If I wanted to become a woman....

[Prince of Thieves]

...where would I begin?

[Long Duck Dong]

what do you want to change first ?

[Prince of Thieves]

I would start with feeling comfortable with the way I saw myself.

[aLABiM75 & StrF51]

Therapy, the earlier the better.
If you ever want Surgery, you have to do it eventually.
So, start now and you will be on the fast track.

[transcendMental]

Hello Prince,

Alabi's colorful response is right. Therapy would be the place to start.

Two other thoughts you could consider. Electrolysis to get rid of your facial hair is also better started as early as possible, since it can take 2-5 years to get it to the point where you're passably hair-free. Unlike surgery or hormones, this doesn't require any therapist recommendation or participation. Just do it. And you don't have to come out to anyone - some men just want their beards permanently removed so they don't have to shave. Just having my facial hair gone helped me get more comfortable with how I looked. The other thing is to consider dressing femininely at home. Again, costs little and can help you feel more comfortable. The other good thing about both these suggestions is that they are both reversible if you would end up deciding that you don't really want to be a woman after all.

But if you're serious, find a therapist who specializes in gender issues (not a generic LGBT counselor, who may know a lot about sexuality, but little about gender and transition issues), and find a good electrologist in your area.

tm

[tenni]

Hi TM
What about hair removal by using laser treatments instead of electrolysis? Not that I am interested in transitioning or things but I am a hairy bugger and have thought about laser hair removal for some parts.. ;)

[Young pussy and dope]

See a therapist and make sure you actually are trans. I know men who claimed they wanted to be women or transition but they saw a therapist who specializes in trans issues and they discovered that they are not trans are are just drag queens or transvestites.

[transcendMental]

See a therapist and make sure you actually are trans. I know men who claimed they wanted to be women or transition but they saw a therapist who specializes in trans issues and they discovered that they are not trans are are just drag queens or transvestites.

Yes, any competent gender therapist would have as first priority to establish whether a person can be diagnosed as transsexual (the process takes a few months). So seeing a therapist should automatically do this, and should definitely be done before taking any "more permanent" steps.

But in the meantime, there is nothing at all wrong with starting electrolysis or with cross-dressing privately, if they seem to help.

[transcendMental]

Hi TM
What about hair removal by using laser treatments instead of electrolysis? Not that I am interested in transitioning or things but I am a hairy bugger and have thought about laser hair removal for some parts.. ;)

Hi tenni. Laser hair removal is also called electrolysis, at least in some places (laser electrolysis, as opposed to needle electrolysis). What I read and experienced is that laser has flukey results, and is not nearly as permanent as needle electrolysis. Laser also only works well with certain hair colors and skin tones. My electrologist is extremely knowledgeable (and a very nice person), and early on in my treatment suggested that I do a "full course" of laser and then go back to her to finish it off. I have dark hair and very light skin, so was ideal for laser (blonde hair and/or dark skin are both a problem for laser).

"Full course" at the place I went meant 5 sessions, spread a month apart to give new follicles in your face time to cycle to hair growth. These sessions were way more expensive than a needle electrology session, but cost less for a month than I'd spend on needle electrology. But the results were really splotchy and weird, and the hair always came back, even after the "full course". But the reason to do it was just to weaken the hairs so they would respond more quickly to needle electrolysis. My electrologist estimated that doing this took 2-3 years off my treatments. And it took me 2 years of needle treatments (2 hours per week) to get to a point where I could stop shaving. Another year before I could cut down to once a week. Six years into it, I go once every couple months for touch-ups, but even after 2 months I don't see hair.

Thank God I wasn't a hairy bugger. I only had hair on my face (not back, neck, chest, and little and fine enough on arms and legs that I can just shave those). Heaven help you if you want to get rid of a lot of back hair. There's a lot of real estate back there.

And don't even ask about genital electrolysis for pre-surgery. :yikes2::yikes2::yikes2: At least not in this forum. tm