Transgender Teen Survival Guide

Ryn says:

So that depends what you mean by “good result.” Hormones do more when you start earlier, but they still work just as well later on. 

For example, if you go on testosterone after your growth plates have fused, then you won’t grow taller, but your voice will still deepen, your face will still reshape itself, and you’ll still have fat redistribution. 

Similarly, going on estrogen later in life won’t make your voice get higher, but you’ll still have breast growth, facial changes, changes to body hair growth, etc. 

It depends on the results you want- the end result is not going to be “better” or “worse” because you waited. There are a number of transition timelines around the internet of people who transitioned later in life, ranging from their late 20s all the way up into their 60s and 70s. 

Kai says:

Yes, it can fill in your waist. If you don’t have much fat it may be more subtle, and it will take a long time (months) for it to fully shift. But it definitely can help with that shape, especially if you can build upper body mass by working out etc

Lee says:

That’s one of the changes that could happen, yes. 

If you’re overweight then yeah, you’re more likely to look like an overweight cis guy with a larger stomach instead of more of the fat being on your thighs, for example. I personally am 1 year on T and my tummy isn’t bigger bc I was skinny-ish to start with and I haven’t gained any weight,  so I don’t have a lot of fat to be redistributing there. Testosterone changes your body to look more like a cis guy’s, and obviously not every cis guy has a big tummy, so not every person on T does either. 

Being on T won’t guarantee everyone a flat stomach with abs despite the muscle gain, and it won’t guarantee everyone a spare tire despite the fat redistribution. How your body looks on T depends on your individual body type! So I can’t tell you if T will make your tummy area bigger because of fat distribution, I can only say it’s a possibility. 

Our Testosterone FAQ has more info on the changes associated with T, like Can T cause weight loss/gain?.

Followers say:

mysinsarehypothetical said: To add another viewpoint, I was on the chubbier side before starting T especially in the stomach, so I was worried about that especially. I’ve found after being on T for awhile that while my stomach size has gone up slightly, the rest of my body has also gained mass from muscle, so it’s not even a notable difference. Everyone’s experience will be different with hormones.

!!

Lee says:

I’m not a guy but I’m on T, and I personally didn’t notice any change to my butt. However I didn’t have a very big butt to start with so maybe there wasn’t a lot to change.

Jay answered a question about his experience here, which is different than mine.

Kai says:

It can take months or even up to two years for noticeable fat redistribution on testosterone, so it varies. Your parents could buy you new clothes now and it may take some months for your fat to redistribute.

https://transgenderteensurvivalguide.tumblr.com/testosteronefaq

Ren says:

It is always, always, always okay to have some fears or uncertainties or anxieties about taking HRT. It’s a big change, it’s a complex process, it’s hard or even impossible to know the exact outcome, and of course, it alters your physiology - and it sounds like that’s what you’re scared of more than anything!

However, I think the thoughts you have about the physical effects of T aren’t quite accurate to how it actually works. (It’s understandable - the way we talk about changes from HRT can be confusing and not easily applicable to yourself!)

Bodies and the way they react to changes in hormones aren’t nearly so cut-and-dry. Taking testosterone doesn’t physically move the fat you already have: it actually changes the way that your body will store new fat, and the ways that your body converts and utilizes energy. In fact, T causes weight gain - but mostly in the form of muscle, because where an E-dominant endocrine system is more likely to store that excess energy in the form of fat (usually in certain places, like hips, thighs, and butts), a T-dominant endocrine system will send more excess energy to building muscle.

The way T changes your body fat distribution won’t rearrange you into a super-skinny, strange-looking stick person! The shape of your body will be different, but in general, bodies know what to do to keep themselves in “balance,” even when provided with new hormonal information.

Consider searching YouTube for “fat redistribution” + “testosterone”, + “trans man”, + “ftm”, etc. - there’s a lot of good anecdotal vlogs on there, and some will probably have visual examples of how fat redistribution really works on T. Even just this Google search (tw outdated language, bare chests) has a few good visual examples of what you might be able to expect.

If you haven’t already, you may also want to check out our Testosterone FAQ, and you might want to think about talking with an endocrinologist about your fears and expectations.

It’s okay if this response and more research doesn’t soothe your anxiety, and indeed, if you’re still worried, a lower dose of T might be a good choice - it won’t stop the effects of T, but it will cause them to happen slower, which means they’ll be easier for you to adjust to. That’s definitely a possibility you can bring up when talking about starting T with your endo. :)

Kii says:

I would suggest trying compression shorts!

Kii says:

It depends 100% on the person! I’ve seen people with great sucess in fat redisribution when they start with large hips/thighs, but I’ve also seen some people who still have wider hips even after being on T for years.

Kii says:

Not permanently, no.

You can definitely look into shapewear. Some will slim down the waist area, and some with padding will add curves to the hip/butt area. Just be cautious with those fad waist trainers (the ones with latex and hook-and-loop clasps), as there are very mixed reviews about whether they are safe for long-term use.

Kii says:

It will redistribute any fat around your hips/thigh/butt area to a more “masculine” shape.

Kevin says:

unfortunately, the only way I know is T and you don’t get to pick and choose the effects of T you get. so if you want fat redistribution in a more masculine way you would have to go on and stay on T

Ari says:

Okay so tw for exercise and body image and such:

One of the things you can do is exercise your pecs and arms so that they’ll be bigger and offset curves and such. But please do exercise healthily and listen to your body, okay? Passing/dysphoria is not worth your health.

Kii says:

Yes, T redistributes body fat, so you will not have as pronounced curves around your hips, thighs, and bottom area.