Once you are on your HRT journey you will be eager to see the changes in your body that you have longed for. But how long will they take? Dr Parmila Kalra answered these queries. These changes will depend on whether you are doing MTF or FTM transitioning.

MTF

If you are going through MTF transitioning then after starting gender affirmative therapy you will see these changes:

1. Reduction in the hair growth over the body
2. Beard and moustache will start growing less
3. Skin texture will change. In the initial stages, says Dr Kalra, “the skin and the hair growth changes are more predominant as the distribution of fat.”
4. The distribution of fat will change but this, says Dr Kalra will take time. “They happen over a period of 3-6 months it’s not like initially in the first few days you will see but 3-6 months is when they will start to see changes.”
5. Eventually, there will be some breast development later over a period of time.
6. There might be mood swings that happen because of exterior female hormone level increase.
7. Feeling fatigued initially, though Dr Kalra warns that if this doesn’t change over a period of time and settles down “then we ask to re-consult the psychiatrist and decide on the dose and modify it.”

FTM

There are changes that FTM transitioning also ensures. These are:

1. Your voice will start getting deeper
2. Your periods stop
3. Your beard grows
4. You will have some mood swings in the beginning
5. The injection also result in an increase in libido
6. The skin texture will start getting rougher and you will sweat more
7. There is an increase the size of the clitoris.
   Please note these changes are subjective these changes may happen to some people and may happen to people at different time interval. For some people it might not happen at all, it all depends on the genes and environmental factors.

Emotional Changes

Well a lot of us are worried that HRT might change our emotions. Dr Kalra calms our worries by saying, “Not necessarily because not everyone has these changes. Some patients might not have mood swings, or emotional changes and feel this way. The thing is sometimes some patients might feel depressed, some might feel really good, and some might have mood swings so all these changes do happen but it depends on a case-to-case basis. We have to see the patient and accordingly take action.”

So, when you start your HRT remember to be patient, the changes will come but gradually.