, and relatively painless. They numb the injection site first. Just like the dentist does to your mouth. Only it is on the top of your head. The nurse doing it was so cute. She kept apologizing for the numbing injections. When you have had as many needles stuck in me as I have, you learn to live with it. And compared to my weekly electrolysis, monthly allergy injections, or quarterly blood donations, it was nothing. It was, however, the WEIRDEST sensation I have felt. It was like when your mouth is numb at the dentist, but it is YOUR HEAD! You can’t feel your head. So weird.
Then they did a quick blood draw, spun it in the centrifuge, and injected the plasma in my head. Done and done. I will go back each quarter for a year.
So yay for getting rid of hair on my face, and yay for getting hair back on the top of my head!!
