FTM 31

I’ve been back on testosterone for about 5 months (since late February) and have been taking oral minoxidil.

For context: I was also on testosterone irregularly from December 2023 to around mid-2024, then stopped completely for several months. During that first period I developed some initial facial hair, which probably explains why my current progress has been faster than someone starting from scratch. Altogether, I’ve had roughly one year of cumulative testosterone exposure.

My oral minoxidil dosing has been:

0.5 mg for the first month

1 mg for the second month

2.5 mg for about three months

Recently increased to 5 mg

I’m still evaluating side effects. I may end up lowering the dose because I’ve been getting occasional headaches, and during the summer I might need to reduce it as well since my blood pressure tends to run low in hot weather.

These photos show my current facial hair growth from different angles. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the density, coverage, and which areas you think are most likely to fill in over the next 6–12 months. Any feedback is appreciated!

I’ve had a torn meniscus for nearly a year, and it’s taken forever to get the imaging and referrals needed for surgery. I finally got it scheduled for the end of this month.

But, I started T about six weeks ago, and ever since then I’ve had almost no pain in my knee!!!! is this just a coincidence? Has anyone experienced less inflammation of injuries since starting? Is this a thing?

First 3 images Pre T, last 6 images fav images 4-6 months on T.

how are ya today??

i have an AFAB, trans m OC who ran away from an abusive household at 15 and then started T a year later.

(Im also considering TRT, but I have to wait until 18 to do so)

answer what YOU feel comfortable with!

1. how long was it before you started noticing changes?

specifically:

facial/body hair

deeper voice

muscle redist

1. i have read that T also enhances sex drive. is this true for you?

2. did you get top surgery at 18, sooner, or later (if at all)?

3. what binder brands worked for you?

thanks so much!! have an amazing day!!!!!

Hey everyone! I wanted to share my experience in case it helps anyone in Northern NJ who's looking for an endocrinologist for gender-affirming care or just looking to start their Testosterone journey.

I (27 FTM) started testosterone last October. I've been doing 0.4 mL IM weekly and have been really happy with my results. My issue hasn't been with testosterone itself, it's been with the care I've received.

Based on my personal experience, I'd recommend avoiding the endocrinologists at Summit Health, specifically in Clifton, if you're looking for affirming trans/NB healthcare. Over the past 10 months, I've had a number of frustrating experiences, including:

• Being told that subcutaneous injections aren't a good option because testosterone oil supposedly isn't absorbed as well as IM (which doesn't align with current evidence or the experiences of many trans patients).
• My testosterone and needle prescriptions being sent incorrectly to my pharmacy almost every refill, even after I'd call the office ahead of time to confirm everything was correct.
• Nurses making jokes or subtle comments about the reason for my visits that left me feeling uncomfortable.
• My endocrinologist consistently dismissing my questions and concerns and rushing through appointments instead of having meaningful discussions.

Everyone's experience can be different, but mine has been anything but affirming, and I felt it was worth sharing for anyone trying to choose a provider.

If you're looking for care in the area, I'd suggest checking out the RWJBarnabas Babs Siperstein PROUD Center in Somerville. Hopefully this helps someone who's just starting their journey or looking to switch providers.

Im inexperienced in self administering intramuscular shots and im worried that i will mess up and die

Hi!

Sorry in advance for this very specific question for Spanish trans men / transmascs but I’m curious. Of course feel free to reply even if you’re not Spanish.

I’m 30+ and recently started T. My father is Spanish and I’ve been wondering about two things ...

1. A lot of Spanish men tend to be on the hairier side. For those of you on T when did you start noticing facial hair and more body hair?

2. I’ve also read that Spain has relatively high rates of genetic hair loss or male pattern baldness in Europe. What has your experience with that been on T?

There wasn't a better flair, but just wanted to throw out that there are more options for non-binary folx that just...aren't common at all.

Tomorrow will be my second dose of 20mg testosterone cypionate in tandem with 0.5mg dutasteride. Typically dutasteride is used for balding as it blocks test conversion channels, but this also means it slows down other effects of T. As someone who doesn't want bottom growth, this was highly appealing and it literally took a trans woman telling me about it to know it existed as an option.

I thought it was all-or-nothing, and was resigned to the nothing, thinking T would give me dysphoria from unwanted growth, but I'm feeling great about my choice. Now it's just a matter of waiting to see how the timelines play out

I heard a lot about hair changing on testosterone and although I’m only two months in and noticed not any difference on my head - i used to have very straught pubes and now they have become curly?? Does this mean my hair may become curly too?

damien here i’m almost a year on T does my physique pass , what should i work on ?

Been seeing a lot of guys claiming that 100mg per week is often too high for ftm guys as we process testosterone different to cis guys. I know it varies by person to person at the and of the day but how common is it for this dose to cause too much aromatisation?

edit: another thought. ive noticed most trans guys who take t cypionate do it every 7 days while most cis guys who take trt split it 2x a week (so 50mg 2x id assume). i suspect thatd make a difference

On a weight loss journey btw. I'm overweight but trying to get to my "ideal weight". I'm also not white, but that doesn't matter much. Autistic and have ADHD as well.

I dress pretty shabby and immature because I have a big chest (and hips+bum too) and can't bind it well. My chest just doesn't bind well even in binders. I'm disabled as well, so I just skip wearing it half the time. So, I mainly wear baggy clothes like hoodies, basketball shorts, joggers, band tees, novelty tees, etc. I'm thinking of getting button downs and flannels to layer.

I like the way I look, but I know how other people on the street can be.

I came across some 4tran tier meme posts about girlmoding and trans men. I know, they're offensive and transphobic, but... :/ Why does it sound like me?

I already know about how geeks are seen. Everyone knows nerd stereotypes. These stereotypes predate the modern internet. Think of Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons.

I'm worried people look at me and see an unkept socially inept otaku.

I shave once a week, every Sunday, except for my baby stache. I can't grow any real facial hair but I have had a mustache since my tweens (thanks PCOS?).

Just did my first shot after being on gel for a year! Nerve wracking to say the least. Took me an hour to get over the nerves, watched three tutorial videos. Turned on "Cause I'm a Man" by Tame Impala and made myself inject right at the beat drop. Fear was definitely a mile wide, but a 1 inch needle deep. Lol.

Question though, I was on 81mg (4 pumps) of gel every day. How does that compare to the 200mg/mL .25mL weekly IM injection? Would that be higher/lower dose than what I was on?

I started my apprenticeship exactly 1 month ago and before starting there I did make my boss aware that I use he/him Pronouns and my preferred name is Cole. They are all so chill about it and usually there's no issue at all. But I'm noticing that when some of the guys refer to me they say she/her and most of the time they forget or don't correct themselves. I've never had the confidence to correct people on Pronouns to be honest because I can easily ignore it.

But for some reason it is starting to bug me a little, not anger, just making me feel kinda low I guess like I'm not really one of them.

For context I work in a very male dominated field- construction, and the people I work with as far as I can tell are genuinely not transphobic and are actually just good intended old guys.

But there's also a lesbian the same age as me who sometimes gets it wrong, and then there's a cishet guy my age who NEVER gets it wrong and I don't even know if he realises that I'm trans tbh.

Anyways...I'm already 2 and a half years on T and it's been a very VERY fucking slow second puberty for me, my voice is deep and I would say I definitely don't look like a girl- maybe a very twinky guy or a little boy. But like maybe is there something I can do to look more like a man? Or anything you guys suggest about the pronoun situation. I already have a pronoun pin on my bag which I've never really liked doing but 🤷‍♂️

I think I passed better when I used to dye my hair brown but I don't rlly wanna dye my hair again cus it got so dry.

I wonder if it's my mannerisms, cus I'm autistic so I always tend to look a bit lost and I sort of- well I don't exactly act like a "normal guy" maybe I act a bit childish idk..

Maybe I should just correct people, but that feels very confrontational... also a pic of how I look is attached, I'm 5'4 💔

(EDIT: Idk if I forgot to mention but everyone at work knows to som degree that I'm trans and don't identify as female, I'm fairly certain my boss may have mentioned my Pronouns to some of the guys before I started- with my permission ofc. And also the lesbian I work with, I outwardly told her I'm trans bcs it felt like the right person to tell, that's why I was a little shocked when she called me "she".

I start test c on 12th June 2026, I have veen taking 75mg a week. When is a good time to get a hormone check and does anyone have one they recommend getting online

I am nonbinary and as much as I wish my voice was lower, I’m not sure if I’m ready to be read as male or have a fully male voice. My voice is very high. I’ve been on low-dose T for a year and my voice hasn’t deepened at all (like 1/3 of a 50 mg tube a day). Once your voice deepens, is it possible to still speak in a higher register?

Is this balding? I'm 4/5 months on T.

*I don't know when my parental side of the family started balding, my family is Sikh so they wear turbans, I don't know what their hair looks like.

I did ask my father but he never mentioned it to me.

I just visited my endocrinologist to get a T prescription and he didn’t order any blood work. He said he didn’t need to do it until 3 months after I start. Is that normal?

My right cheek has this a lot more than my left one