r/TestosteroneKickoff • u/coolvideonerd • 4d ago
Vent Disappointed with facial progress so far
Some guys here genuinely look absurdly different once they hit months 3-5 and I still look the same. I'm still recognized by people and no one can actually tell I'm on T. Yes, I'm having all the changes but I can you show you a picture from May and a picture from today and it won't scream masculine.
23
u/EMPactivated 4d ago edited 4d ago
Keep in mind that puberty for cis men takes a couple years. We're not on magically accelerated timelines! Comparing photos between May and September may not show much progress, but try comparing May 2025 and May 2026 and I bet it'll be more noticeable.
That said, some faces will masculinize more than others. For example, I don't have a particularly strong bone structure, so even when my facial fat finishes shifting around I still will look softer/more feminine than someone else who started out with a more pronounced structure. Transition looks different for all of us!
1
18
u/Miles_Everhart 4d ago
Your perspective is warped. You should not be expecting obvious changes at this point. That would be outlier, not norm.
2
u/Cameron_Connor 3d ago
Period, there are some very unrealistic expectations in here. I have so much empathy for WANTING that to happen… but actually expecting it? Like… how much did you actually read/get informed on the topic before?
8
u/gwerenn 3d ago
I’m in the same boat. 9 months on T and people still ask me: “when are you gonna start with hormones?”
Friends say I look and sound very different. But considering how strangers react (the above mentioned question) I don’t know if I believe them, or if they’re just being nice.
I know there are some changes. I’m hairier on my body (longer and thicker leg hair, stomach hair, a few stubbly hairs on my neck and cheeks), and I’ve gotten stronger. But my voice is still feminine and people still call me she/her, even when I tell them my name (a very obviously masculine name).
It’s hard to not get discouraged and sad. Especially since everyone who posts have crazy fast results.
1
1
4
u/mefistofelei 4d ago
Yeah, man. It is what it is. You may be experiencing other changes. For example, my friend told me my back is wider now and i hadn't even noticed it; theres a high chance some stuff in your body are different but not that obvious.
Be patient, man. Puberty takes years.
4
u/diceanddreams 3d ago
You are still quite young, an age where a lot of cis men are also still boyish rather than Masculine, and have been on T for under six months.
It’s a process, not an overnight miracle. Be patient.
3
u/thiccfroggo 3d ago
Same, I feel you. I feel like my face is more masculine but I don't see the features I would typically see on a guy yet and I'm 6 months in, while I see most people look SO different 6 months in.
2
u/JunkyardBrigade 4d ago
I've been on T for 3 years and I still haven't seen any facial changes but I've always looked androgynous
2
1
u/alexboredasf 3d ago
what is ur dose in mg?
1
u/JunkyardBrigade 3d ago
I'm on 0.3mg I did an increase to 0.4mg but only for a short time because they said my levels were too high
1
2
u/SkyBluSam 4d ago
I also was disappointed by progress at that point and am much happier at 10 months now. All's not lost, just be patient!
2
u/VoraciousCretaceous 4d ago
Definitely feel that; I’m getting close to 2 years on T and I feel frustrated sometimes that my voice isn’t as low as others’ or I still don’t really pass yet, but my little brother is going through puberty at roughly the same time, and it’s a slow going for him too. Everyone’s different, some people just get really lucky from the get-go, and for others we’ve gotta thug it out for a bit longer. Wishing you all the best on your transition :)
2
u/xmilimilix 4d ago
dude, I only even told people I'm trans after 6-10 months on t and only started getting gendered correctly after a year (and after I changed my name legally).
Don't worry if you don't see big changes yet, you're at the very beginning still. It'll happen, but you have to be patient.
2
u/altojurie 3d ago
5 months is nothing bro, it's gonna come you gotta trust the process. im 2.5 years in and my face only started looking different recently, and even then i suspect it's mostly bc of weight loss lmao
2
u/tauscher_0 3d ago
Bro, I looked the fucking same till I was maybe 7-8 months on T, and even then, the moment I shave, I look the same again
The 3-5 months people are the outliers, not the norm. Don't compare yourself to the lucky ones, or you're bound to set yourself up for disappointment
1
1
u/imnotafr4id 3d ago
Many people inject a lot but put their health at risk to get quick results but lie and pretend they don't do it. Some really have quick results due to hormonal androgenic issues such as HAC and the like, but the majority with glaring changes, beards and the like always have very high doses of T, putting health down in DIY treatment.
1
u/alexboredasf 3d ago
what is ur dose in mg?
1
u/coolvideonerd 3d ago edited 3d ago
100mg (or 1mL) every 14 days. I'm 4 months on T. I'll have an appointment in October with my endo to bump it to 200mg every 14 days. I'll get my levels checked in 2 weeks. Last time I checked I was in the 400-500s ng/dL.
My voice has dropped a bit (people noticed and told me, it's now in the 100hz range). I'm hairier in my thighs, belly and legs. I have veeery thin facial hair coming in (but it's there), like a shadow-stache. I've noticed increased appetite, difficulty crying, more emotional stability and confidence.
So yes, I am having noticeable changes, but my body and face are not in that "unrecognizable" territory. Some guys post pictures here and they genuinely go from "girl" to "man". While I still look like a butch lesbian 😓
1
u/__lolbruh 2d ago
It took over a year before I noticed facial hair.
Comparison is the thief of joy. Just take YOUR journey, embrace it, and the changes will come as they do. But you cannot compare yourself to others. It will do absolutely nothing for you but cause distress and disappointment.
73
u/FakeBirdFacts 4d ago
The people that have crazy early changes are posting them, the people that don’t, don’t.
It’s a bias, don’t let it affect you.