A Guide to Feminizing Hormones

Everyone deserves to feel happy and comfortable in their own bodies. There’s truly nothing like the feeling of waking up every day in the body you know and believe represents the real you.

This is especially true for transwomen who would like to physically transition to becoming female. Looking and feeling more feminine can help transwomen feel more validated, self-assured, and confident in their day-to-day life.

Feminizing hormones are the key to achieving these important physical changes. Do you need more information on what feminizing therapy involves? Or are you simply curious about how males transition to becoming female? Learn more in this article.

What is Feminizing Hormone Therapy?

Feminizing Hormone Therapy, also known as Male-to-Female therapy, is estrogen therapy that a biological male receives in order to develop “feminine” secondary sex characteristics and suppress their “masculine” ones. Medication typically includes testosterone blockers and estrogen boosters.

Examples of effects that estrogen can have on the body:

● Distribution of fat throughout the body

● Breast development

● Decreased growth of facial and body hair

● Softer skin

● More “feminine” voice

Why would a person undergo feminizing hormone therapy?

Feminizing hormone therapy is typically recommended for those who experience gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria refers to the emotional distress one feels because of their bodies not “matching” the gender they know and believe they are. A biological male whose gender is female would feel dissatisfied when looking at their masculine body

Gender dysphoria is also common among queerfolk. For queer people who would want to develop more feminine traits, feminizing hormone therapy would also be helpful. This means that feminizing hormone therapy is not just for transwomen – it’s for anyone who would like to enhance more of their feminine characteristics

The goal of feminizing hormone therapy is for a person to experience gender congruence, or the matching of a person’s gender identity and physical characteristics.

Hormones involved in feminizing therapy

Estrogen – Estrogen, the hormone that lets your body develop secondary sex characteristics, is made available in hormone therapy as estradiol. Estradiol offers the closest resemblance to estrogen that is produced in the ovaries. This is taken either through oral medication or injections under the skin.

Anti-androgens – The role of anti-androgens is to block testosterone. When testosterone is blocked, masculine characteristics such as body hair growth is reduced. Anti-androgens can be taken through oral medication or through injection under the skin.

What physical changes can you expect while undergoing therapy?

● Change in the odor of your sweat and urine

● Less sweat

● Breast development that starts out as breast buds right under the nipples (this grows overtime)

● A softer, more feminine face

● Fat distributed to the hips and thighs, as well as loss of muscle mass in arms and legs

● Less facial and body hair

Need more guidance and support? The team at Transfemme can help

At Transfemme, we’ve built a supportive community of women and transwomen who can answer your questions about male-to-female transition. Feel free to connect with us. Call us at 1-877-552-3033 or message us at 1-647-867-6180

A Guide to Feminizing Hormones

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