Should I Start Hormone Therapy If I’m Trans?

Hello, lovelies! For today’s article, I decided to write on a very special topic. Starting hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, is a common thought that crosses the mind of everyone who experiences gender dysphoria at some point. I think that we need to tackle this concern in a proper manner.

Undergoing feminizing hormone therapy is a very personal decision that is ultimately up to you.

This article is intended to serve as a guideline so you go through the necessary steps in case you decide it’s the right decision for you.

Without further ado, let’s learn what this treatment implies and whether you decide to move forward with it.

What Is Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Also known as HRT or, more specifically, feminizing hormone therapy (FRT) is a medical treatment aimed to treat gender dysphoria.

A lot of new terms at once if you are only starting to learn about this.

I’ve written two previous articles on this blog, be sure to check them out to have a more comprehensive understanding of these topics.

But in case you need to refresh your memory, we are going to go over them briefly.

First, let’s start by breaking them apart to make them more understandable.

Gender dysphoria is a medical condition that happens when a person doesn’t identify with the body in which they are born.

HRT is a common medical treatment that helps them adjust their bodies to their persona and gender identity.

This can be combined with different surgical procedures, like sexual-affirming surgery.

What Are The Changes HRT Produces?

There are a lot of changes that you can expect from hormone replacement therapy.

The medication includes some testosterone blockers and female hormones that come in different ways.

The first one is to reduce the effects of the male hormones that are produced naturally.

Loss of muscle mass and less production of body hair are some of the consequences of taking them.

They also help the female hormones work more effectively and faster.

Feminizing hormone therapy helps the body develop as if it was biologically female.

Some of the changes produced by the changes in metabolism are, loss of muscle, increased hair growth, breast development, and redistribution of body fat, among others.

If a person was assigned male at birth, this treatment can produce infertility.

Many who still wish to have a kid one day with their genetic code, freeze their sperm before starting the treatment.

Raised As A Boy But I Feel Like a Girl: Am I Trans?

Short answer, yes. And there’s no reason to worry about it. But this doesn’t mean that these treatments are for you.

Not every trans woman goes through surgical procedures or HRT.

Gender is a wide spectrum that can’t be understood with a black-or-white mentality.

These medical treatments are optional, not mandatory.

For starters, you should consult with a psychologist specialist on gender issues.

Therapy is the first necessary step to help you sort out your feelings about this.

Sometimes, one thinks, “It’s just a phase,” but if these feelings are persistent over the years and don’t go away, they must be addressed.

Everything begins with the smallest of the steps and asking yourselves the questions you have regarding your gender.

If you can’t, and probably won’t, solve this on your own, a professional has the tools to help you sort it out.

If you don’t know where to start looking for one, read this post with the best online resources for trans people!

I Decided To Take Hormones: Where Do I Start?

I think it is pretty obvious to clarify it: with medical consultation.

Your health is above all and to avoid any unwanted side effects you need to follow medical instructions.

If you’ve consulted with a specialized therapist, I’m sure they can refer you to a good doctor.

There is some useful information about this too in the previous link I listed if you don’t know where to start looking for one.

If you are underaged and are reading this, ask your parents about the necessity of therapy.

Gender dysphoria is not something that goes away with time, you just learn to live with it.

Whether a medical treatment or procedure will get rid of it, you have the final word on it.

Gender affirming treatments are better tackled before the hormonal changes that occur during puberty.

This is why starting during the teen years leads to more effective results.

The Most Important Thing During Transitioning

I will never get tired of repeating this because it is so fundamental through this process and in life itself.

Love and support are something you can’t get by without it.

I know sometimes it seems that you are alone in the world and can’t understand how you feel.

But believe me, you’re not the first nor the last going through something like this.

Hope is found even in the most unexpected of places and persons.

There are many worldwide organizations on the previous link that will help you through the first steps of this process.

I really suggest that you check them out to prepare further for this process.

There you can talk with other trans folks that have been through something similar.

They will help you cope with the process and know what to expect from it from a personal perspective. Ask for help, and you’ll get some!

Transitioning and undergoing gender affirming treatments is not a decision that can be taken lightly.

But it isn’t something to be afraid of either. Thanks to medical advances if you wish for a body that matches your gender you can do so.

And thanks to trans visibility, there are tons of support groups not only online, but probably there’s one near you.

Maybe, these posts (1, 2) can help you when you decide to come out. I hope that I have been of some help today.

Remember to stay safe, darlings! See you soon!

Written by Tina Munova.