Side Effects Of Hormone Treatment And What They Mean For Cross-dressers

Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT for short, generates a lot of questions for cross-dressers. We know that it makes us more feminine in a definitive way. But it has other effects that we must discuss, such as risks to your health. Transitioning is complex; very few cross-dressers will find it worth it. But this is the goal of many trans people.

It does make you more feminine with time, but there are some other adverse effects it may cause. It includes a few psychological and sexual changes that may not be so desirable. Because of that, I’ll discuss the pros and cons of HRT for cross-dressers. In the end, you might be able to get your conclusions and decide whether it’s worth it or not for you.

1. Who is it for?

I would say that HRT is more fitting for trans people, but cross-dressers suffering from dysphoria can also recur to it. However, you must remember that the effects are long-lasting and will affect your daily life. Because of that, only cross-dressers looking for more definitive changes should consider it. If you’re a causal cross-dresser, this might be too much for you to bear, and I wouldn’t recommend it. The effects are pretty perceptible and may force closeted cross-dressers to come out to explain them. It also requires you to be over 18 years old if done by yourself. Trans people might do it earlier to prevent undesired effects from puberty. But it requires permission from their parents and may not be allowed in every country.

2. The positive effects

The positive aspects are what you would expect of any feminization procedure. HRT will help make your features look more feminine in many ways by replacing your masculine hormones. The effects are long-lasting and way more effective than simple cross-dressing techniques. Besides that, it should make you feel more like a woman from the inside.

Definitive feminization of your silhouette

As I’ve mentioned before, the effects are long-lasting, and some of them are definitive. These are permanent changes you won’t have to replicate each time you dress up. Some of them include the relocation of your body fat and the development of breasts. This is a significant advantage if you identify as a trans woman or see cross-dressing as a way of life. Shapewear is one of the most challenging aspects of cross-dressing. Think of all the corsets, breast forms, and other stuff you’ll have to wear to emulate feminine curves. HRT will reshape your curves more comfortably and naturally. These changes aren’t so perceptible while wearing traditionally masculine clothes. But they will make all the difference once you’re in feminine attire! Dresses and skirts are more likely to fit your frame, and you’ll need far less shapewear. And since you don’t have to worry about concealing shapewear, you’ll be able to wear revealing outfits.

Smoother skin

HRT has a direct effect on your skin. Estrogen makes your pores smaller and less oily. You may also perceive that you’ll be sweating less. Your skin also becomes thinner and dry, so it’s important to use moisturizing creams. As a side effect, how you feel things touching your skin may also be different from before. You may also become prone to minor cuts and bruises but to a small degree. The real advantage is that your skin will become smoother and naturally look feminine. It minimizes the use of makeup and makes cross-dressing sessions easier to handle. It’s also worth mentioning that you should adapt your skincare routine, but it shall become easier and less intensive.

It prevents male baldness.

A common issue for cross-dressers that like their natural hair is that men tend to become bald with time. It’s natural, and the average man loses a lot of hair depending on their age, some starting in the early twenties. It happens because of masculine hormones; HRT may help you prevent that. Some people may argue that cross-dressers can use wigs and solve the problem. It is true, but some of us prefer to let our natural hair grow as it looks more natural and realistic. Besides that, HRT does one more important thing related to hair. More specifically, it makes our body hair thinner, less noticeable, and easier to shave. With time, even your beard might stop growing. These effects, combined with the smooth skin and relocated body fat, will make you look much more feminine and passable.

Voice feminization

Voice training is a massive part of cross-dressing for those who want to pass as women. We spend hours trying to balance our pitch and tone. But masculine hormones make it harder, deepening our voices, and HRT can remove this obstacle for you. Granted, you’ll still need some practice to perfect your feminine voice, but it will be easier with time, and your pitch will be naturally lower. Combine that with voice training, and your female voice impression will be seamless. It increases passability, taking it to a new level and adding a lot of potential to the illusion. Your Adam’s apple will not disappear, but fat redistribution will make it less noticeable.

3. The adverse effects

Even though it brings so many benefits, HRT still has some significant side effects that you should know about. I will highlight the principal risks and show how they can negatively affect you.

Psychological effects

These are well known and are the main reason for HRT to be followed by psychological therapy. In trans women and cross-dressers, it can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. That’s because it increases self-esteem, which is a good thing. But the sudden change in your hormonal balance may cause mood swings and a crying crisis. This usually happens at the start of the treatment, as you still won’t notice significant changes in the first few months. It’s common to start questioning the transition. You might also fear being unable to complete it. But you can overcome these negative thoughts with the proper aid of a psychologist. Statistically, trans women suffer this side effect as often as cross-dressers. But to a lower extent, since they are more sure about what they want.

Weight gain

The effects of estrogen in displacing body fat may cause you to gain weight. It converts part of your muscle mass into fat, and researchers say that people on HRT gain around 5kg after two years of treatment, on average. This side effect can lower your self-esteem if you’re not careful due to the beauty standards for women. Because of that, HRT should be followed by steady exercises if you want to keep yourself in shape. It varies according to each metabolism, but around 25% to 30% of trans women may suffer this side effect. Cross-dressers that exercise and maintain a healthy diet are less likely to experience such an adverse effect.

Age risk

The older you are, the more likely you will suffer from adverse effects. That’s because your body will be less likely to withstand the hormone overload. If you’re over 50 years old, it might be too much change to bear. Because of that, older trans women and cross-dressers risk suffering from high blood pressure and even heart attacks. You must always keep in touch with a doctor and do regular check-ups. A medical follow-up will help you prevent disaster so you can enjoy HRT’s positive effects.

Treatment length

A significant disadvantage of HRT is the length of the treatment. Once you start it, if you want to maintain the results, you should keep doing it for the duration of your life. In the case of transgender women, they can do sex reassignment surgery and stop taking testosterone blockers. But for most cross-dressers, this is not an option. As such, they must keep taking regular doses of estrogen and T-blockers.

Infertility

In some cases, HRT may affect your reproductive system. It causes infertility for the duration of the treatment. Because of that, if you want to have children, you must pause or stop the treatment at once. Still, stopping or pausing the therapy for a few months is recommended before attempting to have children. This way, you have more chances of success. Although it’s rare, sometimes the effects might be permanent, rendering you completely sterile. So again, I want to reinforce how vital medical follow-up is for people on HRT.

4. Is it worth it for you?

So, how do you decide if HRT is worth it? It depends on your cross-dressing and life goals. If you consider yourself transfeminine or non-binary, it’s more likely to be a good idea. But cisgender male cross-dressers may not be able to deal with the full effects of HRT. It’s also recommended that you come out of the closet before starting it to access proper check-ups and medical follow-ups. Remember that you must give up on certain things to achieve a greater goal and analyze if you’re OK with the side effects.

HRT is a way of reaching a whole new level of feminization. It boosts the self-esteem of trans people and certain cross-dressers, allowing them to be who they are on the inside. However, the treatment is demanding and has several side effects. As long as you can deal with them and decide that looking more feminine is what you want, you might be able to overcome the challenges. What do you want to start HRT? Tell us how you feel about it after reading this article!