#facial changes

[pearly-may]

Me at 20

Me at 27

Damn my baby fat went "bye, bye." I am skinnier than I was when I was 20, but still... You can really see how much I've aged within 7 years.

[tmitransitioning]

I hear that mtf's require facial feminization surgery but ftm's don't? I'm ftm but pre everything. Someone I met who is mtf said hormones didn't feminize enough on her face. But my doctor says I don't need facial masculinization surgery, just hormones are enough??

nobody “requires” FFS, but some people prefer to have it because they don’t feel satisfied with their post-hrt appearance.  Similarly, nobody “needs” FMS, but some people get it because they don't’ feel satisfied with their appearance.  (i looked into jaw implants and beard implants, but decided the cost wasn’t worth it for me). HRT don’t generally do a whole lot to feminize or masculinize the facial appearance (IMO).

 for women, it tends to fill out the soft tissue and make things rounder and leading to softer skin.  For men, it tends to make things leaner and create a “broader midface” as well as changing facial hair.  I’ve also heard quotes from people on T who claim that their ears, nose, jaw, and adams apple have grown but none of these things have been shown in studies (and most of these things also change as teenaged girls age to mid-late 20s women).  

If you decide, after 5+ years on HRT that you’re not satisfied with the results you see on HRT, it might be reasonable to consider whether or not FMS is a good option for you.  Changes do take time, so give yourself plenty of it.  

mod mayhem

[tmitransitioning]

Is there any chance that after taking T for 2 years and my face would still be too feminine and get misgendered? I'm a small person too. Facial masculinzation sounds way too expensive.

it’s really a wonder what the effects of T can do.  the entire change of T (not just the changes it creates on the face- but also facial hair growth that comes over 5+ years) on the face and the body, the clothes you wear, the hairstyle you keep, it all plays a part. When i was early in transition, early on T, i got misgendered more often when i kept a certain hairstyle (short, dyke-ish, my typical pre-t hairstyle), but when i kept it a little longer (businessman) or significantly shorter, i wouldn’t get misgendered.  I didn’t really change my wardrobe from pre-t to post-T, so that didnt play a role (other than slowly maturing it as i aged, but not around the time of transition, i was casual masc).  So while i can’t say what specific changes your face alone might encounter, and how your face alone might get read (as in a headshot, for example) the significant amount of people experience enough changes overall from T and from their own changes to their style that they seldom get misgendered after a fair amount of time on HRT.  If you find you’re still getting misgendered at 2 years on HRT, you could check into if there’s things about your style (hair, clothes, presentation) that you’re interested in changing before you look at surgery.  I don’t specifically encourage you to change things you don’t want to change- you should live how you want, dress and act how you want to be comfortable, but if the misgendering is making you more uncomfortable/dysphoric than the change might make you, it’s worth considering before you consider costly and permanent options. mod mayhem

[tmitransitioning]

I got onto T last summer. I'm too old to be having any bone changes afaik, so why does my chin look bigger? Is my beard under/around it just making it look more obvious or does T make more fat distribute there? (I'm starting to experience fat redistribution now, so that could be it). Not looking a gift chin in the mouth and not bothered either way, just curious if this is actually A Thing, or just an optical illusion/me psyching myself out.

could be several things: 

T does make changes in the face, but all studies show that it’s not structural (unless you’re a young teen and still can be growing) but as a result of fat deposit changes.  these changes are generally that the nose tends to narrow along the nostrils, and also that the midface (cheekbone to cheekbone) tends to widen (think of what a stereotypical rugby or american football player looks like, versus a runner).  There isn’t a consistent increase in chin length/shape/size but that doesn’t mean that this isn’t the way it is changing on your particular body either!  since you’ve mentioned that you’re also getting your beard, it could be the trick of the beard making the chin look more prominent.  I know that for myself, when I wear a beard versus when I don’t, I get read more age-appropriate because of my still-delicate features- they seem too teen-ish for my 35-year-old face.  The beard, for me,  helps improve the facial shape and make it look more age-appropriate. 

Our facial structure also changes as we age, regardless of hormone profile. Although one year might feel like a little time to make a big change, it could be the case that your body was just set to get this chin around this age regardless.

We may never have the answer why your chin is more impressive now than before. Just because something doesn’t happen commonly enough to be written in literature doesn’t mean it’s definitely not happening to YOU.  if you’ve noticed a particular change, document it, and keep track of the change (good or bad).  sometimes our own self-reported case studies are the start of good evidence toward things that cisgender providers have overlooked. 

mod mayhem

[tmitransitioning]

Is there a way to know how my face will change / how I'll look after testosterone hrt??

Unfortunately, no. While we can give you a general idea of what will change, the specifics of what that will mean for you are unpredictable. T generally causes thickening of the brow ridge, squaring of the jaw, and the growth of facial hair - facial hair in particular can REALLY affect the look of your face! I have sideburns now and they are doing very exciting things to my appearance.

- Mod Rabbit

[tmitransitioning]

On the topic of facial changes on T: I have a twin brother, and often people will say we look alike already (which I just don't see but i digress). So my question is: will I actually end up with a facial structure similar to my twin/and or older brother when i start on T?

according to current science your facial structure (bone structure) will not change unless you’re a young teen who is still growing- but the bones only play a portion of how you look.  The soft tissue (fat and muscle over the bones) is likely to change a lot so you’re more likely to look more like your brothers than to some unrelated person, or a woman in your family.  mod mayhem

[tmitransitioning]

Since the first ask about face changing was kinda vague- I have very, very full lips and I was wondering if T would hopefully thin them out a little bit? I already have a pretty round face and it’s a big source of dysphoria for me.

This isn’t something I’ve personally experienced, and from hearing other people’s experiences of facial changes I believe it’s uncommon. I won’t say impossible, because subcutaneous fat deposits could shift to make them appear thinner in relation to the rest of your face, but I wouldn’t guarantee it as an outcome.

- Mod Wolf

[tmitransitioning]

I’m AMAB and I’m curious about skin changes with HRT. I’ve read about skin getting softer and thinner, but do pores get any smaller? Especially on the face?

we’ve answered the opposite half of this question just recently, how funny. there’s no evidence or supporting research revolving around pores (larger on T/smaller on E)that’s not to say that this change doesn’t happen/can’t happen.  just that it’s not something that’s been studied. there are very real structural changes that happen due to collagen changes with switching between a T dominant/E dominant body.  It wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility that with the changes that come to skin and body hair, pores also would change.  keeping well hydrated (internally and moisturizing) and exfoliating will keep your skin in the best shape regardlessMod mayhem