Removing facial hair - but still in male mode.

[quackers]

I've just got a Boots Intense Pulse Laser Hair remover.. It is suitable for the face to remove hair permanently. Now I have never had a lot of facial hair and only have a small amount of stubble at the end of the day. I want to make my appearance more feminine - but still need to not look radically different on a professional basis.

What I suppose I'm saying is - would having no facial hair but not transitioning cause any issues? Do you think people would notice / care? I've already have shaven (well - epilated) everywhere else. How much of an effect does removing facial hair have?

[Millie]

I have been having IPL sessions at a clinic for a few moths now and still mostly presenting as male and I cant say that anyone has said anything about the fact that my facial hair has been drastically reduced and my appearance has changed quite a bit (although I have also grown and coloured my hair) I think that a lot of the time, people notice what they want to notice and have found that it has been more with people who don't know me that the change is most obvious (I got taken as female by a post woman) Also, be aware that what hair you do have will be patchy and look a bit silly!

It would be interesting to find out how you get on with the home IPL machine as I would be interested in giving it a go to try to deal with any stragglers or regrowth when my current course ends, but be warned, male facial hair is extremely tough stuff (they should make bridges out of it! ) so getting rid of your face fuzz might not be as easy as it seems.

Good luck Millie x

Oh, and facial hair removal without HRT will not be a permanent sloution, it will grow back, just a lot slower.

[Cassie]

Hello Quackers! Welcome to the forum.

If you go to work clean-shaven everyday anyway it shouldn't cause too many problems but as Millie says your beard will start to look patchy if you do go unshaven. I had several IPL sessions whilst still presenting as male and nobody ever remarked on it. I've heard quite a few stories about men who do this because they can't be bothered to shave everyday but i've never encountered any of them...

You will also find that IPL works best if you have light skin and dark hair; pale hairs can withstand pretty much everything unfortunately - electrolysis is the only really permanent way of getting rid of those.

Do please keep us posted though - I was looking at one of those in Boots and wondering how well it actually worked... i'd love to know!

[Hellfrozeover]

The Phillips and Remington models are not suitable for the face. My guess is that the Boots one would be the same. Read the instructions before risking it.

I had hair removal in male mode. No one notices.

[pictsy]

I have been considering having IPL treatment for a while now and I still go out in male mode. I never really considered that anyone would notice or care at my lack of facial hair in male mode and that they would probably just figure that I am well shaven. I actually think, for me anyway, that it is better to start the hair removal process before transitioning, but that is because I have dark stubble that I don't feel I can cover adequately with make-up.

Good luck with it
Holly xxx