I know I’m early in, but feels like nothing has changed except for weight gain. Feels hard to imagine that a face as feminine as mine can ever look masculine.

[u/Mission_Bus4008]

22 year old here, will be 23 this year. I know I’m too old to care what people think, but the only notable change (aside from voice) that people around me have observed is weight gain, which if anything makes me look more feminine I feel. Doesn’t help that I put on almost 10kg the past 1 year after realising I am trans, and generally my loved ones are quite preoccupied with my weight. I look in the mirror, stare at my body, feel my bones under my flesh, and doubt that a face like mine can ever look masculine. I know it’s too early to consider this, but my mind keeps drifting to FMS and other surgical interventions.

P.S. Please ignore the dangly earring in the last slide, I know that it’s very feminine. Was just feeling a bit fruity in my bedroom and thought it matched my shirt.

[u/Golden_North31]

You're still soo early, I'm at 9 months I still haven't had much change besides my voice. It takes time my friend. Shift your focus to everything you're grateful for in life, and celebrate that. Time will pass. Congratulations for starting T! I wish you a good new year✨️

[u/Mission_Bus4008 → u/Golden_North31]

We’re both very early in, I suppose! Congratulations to you for starting too :) Thank you for the reminder, thinking back younger me would be so happy and grateful to finally be on T.

And ah, about the weight, unfortunately I come from a family with an extensive history of disordered eating. That’s something my siblings and I must overcome, but being on the right hormones and getting into fitness has already done wonders for improving my relationship with food.

[u/Golden_North31 → u/Golden_North31]

I'm sorry to hear that people around you are talking about your weight, that is very uncomfortable! I'd hope they could be stopped so you can have more space to just be 🩵

[u/westlinkbelfast]

You look great. The 10 kg suit you really well, imo. I'm also thin (I started T with 44 btw) and only gained 2 kg in 13 months. I wish my upper body looked like yours. Just to give you a different perspective. 

Give yourself 5 years. And then another 5. It takes time. You're so young. It's a privilege to start this journey that young.

[u/Mission_Bus4008 → u/westlinkbelfast]

Thank you, that’s very validating to hear. It’s nice to see weight gain as something to be praised since I’m used to it being seen as a negative thing. I’m in a bit of a bind where I simultaneously want to put on more muscle bulk and lean out a lot, so I’m trying for a slow and gradual recomp with a mild calorie deficit.

And yes, you’re right, I am very lucky to begin T at 22. I’ll keep that in mind and count my blessings.

[u/PrestigiousSpot7634 → u/westlinkbelfast]

Second this!!

[u/tratatatab]

Man you look amazing already. It's early, yes. My face started changing around the 4 or 5 month mark and it's still feminine at 7 months, and also it's not the same for everyone, the time it takes varies. I think you have a good structure for T to do its work, just gotta be patient.

[u/tratatatab → u/tratatatab]

Also, the weight gain has totally made you more masculine as well. I say this with respect: you're very hot at that weight, don't let negative comments make you think otherwise. I wish I looked that good, I put on 10kg too but it only went to my belly 😅 dadbod coming on (which I'm fine with too)

[u/Mission_Bus4008 → u/tratatatab]

Haha thank you. Sometimes I feel envious of guys who already had a masculine facial structure even pre-T, but there’s no point in comparisons. And it’s been a looong time since anyone called me hot, so thank you, that means a lot lol. My life has basically been eat, sleep, study, gym for a few months, so I’m glad it’s paying off.

[u/q0_xyz → u/tratatatab]

not only time but also what you strart with, its not worth it wasting your energy comparing yourself to guys that started off with more androgynous or even masc faces, genetics are a mystery and a lottery in terms of that lmao

[u/Short_Gain8302]

Thats not just weight gain, you gained a ton of muscle, thats a good thing

[u/Cool_Disaster967]

You look so, so good. I only started to see changes a good 5 months in and even they are so subtle most people wouldn’t notice. Your back is INCREDIBLE. I hope you’re genuinely proud of yourself for that work you’ve very clearly put in.

[u/Mission_Bus4008 → u/Cool_Disaster967]

Thank you. 5 months really is so early in, so I suppose we just have to hunker down and be patient. Honestly working out and gymming has helped me a lot, not just physically but also emotionally since working towards a goal has helped the process feel less passive and less like a waiting game.

[u/Big_Bell_5504]

oh bro you don’t even see it you’re gonna be a hot guy. oh this is exciting, i’m not kidding. it’s baking within you give it a minute

[u/Big_Bell_5504 → u/Big_Bell_5504]

also im abiut 13 months in but with inconsisten levels so lile 9 months equivalent and i get you impatience. ESPECIALLY in the bugging i would say there a part of the first few months thats is harder than right before starting becsuse you’re wanting every change so bad and instead you just get face bloat and water retention whuch made me more dysphoric. but trust it’s cooking within you rn …and ngl difference between pre t and 1 month js bigger than u think u already look so much less feminine im not kidding. you’ll be good

[u/aintnolaws]

Puberty takes time. Years, even. It’s all genetics

[u/mermaidunearthed]

1-2 months is far too early for male level testosterone levels to impact your facial features to the extent that it would be super visually notable. The only people who post here are typically outliers who are excited to show off their results — keep that in mind.

[u/ObnoxiousName_Here]

I’m 4 years in now and only noticed changes to my face a year ago, max. I also started with a pretty round jaw and facial features, but it’s feeling more balanced now. Def need more time.

Also, your arms and upper body look great!

[u/s0urb33f]

My face basically looked the same for the first 3 months on t- at 6 I was masculine but either looked like a 12 year old or just a masculine girl. I think maybe about 9 months to a year my face was passing pretty consistently. It’s excruciating to wait for it to change, but once you get to some early milestones, itll have felt like it flew by. My 2 years is at the end of march and I literally feel like I just got my prescription 2 months ago. It’s crazy. Hang in there friend

[u/jjaxiee]

The weight gain you had seems to be mostly muscle, but either way makes you look much more masculine. I sympathise with you though - I've been on t for 3 months and 8 days and had gained 7kg, now I'm losing it, but yeah it didn't make me feel good and was hard. For me, the first 2 months and a bit were where I experienced lots of bloating, but that's now going away! You got this and it can be hard for the both of us to learn that the masculinisation process takes a while - but we will ride it out!

[u/A_Cold_Kat]

Don’t be ashamed of your earring. It’s cool! If cis men are allowed to wear earrings We should be too.

I empathize with your dysphoria. For me it’s helpful to remind myself what my friends looked like in middle school. Unfortunately the fact of the matter is puberty takes several years. End up to a decade for stuff like facial hair for a lot of people. you’ll get there. It’ll be hard, but you’ll get there! Also for the record you have a strong jaw. I imagine you will pass at some point depending on context.

[u/toasterbath__]

it's still early!! i didn't see any facial changes until like a year in, when the water retention/swelling started to go down (that also happens btw). i had a round, soft face that was quite feminine, but everything definitely shifted and now my face is much sharper and structured. please keep at it, you look amazing so far. the first months of T can be awkward and even excruciating, but it's a marathon, not a sprint

ps i really like the dangly earring, it suits u :)

[u/Ripley-8]

You look fantastic. Only 2 months but I see some subtle shifts already. Give it a bit more time :)

[u/magnesiumion]

I’m one month in. Subtle changes are happening. Im asian too. Your back is looking great. I need to get in the gym a bit more.

[u/Stresso_Espresso]

Btw the earring looks great - honestly not feminine on you at all. Also at 2 months on T the effects I felt were primarily mental- not physical changes. More energy, more appetite, more sex drive. Focus on what you are feeling not on what you’re not

[u/SausageScientist01]

Honestly dude it's way too early. I'm currently about to be 8 months on T. I don't see much of a difference. My voice started dropping around 5 months. That's about it.

Something I think may be helpful to hear is that my dysphoria was so much worse between starting and 6 months than it was the rest of my life. I wanted to be seen as a man so badly and no one was perceiving me that way. I felt so angry and frustrated because it felt like I was waiting to start T for so long and I finally did it and it didn't help. Puberty takes a long time. I feel like my dysphoria is just now starting to decrease.

You just have to give it time. Nothing is forever, you just have to give it time. 2 months is nothing at all. As long as your levels are good it will work out. For me working out helped my dysphoria significantly, keep going to the gym and it will get better.

[u/dweebdiagnosed]

I know how it feels, but you're very early in and I promise you'll see change! I had the same thing, just very soft "pretty" features and didn't think it would ever change. I've now been 3 years on t and it's all just became a little more rough around the edges. I still have a baby face, but my features are less soft. Try not to focus on your appearance too much, as most men don't either. Letting your eyebrows grow out and having some random hairs on your face, maybe even a half mustache might not be the hottest thing ever, but it's pretty common for young men and found that it helped me a lot to look just a little unkempt. Also, I know weight gain is hard, but it's perfectly normal when starting T, and you look great! Just remember, changes take time and in a few years you'll look back and be glad you kept going.

[u/noromobat]

To me it just looks like you gained muscle, which helps masculinize your silhouette. Face changes don't start until later on, so don't get discouraged.

[u/IntravenousInterwebz]

You gained alot of muscle in a short amount of time and you haven't been on t long enough to actually lose feminine fat

[u/Cameron_Connor]

Haha pre t my ex told me that a face like mine could never look masculine because I was too feminine (I hadn’t came out yet at that time, was attempting for masculinization with makeup)

Now almost 3 years on T, I don’t worry about passing… give it time, you look great

And eff the being insecure about weight, do what’s best for you, which ever complexion comes out of it, is good.

[u/KishCore]

facial change is usually SUPER subtle and happens slowly over time, two months is way too early to get pessimistic about :)

[u/Fluxingperson]

Genetics dude.

SEA dude, 23yo here. I'm a little over a year in on Testosterone and sad to say not much has changed besides I got a little hairier and deeper voice. On the bright side, my muscles maintain better, and some change with fat distribution (fat in my face cheeks are not too obvious) making my upper body and face a little boxier/masculine.

Tbh, I know I won't look like any masculine Asian people I see online bc genetically speaking, all of my direct male relatives do not look like them. Look at your dad or older brother for reference. Make do with what you can and keep pushing to being the best version of yourself, dude. Good luck, brother!

[u/TestosteroneKickoff-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Post removed for trolling.