Transfeminine Guide
What is HRT?
Section titled “What is HRT?”HRT stands for hormone replacement therapy.
Everyone has both estrogen and testosterone, but women generally produce more estrogen than testosterone. We want to achieve the same result through hormone replacement therapy.
For transfeminine people, this means trying to lower testosterone levels and raise estrogen levels. We can accomplish this with HRT.
This is accomplished using antiandrogens (blocks testosterone and prevents masculinization) and estradiol (causes feminization).
In this guide, you will see the terms estradiol and estrogen used interchangeably. Estradiol is the main human female sex hormone, and is a type of estrogen. Humans also produce other types of estrogens, but these estrogens are very weak in strength compared to estradiol and not relevant for trans hormone replacement therapy.
What does it do?
Section titled “What does it do?”HRT will give a myriad of changes. Most changes begin within days to weeks, although for some it may take up to a month or so to notice any changes. Keep in mind that all forms of HRT will likely make you infertile, possibly irreversibly. Consider sperm banking if this is a concern.
It’s impossible to list every single possible effect of HRT, but here are some of the major expected changes:
| -Body fat redistribution | -Decreased muscle mass | -Decreased acne and skin oil |
| -Skin softening | -Slowing of body & facial hair growth | -Decreased random erections |
| -Erectile Dysfunction* | -Reversal of androgenic hair loss* | -Decreased libido* |
| -Breast Development† | -Decreased sperm and semen production† | -Decreased testicular volume† |
*Your milage may vary! These changes may not occur for all people.
†Breast changes are mostly irreverible. HRT's effects on testicular volume, sperm and semen production may be irreversible. All other changes are reversible if HRT is stopped.
HRT will not have any effect on voice. HRT will most likely not fully reverse any facial or body hair growth, although it may slow the rate of regrowth. Some people also report changes in mood and emotion.
Changes may vary significantly between individuals due to factors like genetics, diet and weight, as well as hormone levels and HRT regimen. Different changes may plateau at different points for different people.
Breast development usually plateaus at around 1-2 years for trans women, although diet, weight, and changes or addtions to HRT regimen may cause additional breast changes years after the start of HRT.
Body fat redistribution may take also take years to reach a plateau, though changes in diet, weight and exercise may induce additional changes afterwards.