Jaymes
The cake is a lie
The last thread I made ended up with the original post being too long, so rather than just tack extra information on to the end of the post I thought it'd be a better idea to make a new thread.
Again, if you guys have any questions feel free to ask!
What's hormone replacement therapy?
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) involves taking sex hormones: Estrogen or testosterone, depending on if you're MTF or FTM. MTF individuals may also take androgen blockers, which stop testosterone from interacting with the body.
What's the point of HRT?
HRT is used to help trans individuals get what are called secondary sex characteristics: breast growth and softer skin are often reported by people that take estrogen and/or androgen blockers, while the growth of facial hair and a deeper voice is the most common effect for people taking testosterone.
Isn't taking hormones like that dangerous?
The short answer for that is "yes and no". Estrogen can be dangerous because it causes blood clots. However, you run into that same risk with people who are genetically female and take things like hormonal birth control pills or are post menopausal and taking an estrogen supplement.
Testosterone can also be dangerous if the blood levels of testosterone aren't properly monitored, as it can cause damage to the liver.
However when properly monitored by a doctor, the risk of these things greatly decrease.
Won't taking testosterone make you angry all the time?
No. Are biological males angry all the time? The purpose of HRT is to mimic the levels of testosterone naturally in a male's body, not to flood the body with testosterone.
Are the effects of HRT reversible?
Except for the formation of breasts, all the effects of estrogen are reversible; even then the tissue of the breasts break down a bit due to the testosterone.
With testosterone, the appearance of facial hair and a deepened voice aren't reversible. Some trans men lose hair or get a receded hair line once they start testosterone, and this isn't reversible either, except through surgery.
What exactly is sex reassignment surgery?
What 'qualifies' as sex reassignment surgery (SRS, also called genital reassignment surgery, GRS) varies from state to state and doctor to doctor. Some doctors or states consider being on hormones enough to qualify as a sex change, while other states may require a vaginoplasty, phalloplasty, hysterectomy, or chest reconstruction.
It's important to note that not every trans man or woman will have every type of surgery possible for them. Many trans men in particular don't want phalloplasties until technology improves more, but that doesn't stop many from going ahead and getting chest reconstruction. Not having a penis or vagina doesn't make any trans man or woman less of a man or woman.
What types of SRS are there?
Vaginoplasty is a surgery that uses the skin, nerves, and tissue of a penis to create a vagina for a MTF patient. Because the vagina is made from the tissue, nerves, and skin of the penis, sensation is retained.
Phalloplasty involves creating a penis from tissue removed from the arm or leg. Because the tissue and skin grafts are taken from other parts of the body, sensation may take a while to form or may not form at all.
Chest reconstruction involves removing much of the fatty tissue of the breasts, resizing the nipples, and reshaping the chest in a way that appears more masculine.
Again, if you guys have any questions feel free to ask!
What's hormone replacement therapy?
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) involves taking sex hormones: Estrogen or testosterone, depending on if you're MTF or FTM. MTF individuals may also take androgen blockers, which stop testosterone from interacting with the body.
What's the point of HRT?
HRT is used to help trans individuals get what are called secondary sex characteristics: breast growth and softer skin are often reported by people that take estrogen and/or androgen blockers, while the growth of facial hair and a deeper voice is the most common effect for people taking testosterone.
Isn't taking hormones like that dangerous?
The short answer for that is "yes and no". Estrogen can be dangerous because it causes blood clots. However, you run into that same risk with people who are genetically female and take things like hormonal birth control pills or are post menopausal and taking an estrogen supplement.
Testosterone can also be dangerous if the blood levels of testosterone aren't properly monitored, as it can cause damage to the liver.
However when properly monitored by a doctor, the risk of these things greatly decrease.
Won't taking testosterone make you angry all the time?
No. Are biological males angry all the time? The purpose of HRT is to mimic the levels of testosterone naturally in a male's body, not to flood the body with testosterone.
Are the effects of HRT reversible?
Except for the formation of breasts, all the effects of estrogen are reversible; even then the tissue of the breasts break down a bit due to the testosterone.
With testosterone, the appearance of facial hair and a deepened voice aren't reversible. Some trans men lose hair or get a receded hair line once they start testosterone, and this isn't reversible either, except through surgery.
What exactly is sex reassignment surgery?
What 'qualifies' as sex reassignment surgery (SRS, also called genital reassignment surgery, GRS) varies from state to state and doctor to doctor. Some doctors or states consider being on hormones enough to qualify as a sex change, while other states may require a vaginoplasty, phalloplasty, hysterectomy, or chest reconstruction.
It's important to note that not every trans man or woman will have every type of surgery possible for them. Many trans men in particular don't want phalloplasties until technology improves more, but that doesn't stop many from going ahead and getting chest reconstruction. Not having a penis or vagina doesn't make any trans man or woman less of a man or woman.
What types of SRS are there?
Vaginoplasty is a surgery that uses the skin, nerves, and tissue of a penis to create a vagina for a MTF patient. Because the vagina is made from the tissue, nerves, and skin of the penis, sensation is retained.
Phalloplasty involves creating a penis from tissue removed from the arm or leg. Because the tissue and skin grafts are taken from other parts of the body, sensation may take a while to form or may not form at all.
Chest reconstruction involves removing much of the fatty tissue of the breasts, resizing the nipples, and reshaping the chest in a way that appears more masculine.