The "T" Party.

Shadow Dragon

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 7, 2008
Messages
4,773
Reaction score
261
Location
In the land of dragons
One thing to keep in mind about laser, is that it may not completely remove the hair. Some of it could be stubborn and keep growing back, but it'll be much finer and easier to remove. It's a very, you miles may vary, type thing. Also, it works best for people that have dark hair and a light skin tone. So, no tanning beforehand.
 

Diana Hignutt

Very Tired
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 13, 2005
Messages
13,307
Reaction score
7,081
Location
Albany, NY
I highly recommend Lucy Peter's International for permanent electrolysis. Highly. If you have one near you, you are truly blessed.
 

Caitlin Black

Wild one
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
44,834
Reaction score
2,928
Age
39
Location
The exact centre of all of existence
Hmm... 10-20 visits?

I distinctly remember the site I found saying "2 or 3 visits" and it definitely said something like "doesn't hurt".

I don't think it's literally a laser... Just a frequency of light such that the photons trick the follicles into switching off. And it did say to grow the hair in-between visits...

I'm going to have to find that site again, and get you gals' opinions on whether it's a scam or not.
 

Caitlin Black

Wild one
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
44,834
Reaction score
2,928
Age
39
Location
The exact centre of all of existence
Okay, I think this is the page I remember...

It's IPL treatment... It does say pain free, but I was wrong about not shaving. I must've confused myself, because it does say to leave a small section unshaven for assessment...

It was a long time ago that I first found that page, so my memories were fuzzy.

What do you think?

(Oh, and I must've read somewhere else about the 2-3 visits... I'll see if I can find that source as well.)
 

Caitlin Black

Wild one
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
44,834
Reaction score
2,928
Age
39
Location
The exact centre of all of existence
Here is proof that my memory sucks... Click to expand each FAQ. I did, and it told me that I'd need 6-8 treatments 4-8 weeks apart.

I could've sworn I had seen somewhere that it said 2-3 treatments... I really could have. *sigh*
 

Caitlin Black

Wild one
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
44,834
Reaction score
2,928
Age
39
Location
The exact centre of all of existence
Mmm, I'm getting that impression.

Stupid faulty memory...

I'll have to look into electrolysis prices and give that IPL place a call to see an approximate cost.

I mean, on their home page, they have "Half price" for half a leg at $150. But does that mean $150 for all 8 visits or whatever, or $150 per visit?
 

Becca_H

Where am I again?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
542
Reaction score
28
Location
United Kingdom
Ah, okay. I think I see where you're getting at.

IPL (I think) is the thing you can buy as a home kit (in fact I have one, but never used it) which cost about £200.00. It's like a laser machine but hand-held and can be done at home or professionally.

Laser is generally better (see https://www.sknclinics.co.uk/laser-hair-removal-vs-ipl) But they are pretty similar.

Generally people have about 12 sessions with laser treatment, and then when the hair becomes light, switch to electrolysis to kill of anything left (laser only works effectively on dark hair). You can just use electrolysis from the outset, but it'll be more painful, take longer, and possibly cost more.

If you're planning on tackling other areas of the body (chest etc) note that a presence of an anti-androgen in your body will have an effect on lightening body hair. Not significantly, but enough to render laser ineffective and forcing you down the electrolysis route.
 

Caitlin Black

Wild one
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
44,834
Reaction score
2,928
Age
39
Location
The exact centre of all of existence
Hmm. Okay...

So I can actually buy an IPL myself? I already have dark hair (dark brown, nearly black) so I think it'd be effective to some degree.

What if I used it on all parts of my body except a couple of crucial areas (like the hair on top of my head) at home?

Because I do intend to be pretty hair free. My legs and arms especially are annoyingly hairy. My chest, not so much.
 

Becca_H

Where am I again?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
542
Reaction score
28
Location
United Kingdom
Yeah, you should be able to. Have a look online for portable hair removal kits - you can also get portable electrolysis kits too.

You could use it for face and chest. I'd recommend not doing your legs until anti-androgens as then you'll have typical female leg hair. Personally I wouldn't touch your arm hair. It'll also reduce with anti-androgens.
 

Caitlin Black

Wild one
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
44,834
Reaction score
2,928
Age
39
Location
The exact centre of all of existence
I really wish I was already on hormones, looked less masculine, and had the courage to come out to my family today.

Basically, I went clothes shopping. *sigh*

This was for clothes for day-to-day wear, so yes, stuff that my family will see me in. Basically, I have a lot of "drinking" T-shirts (Ts with funny slogans about beer or being drunk). But I quit drinking about 2 months ago, so I feel really weird about wearing them anymore.

I don't have an awful lot of Ts left in my collection that aren't drinking Ts. So today I decided to shop around for a new look...

It's SO depressing walking around the men's section of stores, trying to think things like, "Oh, I so like this look," because, frankly, men's clothes are very obviously for men, at least the ones I looked at today were.

Is it so hard to have more variety for men's tops than the following?

- Ts with funny slogans (a look I'm getting away from)
- Ts with pictures of cars or brands of beers or very male branding otherwise on them
- Polo Ts with a breast pocket too small to hold even a pack of cigarettes, and generally with horizontal stripes in white, on a solid wall of one colour (why horizontal? Don't men need the slimming nature of vertical stripes just as much as women? Argh!)
- The sort of sleeveless shirts which are supposed to show off your male upper body
- Dress shirts (admittedly, dress shirts look alright sometimes, but I'm not about to wear them every day, because they get way hot and I hate doing the buttons up)

Argh!

This pretty much leaves me with band Ts. There's a shop in my local mall that has band Ts (as well as slogan Ts) and they have a nice selection.

But to be honest? Why aren't there any men's clothes that are neither A) a solid wall of colour (occasionally with yucky horizontal stripes) or B) guy-related interests in a picture or slogan (with what seems like no actual effort in thinking things through) nor C) dress shirts? Why?!

The look I'd be happy with right now doesn't seem to exist. I want more than one colour, an interesting design, not about cars or drinking, no obvious "look at what brand I'm wearing" branding, that sort of thing.

But there was NOTHING like that in the men's section. And then when I wandered into the women's section, they did have these sorts of designs, only with a different neckline, such that if I wore it people would probably say to me, "Hey, do you know you're wearing a woman's top?"

*headdesk*

Staying in the closet (tactically for now) is just so crap.

Sorry, just had to whinge.
 

Becca_H

Where am I again?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
542
Reaction score
28
Location
United Kingdom
Try looking at some UK online stores. Burton, Top Man and Cotton Traders all come to mind.
 

Caitlin Black

Wild one
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
44,834
Reaction score
2,928
Age
39
Location
The exact centre of all of existence
I'll check those out at some point. Thanks for the recommendations. :)

As it happens, I did find 1 T-shirt I wanted today, at the band Ts place that was closed yesterday. It's a nice and interesting Nightwish T.

Expensive though! Building a new look is going to take a lot of money!
 

Shadow Dragon

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 7, 2008
Messages
4,773
Reaction score
261
Location
In the land of dragons
Had an interesting event just now while talking to a friend over skype. it turns out that he has a bit of a crush on me. I decided that now would probably be the time to tell him that I'm trans and that I'm still pre-transition. We talked about it for a bit and decided to just remain friends.

To be honest, I'm kind of happy about that since I'm not sure if I want a relationship before at least starting transition. Though, it does kind of suck that being trans has to make things like this complicated.
 

kuwisdelu

Revolutionize the World
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
38,197
Reaction score
4,544
Location
The End of the World
I believe that men's shirts have horizontal stripes because it makes the man look broader, which many men would like.

Oh. Well, that's not a look I want.

*shrug*

I don't think that's it. It might give that effect sometimes, but I don't think I've ever seen a women's t-shirt or sweater with vertical stripes, either, always horizontal stripes. In general, vertical stripes just don't suit the type of cut t-shirts come in. Alternatively, look at dress shirts for both genders, and they're all vertical stripes. Same goes for suits for both genders.

ETA: Just noticed Cliffy mentioned polos. I've seen those come in both horizontal and vertical for both genders. I used to have a couple polos with vertical stripes that I'm pretty sure came from the men (or boys) section. Granted, they were also purple and indigo and rather form-fitting...
 

Caitlin Black

Wild one
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
44,834
Reaction score
2,928
Age
39
Location
The exact centre of all of existence
That's a good theory about the T-shirts not supporting vertical stripes... I'd never really considered that.

Ugh. I'm having a whingy day, in my head as usual.

I just want to jump forward 4 or 5 years and be in a position of feminine happiness.

Where'd I put that bloody time machine? ;)
 

Diana Hignutt

Very Tired
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 13, 2005
Messages
13,307
Reaction score
7,081
Location
Albany, NY
That's a good theory about the T-shirts not supporting vertical stripes... I'd never really considered that.

Ugh. I'm having a whingy day, in my head as usual.

I just want to jump forward 4 or 5 years and be in a position of feminine happiness.

Where'd I put that bloody time machine? ;)

Don't wish away your journey nor your life. You'll get there. Try and enjoy the ride. Time is the only thing we really have. Treasure it.