Female-to-male transgendered; starting T destroyed my hair!

[ssquared2]

Hi guys! I'm Lane, and I'm 24 (will be 25 in 4 days!) and like the title said, I'm FTM (female-to-male). I say this as a pertinent factoid because I started testosterone in 2009 at age 19 with a full thick head of hair. By 21 I had a "V--- (my last name) hairline"-- sharply receding on the sides. All the men in my dad's side of the family have it. However in the last year or two I began to lose hair from the top and back of my head in earnest and now at almost-25 I have about 25% of my previous thickness. If that. My dad still has a full head of hair but his (younger) brother has similar hair loss as me, though he is 44 so it's a little more acceptable from my perspective.

My doctors refuse to give me any prescriptions with potential side effects because of the massive amount of meds I'm on for a variety of other conditions - neither the conditions nor the meds have side effects of hair loss though. So I've tried that avenue. I guess I'm just unlucky.

I joined this forum in hopes of finding a cure for (or at least slowing down the rate of) hair loss. I'm also curious if any other younger transmen are on here who have had similar effects from T.

[drybone]

Hey.

I am no doctor and certainly not privy to your condition or what you have been through. I do admire your courage.

Our non medicating 'cure' is hair transplants. There is also wigs and other kinds of concealers like toppik and derm match.

[2020]

go back to estrogen then. What's wrong with being a girl?

[ssquared2]

First off, the hair loss is permanent (or at least as permanent as hair loss is for males) - going off T would not re-grow my hair. Secondly, it's one thing to CHOOSE to transition to male just because you're sick of being a girl (of which I know of no one who has done so) and quite another to be born into the wrong body -- that is to say, have a male brain in a female's body. I can't go back to estrogen. Not only would that be suicide because I don't belong in a woman's body. Not to mention I've already had a double mastectomy to make my chest resemble a cis-male's and my voice has dropped to a baritone, neither of which are "fix-able."

Transsexualism is no more a choice than being gay is.

[drybone]

First off, the hair loss is permanent (or at least as permanent as hair loss is for males) - going off T would not re-grow my hair. Secondly, it's one thing to CHOOSE to transition to male just because you're sick of being a girl (of which I know of no one who has done so) and quite another to be born into the wrong body -- that is to say, have a male brain in a female's body. I can't go back to estrogen. Not only would that be suicide because I don't belong in a woman's body. Not to mention I've already had a double mastectomy to make my chest resemble a cis-male's and my voice has dropped to a baritone, neither of which are "fix-able."

Transsexualism is no more a choice than being gay is.

Hi . Please ignore 2020. He is being a jerk.

My first reaction was also ........just stop the hormone therapy? Then I remembered that its not that simple.

Also, if your hair follicle has burned out, changing hormones wont bring it back to life. Its gone. So I agree.

You will find many people on here who can give you good advice. I hope you the very best with your treatments.

[nativer]

Wild, you never hear about the girls going guy. Do you still have a vagina, or do they give you some sort of apparatus.

Well on to your issue... You are way to many ****tails of drugs for anyone to be remotely educated on it.

If I was a tranny, I would try FIN, and if you start to notice any weird shit, stop immediately. In your case, loss of drive, a feeling detachment, or depression. You can self medicate and buy it over the internet.

You should probably shave your head down first. It's about the most macho thing you can do.

[ssquared2]

Thanks drybones, I'll bear that in mind. I'm perusing the forum and learning all sorts of stuff I never knew.

Nativer- not that it's really any of your business (I don't walk around asking guys how big their dick is, for example), but I have a vagina and don't intend on having "lower surgery" as it's known in the trans* community other than a hysterectomy because it's very, VERY expensive (upwards of $50K) and more times than not there are a lot of complications and severe scarring from where they take the graft. So no, that will not be something I'm going to be pursuing. Can I still be a man with a vagina? Absolutely. I've transitioned so far that no one could possibly tell passing me on the street that I used to be "female." I am on the bus with old high school friends sometimes that don't even recognize me. I've changed my name, my sex, everything with everything. I know for many of your your dicks are the most important thing to you, but it's not for me. I'm asexual for one, so I have no desire for sex so I really don't see the point in shelling out $50K+ for something I wouldn't use, possibly wouldn't have sensation in, and may have so many problems that I wouldn't even be able to pee out of it.

As for shaving my head...well I've been really hesitant to do it because I'm a bit overweight and have a very round face so I think the look would be very bad. I've determined that once I hit 150 lbs (I'm 5'9) and the hair loss has gotten worse (I'm thinking of trying rogaine if I can afford it) then I will shave my head. But I have a long way to go before then haha.

[nativer]

No offense intended, as I was just curious. Yes you can be a man with a vagina. I have plenty of male friends who I swear have vagina's.

That is ****ing unreal, you can have a "lower surgery"

Having a dick is awesome. It's like a girls hair. You know how when you were a fem, you play with your hair, touch it for no reason, and you think about it all the time. That's why it's like have a pee pee. I'm touching it right now, and I have no idea why. I just do!

But if you can't even write your name in the snow, then I would see why you would not waste your time.

However, try FIN. You are on such a brand of drugs, might as throw another one into the mix and see how it reacts. If you feel funny stop ASAP.

150 for 5'9 for a guy is not fat. Anyhow, you need to shave your head down once. You need to meet that person in the mirror. It's empowering to take control, and say HI to that person in the mirror. You have to look at that other person and say HI to them.

[mpb47]

Hi guys! I'm Lane, and I'm 24 (will be 25 in 4 days!) and like the title said, I'm FTM (female-to-male). I say this as a pertinent factoid because I started testosterone in 2009 at age 19 with a full thick head of hair. By 21 I had a "V--- (my last name) hairline"-- sharply receding on the sides. All the men in my dad's side of the family have it. However in the last year or two I began to lose hair from the top and back of my head in earnest and now at almost-25 I have about 25% of my previous thickness. If that. My dad still has a full head of hair but his (younger) brother has similar hair loss as me, though he is 44 so it's a little more acceptable from my perspective.

My doctors refuse to give me any prescriptions with potential side effects because of the massive amount of meds I'm on for a variety of other conditions - neither the conditions nor the meds have side effects of hair loss though. So I've tried that avenue. I guess I'm just unlucky.

I joined this forum in hopes of finding a cure for (or at least slowing down the rate of) hair loss. I'm also curious if any other younger transmen are on here who have had similar effects from T.

Growing up I had a freind like you so I can relate somewhat. I know if I woke up tomorrow in a female body I would feel the same way.

If you do a search on youtube or even the web you will find that mpb is very-very common for FTM. Just like those of us born male, it is simply a result of genetics and testosterone.

Do a search and you will find that propecia/Minox works for FTM just like cis males. And NO it is NOT too late to start treatment. But the sooner the better the chances you will get more of your hair back.

While I do not suggest self medication, if you have no choice, you can get propecia yourself online.
I have used inhousepharmacy for years and have alway had good luck with them.

If you do use it, I would recommend started at a very low dose to make sure you can tolerate it.
Good Luck!

[Tracy C]

I joined this forum in hopes of finding a cure for (or at least slowing down the rate of) hair loss.

There is no cure for hereditary hair loss. There are two parts that make hereditary hair loss happen. One part is the androgen hormome DHT, which your body makes out of excess testosterone. The second part is your own hair follicles' sensitivity to the damaging effects of DHT. Some people inherit hair follicles that are more sensitive than others.

The human body converts excess unused testosterone into DHT. Since you have the ability to control how much testosterone you take, it is probably a good idea to have a talk with your doctor about adjusting your dose of testosterone.

[ssquared2]

Thanks for the tips guys!

Nativer- I know no offense was intended but usually transmen don't react well to having the suggestion that they "go back" to being a "girl" when they weren't really one in the first place and that having estrogen is a kind of slow torture for us (really, how would you like to grow boobs and have everyone assume YOU were a girl when you know you're not?) Yeah a lot of people have had bad experiences with lower surgery (and a lot have had good ones!) but I'm not willing to experience that kind of scarring (the most common one is they take all the skin from around your left arm starting at the wrist going halfway up your arm for the penile graft - imagine how THAT would look once it healed! Once again, not hating on the transmen who decide to go that route, just not for me. Plus the price tag. I'm waiting for something better to come out of the research being done into it - I mean, transwomen can have such good lower surgery that it's impossible to tell they ever HAD a penis (other than the lack of ovaries and such). *jealous* Mind, it's MUCH harder for them to "pass" once going on hormones or even before because testosterone is much harder to reverse. And nativer - I know 150 at 5'9 is a good weight: That's my GOAL weight. I'm currently 223, so I have a very round, fat face that would just look really bad with a shaved head in my opinion. There are some guys who can pull it off but I'm not one of them.

I think you're right, Tracy C, I will talk to my dr about lowering my dosage. I don't want to lower it so low that I get my period back *shudder* but enough to slow the rate of hair loss. I never even considered that I might have excess testosterone. THough I'm supposed to get tested for that yearly, I often don't bother (blood tests are expensive!).

mpb47 I've never even heard of those drugs before I came to this forum so I will definitely ask and see. And I will try an online pharmacy if she says no because I'll be damned if I'm going to be bald by 26 (trust me, it would NOT be a good look for me).

[drybone]

Keep us updated on your situation

I am certain others can learn from your experience.

[LifeHappens]

Thanks for the tips guys!

Nativer- I know no offense was intended but usually transmen don't react well to having the suggestion that they "go back" to being a "girl" when they weren't really one in the first place and that having estrogen is a kind of slow torture for us (really, how would you like to grow boobs and have everyone assume YOU were a girl when you know you're not?) Yeah a lot of people have had bad experiences with lower surgery (and a lot have had good ones!) but I'm not willing to experience that kind of scarring (the most common one is they take all the skin from around your left arm starting at the wrist going halfway up your arm for the penile graft - imagine how THAT would look once it healed! Once again, not hating on the transmen who decide to go that route, just not for me. Plus the price tag. I'm waiting for something better to come out of the research being done into it - I mean, transwomen can have such good lower surgery that it's impossible to tell they ever HAD a penis (other than the lack of ovaries and such). *jealous* Mind, it's MUCH harder for them to "pass" once going on hormones or even before because testosterone is much harder to reverse. And nativer - I know 150 at 5'9 is a good weight: That's my GOAL weight. I'm currently 223, so I have a very round, fat face that would just look really bad with a shaved head in my opinion. There are some guys who can pull it off but I'm not one of them.

I think you're right, Tracy C, I will talk to my dr about lowering my dosage. I don't want to lower it so low that I get my period back *shudder* but enough to slow the rate of hair loss. I never even considered that I might have excess testosterone. THough I'm supposed to get tested for that yearly, I often don't bother (blood tests are expensive!).

mpb47 I've never even heard of those drugs before I came to this forum so I will definitely ask and see. And I will try an online pharmacy if she says no because I'll be damned if I'm going to be bald by 26 (trust me, it would NOT be a good look for me).

I can't necessarily relate but of course in terms of the baldness issue, we all can. First thing I advise, lose that weight! Eat healthy and do a lot of running. I hate running with a passion, but one of my goals is to be a fighter, and having good cardio is a big thing to me. I suck it up and go at it. Once you start cutting the weight down, your face will frame out better, and it'll make you look better especially when you decide to shave your head. I cut from 180 to 155, and it was so worth it. You may not always feel good about your hair, but feeling good about your body is a big step and adds some confidence.

Second, to actually go as far as shaving your head is a big step. I was always that guy with the long hair and different hairstyles, and once my hairloss started getting bad enough that I couldn't really do anything it was very depressing. I wouldn't fathom the thought of shaving my head, but now I'd rather do that then struggle with it even more.

First picture was from 2010 where I was ignorant and thought my hair was fine, it wasn't until the end of 2011 and into 2012 it was more extreme. The second picture was taken in 2012 in which I had a lot of hair loss in my temples. Thank goodness I had one of the best hair stylist and she covered it so well that it was convincing, except when the weather sucked and was windy. The last pic is the result of me shaving my head fully, obviously!

[nativer]

Your becoming a man, your doctor is going to give jack and shit about your hair.

If your doc even humors you on the subject, he/she will just tell you to make a choice man with no hair, or women with hair.

-fin

[itsmyhairs]

It may not even be MPB that you're experiencing, some females lose their hair too.
Though it's like that it's the testosterone that's having the main effect (as it does in women too).

Do you have the norwood or the ludwig pattern of loss?