I'd like to collaborate with something :3
(Because only posting the the source link would be an attempt to end this thread in the meaniest way. And This thread has a HUGE potential)
Remember to avoid taking hormones if you just wanna be cute and androgynous, but if after you own research you feel it's the right thing then go ahead
Any attempts of aquiring the meds, doing stuff, or paying for any procedures mentioned in this post are your own responsibility
[size=large]Introduction to Hormones[/size]
(This section is, for some reason, heavily aimed at MtFs, with some minor mentions to FtMs)
"What are hormones?"
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Essentially, hormones are chemical messengers typically released by cells within your body. They affect other cells and parts of your body and are used for transporting signals to-and-from cells. Generally, there are two types of hormones: Endocrine hormones, which are released into the bloodstream from the cells that produce them, and Exocrine hormones, which are released into a duct, and then transferred throughout the body wherever they need to go. Hormones affect everything from growth, mood, mind, cell death, your immune system, metabolism, emotions, bone-density, and even sex drive.
There are a few different ways to administer hormones. These ways are:
   Sublingual - Allowing the pill/tablet to sit under your tongue until it dissolves.
   Injection - Injecting the hormones straight into your blood stream via a hypodermic needle. This is usually done by either Intramuscular Injection (IM), or Subcutaneous Injection.
   Creams - A cream containing the hormones is rubbed into the skin.
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"What kind hormones can I get?"
An amazing amount of hormones are available for you to choose from. However, there are a few that have been singled out as the "best" hormones to take, for various reasons. Some of the available hormones are:
Estrogen
There are many types of estrogen available, including synthetic and animal harvested. Listed below are some of the more common
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Brand name Estrofem. It comes in 1 mg and 2 mg tablets that are administered sublingually (put under the tongue to dissolve). Estrofem is effective, and administration is painless. The taste isn't universally enjoyed, although it's tolerable. It takes around 2 to 5 minutes to completely dissolve under your tongue.
Brand name Progynova or Progynova Depot. Progynova comes in 1 mg and 2 mg tablets that are taken orally, whereas Progynova Depot comes in 1 ml ampules that are injected intra-muscularly. Progynova is the standard prescription in most EU-based Male-to-Female hormone regimens. 1 mg tablets are yellow whereas 2 mg tablets are blue. Ampules are fully sealed, machine-blown glass containers that must either be broken or pierced. A wheel-filter is recommend to avoid injecting glass particles.
Brand name Premarin. Usually avoided in a Male-to-Female hormone regimen due to adverse side-effects. Premarin is derived from a pregnant mare's urine and is not vegan.
Usually avoided in a Male-to-Female hormone regimen. Ethinylestradiol has been linked to a 20-fold increase in venous thromboembolic disease.
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Anti-androgen
An anti-androgen is vital to a proper male-to-female hormone regimen and essentially helps lower testosterone levels.
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Brand name Spirotone or Aldactone. It comes in 25 mg and 100 mg tablets. It's taken orally, simply swallowed with a drink or whatever you wish. It's not harmful to your liver, and generally has a very low amount of side effects. However, Spironolactone is a potassium-sparing agent, which in short, increases the amount of Potassium in your blood stream. If you aren't careful about your Potassium levels, you can suffer from hyperkalemia, or having too much potassium in your body. There are also side-effects such as constipation. Spironolactone is also known to decrease the effectiveness of anti-depressants.
Licorice root has been commonly used as a dietary supplement for stomach ulcers, bronchitis, and sore throat, as well as infections caused by viruses, such as hepatitis. It is known to increase blood pressure, cause water and salt retention, and low potassium levels. More technically, Licorice root is an: anti-inflammatory, immuno-stimulant, anti-viral, demulcent, expectorant, anti-catarrhal, anti-ulcer (PUD), hepatoprotective, spasmolytic, and, at extremely high dosages, a laxative[1][2]. Licorice root is absolutely not an effective anti-androgen on its own.
Licorice root, in terms of transgender health, is extremely effective at mitigating the negative effects associated with Spironolactone[3]. Unfortunately, more research needs to be done in regards to proper dosage and regimen for transgender women. A single, anecdotal trial has shown that around 450mg with 100mg Spironolactone in a 170lbs. trans woman was very effective.
The risks associated with Licorice root are also sparsely researched. Pseudohyperaldosteronism is a known risk which happens when too much licorice root is taken. It produces hypertension and hypokalemia.[4]
Brand name Androcur. Comes in 50mg tablets. Taken orally, preferably with food. Androcur is a very potent anti-adrogen that is the standard prescription in most EU-based trans programs.
Androcur is considered hard on the liver and dosages are lower than those of Spironolactone. Usual dosage is 50mg per day, 100mg is a high and unusual dosage.
Liver function should be closely monitored while taking Androcur, as even normal dosages have, in some cases, been linked to certain liver problems (hepatitis and hypofunction of the liver). The symptoms for these usually develop only several months after starting regular usage. Symptoms of especially liver toxicity (itching all over the body or yellowish skin) must be taken seriously.
Androcur does not have trade permissions outside the EU, which is why it's hardly ever obtainable by self-medders. Which is probably a good thing, as usage without proper supervision is much more risky than that of Spironolactone.
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Progesterone
Progesterone is another female sex hormone. There is conflicting evidence about Progesterone available. Some say that it might help with breast development, whereas one study shows it may have no positive effects, and may actually have negative side-effects. Anecdotal evidence from many sources say Progesterone helps depression and increases libido, whereas others say it has PMS-like effects for them. The general rule of thumb is that it is not a necessary component of a male-to-female regimen, but can be a useful addition if it has positive effects for you.
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Brand name Microgest or Prometrium. It comes in 100 mg and 200 mg capsules. Basically, it's Progesterone that has been Micronised (reduced in size), which is this suspended in peanut oil. Progesterone is unable to be absorbed by the body in it's natural form, so it must be reduced in size and suspended in a fatty compound such as Peanut Oil, so it will be digested properly.
Brand name Provera. Easiest-to-find form of synthetic progesterone in the EU. Comes in 2.5 mg, 5 mg and 10 mg tablets taken orally.
Usual dosage is 2.5 mg or 5 mg per day. This is the most commonly prescribed progesterone in EU-based male-to-female hormone regimens. Generally, progesterone that is bio-identical (same as the bodies Progesterone) is preferred as Medroxyprogesterone acetate is known sometimes to have androgenic (masculinizing) effects.
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Testosterone
The primary male hormone. Trans men embarking on a hormone regimen with Testosterone will need a hysterectomy within a few years.
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(Testosterone, it's what's for breakfast!)
Comes as a patch that is kept on the body. Administers a measured dose throughout the day.
Comes as an injectable liquid in an ampule, or a little vial, and is administered by intramuscular injection. Ampules are fully sealed, machine-blown glass containers that must either be broken or pierced. A wheel-filter is recommend to avoid injecting glass particles.Â
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Anti-estrogen
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Brand name Armotraz or Arimidex. Anastrozole is a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor which essentially decreases the amount of estrogen the body produces.
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"Dosage?"
This is a question that truly takes a medical professional going over your blood work to give the best answer.
It is strongly recommended you consult your physician about doses.
However:
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The below tables are a reproduction of Table 12. Hormone regimens in the transsexual persons in the Endocrine Society's Clinical Guidelines regarding Endocrine Treatment of Transsexual Persons.
[Reference was 404, .pdf needed=-=Information below stays unconfirmed and is only for informative purposes]
Male-to-Female
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Female-to-Male
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"Complications!?"
There is definite risk of complications in undergoing a hormone replacement therapy! Below are tables describing common complications.
Male-to-Female
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Female-to-Male
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It should be noted that once you begin Testosterone you will need a hysterectomy within a few years.
"What effects can I look forward to?"
It all depends on your body, genetics, age, and health. Hormones will not turn a 200lb 6'1" burly man into a 110lb 5'6" skinny female, or vice-versa. If you're 6'1, you will probably always be 6'1". If you're built big then that's just the way you're going to have to be. This doesn't mean you won't be passable or beautiful, as there are plenty of muscular, big, thick, and heavily built women who are absolutely gorgeous! If you work at it, most of the muscle on your body (in the arms, chest, abs, thighs, etc) can be lost, to have a more feminine appearance.
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Testosterone and Estrogen differ in two ways: Testosterone makes you gain muscle mass and lose fat. Estrogen does the opposite, making you lose muscle mass and gain fat. After starting hormones, you can exercise to help your muscles transition from masculine to more feminine. The best exercises for a trans woman would be low-impact, high-cardio activity like swimming, biking, etc. A trans woman will absolutely want to avoid weight lifting. Of course, a trans man will want to do the opposite! The best way to lose muscle mass is to not use them. Be a couch potato, but try to eat healthy to keep yourself from just getting very fat. For those trans women who feel like their body just will not shed muscle, or are looking for quicker ways to shed that muscle, they can look into a low protein diet. Intense cardio has also been suggested as a way to lose stubborn muscle.
Overall, the effects of hormones will differ greatly from person to person. Something that may happen quickly for one person, may take many more months for another, or perhaps even won't happen at all. Some girls redistribute fat differently, some girls will grow breasts that are normal for their frame, some even bigger and some less than average for their frame. But as a guideline, don't expect anything. Just allow yourself to accept and enjoy the changes as they go![/spoiler]
What to expect: (Effects are listed here in no particular order).
[spoiler]
   You sit there now having no idea, but you'll realize after you start hormones how much Testosterone really does affect your thinking, and how much you really DO think with your penis, whether you know it or not! Some changes reported by transgenders
   Usually, a male-to-female will see decreased libido whereas a female-to-male will see increased libido. This isn't a for-sure thing, but many male-to-females do lose their sex drive. Some lose the urge to masturbate as frequently, or at all. They may also have problems maintaining erections. Some male-to-females report an increase in sex drive, whether accompanied by Erectile Dysfunction or not.
   A light exercise routine can help mitigate this, but you will lose lots of muscle mass.
   Many girls stop ejaculating completely. All that cum you used to spurt out all over the walls, bed sheets, your hands, people's faces, etc (😛) will be gone! You can still orgasm of course, but nothing comes out.
   Your breasts will slowly but surely start growing. Just as in a genetic-girl, they go from slightly swelling and being tender (and oh-so-painful), to a slightly raised mound, to growing a little bit every day. You won't notice that today your boobs are 1/100th of an inch bigger than they were yesterday, but over time (months), you'll notice they are definitely growing. It usually takes anywhere from 2 years to 7 years for full breast development, so be patient, and don't expect miracles. The rule of thumb on breast size is one cup less than your genetic female relatives, but it varies from person to person. The younger you start, the more developed your breasts will be at the end. Older transsexuals, especially those starting at 30+, often receive very little, if any, breast development. But there is always surgery for that. However, starting young (late teens, early twenties) can result in developed breasts. Transsexuals who have started earlier than 18 have even reached complete, Tanner Stage V, breast development.
   Over time, your body fat will slowly redistribute, from the male fat deposits on the stomach, to the female fat deposits of the upper arms, thighs, hips, and breasts. Over a period of 1 to maybe 2 or 3 years, your body can go from looking very masculine to a female "hour glass figure". But this all depends on body type and genetics, once again.
   Your body hair will slowly change, and either disappear completely or turn into vellus hairs (baby hairs, the kind women have). Your body will slowly change towards hairless limbs and trunk, and your pubic hair will redistribute to a female pattern. Male Pattern Baldness will be stopped completely, as it's caused by Testosterone (which you no longer have!), but it can rarely be reversed. Facial hair is sometimes, but not often affected by hormones, generally only slowing the growth of it. Laser hair removal (or another treatment like it) is usually required to completely get rid of it. The general wisdom is to avoid laser hair removal on the chest in favor of the face. After two years all your hair should have turned to vellus hairs, but of course your mileage may vary.
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What's not going to happen
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Female hormones will not have any affect on:
Â
Height, skeletal structure, and hands/feet are completely irreversible, aside from very dangerous, extreme, expensive, and experimental surgery for some parts of it! Your Larynx can be surgically reduced. Your voice is completely changeable with practice! It is possible to go from the deepest male voice to a normal female voice. If you are still having trouble, recent developments in voice surgery give you another option. Your face can be made more feminine by Facial Feminization Surgery.
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"Starting age?"
One thing to remember is that you really can transition at any age. You are not too old, and you will never be too old. It doesn't matter if you're 11, 25, 38, 45, or 62. It's never too late to start transition. I know many people wait until their mid-to-late twenties, early thirties to start. Of course, starting older means you will have more of the negative effects of testosterone. The rule of thumb is that the main age this happens is in the late twenties to late forties, depending on genetics and other factors. Many, many transsexuals transition later in life and end up looking absolutely gorgeous. Just do what you feel is right, regardless of age or looks. You'll thank yourself later!
Effects TimeLine
Below is a time-line of expected effects from hormones, based on clinical observation.
Male-To-Female
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Female-To-Male
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both tables excludes mental effects due to the difficulty in describing them.
"What surgeries should I look into?"
If you're reading this, you already know there is one glaringly obvious surgery to include here and that is Sexual Reassignment Surgery! This is the operation that turns your penis into a vagina, also known as a Vaginoplasty.
[spoiler]
However, there are numerous other surgeries available as well. These include (but are not limited to):
Feminization Laryngoplasty (FemLar)
Facial Feminization Surgery (FFS)
Breast Augmentation Surgeries
Trachea Shave
Bilateral Orchiectomy (Castration)
Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is, obviously, breast implants. Many transgirls do not like their breast development, and seek to attain bigger bust sizes, so they opt for Breast Augmentation. Self-explanatory really. Although girls with no breast development at all will have trouble with Breast Augmentation, and can often times end up with fake looking breasts. The more breast development you have naturally, the better your implants will look.
Stem Cell Breast Augmentation
There are several downsides to typical breast augmentation surgery. The saline "bag" implanted inside the breast feels uncomfortable and can explode with enough trauma. Stem cell breast augmentation attempts to transplant fat from one area of the body to the breast. Stem cells are used to increase the amount of transplanted fat that survives and thrives. They also are used to encourage growth of more fat cells in the transplant area. The cost of the operation is typically twice that of typical breast augmentation. [5] Stem Cell Breast Augmentation fees estimate between $18000.00 to $22000.00. [6]
Facial Feminization Surgery
FFS is a series of surgeries designed to make the face look more female. These can include nose jobs, face lifts, lip changes, cheek changes, etc. These are very extensive surgeries, and many trans women do not bother with them, unless they are one who transitioned much later in life. Generally hormones, with fat redistribution, will make the face look much more feminine anyway.
Trachea Shave
A Trachea Shave is a surgery that reduces the size of the Adam's Apple. Basically, the surgeon scrape the front of the trachea to reduce it's size. There can be complications with this, but it's usually done as an outpatient procedure.
Feminization Laryngoplasty
Feminization laryngoplasty is a procedure designed to make a genetic male's voice box smaller and vocal cords shorter in an attempt to raise the comfortable speaking pitch. The surgeon almost always trys to alter the resonance as well by adding in a thyrohyoid elevation at the same time. The thyrohyoid elevation attempts to shorten the pharynx (the throat) to improve the resonance of the higher pitches. In general the procedure cuts off the lower range and sometimes adds a few notes on the upper end of the range and sometimes removes some notes from the upper end. The procedure includes a trachea shave. [7]
Bilateral Orchiectomy
In short, castration. Also known as an orchidectomy. It's a surgery that simply removes the testes from the scrotum. After removal of the testes, your body will not produce the amount of testosterone it used to. This will allow you to stop taking anti-androgens. However, if you plan on having SRS performed, it is generally not advised to have an orchiectomy as the procedure can cause shrinkage that may interfere with creating enough depth in the neovagina. If this is a problem for you, a good rule of thumb is to have SRS a year after orchiectomy atthe most.
Sexual Reassignment Surgery
Sexual Reassignment Surgery (SRS), also called Gender Reassignment Surgery (GRS) in the past, is a male-to-female operation that aims to create a vagina from the penis. That's a very simple explanation, so let's go in-depth. There are two main surgeries that go on during SRS. These are Vaginoplasty, or Colovaginoplasty, depending on which route you take (elaborating on that later), and the Labiaplasty. To start, there are two different routes to take for this. Penis inversion Vaginoplasty, which is basically the inversion of the penis to form a vaginal canal. A Colovaginoplasty, as you can guess, uses part of the sigmoid colon to form the vaginal lining. Labiaplasty aims to make the final vaginal canal look like a normal vagina. This roughly involves constructing the labias and setting the urethra in the right position, among other details. [8]
Penile inversion
Penile inversion is a surgical technique for genital reassignment (sex change) used to construct a neo-vagina from a penis for transwomen, sometimes also for intersex people. It is one of two main sorts of vaginoplasty, along with colovaginoplasty.
The erectile tissue of the penis is removed, and the skin, with its blood and nerve supplies still attached, is used to create a vestibule area and labia minora, and inverted into a cavity created in the pelvic tissue. Part of the tip (glans) of the penis, still connected to its blood and nerve supplies, is usually used to construct a clitoris, the urethra is shortened to end at a place that is appropriate for a female anatomy. [9]
Colovaginoplasty
With colovaginoplasty, sometimes called a colon section, a vagina is created by cutting away a section of the sigmoid colon and using it to form a vaginal lining.
This surgery is performed on females with androgen insensitivity syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, vaginal agenesis, Mayer-Rokitansky syndrome, and other intersexed conditions, where non-invasive forms of lengthening the vagina cannot be done and, mostly, on male-to-female transsexuals as an alternative to penile inversion with or without an accompanying skin graft (usually from either the thigh or abdomen).
Due to numerous potential complications (such as diversion colitis) most surgeons will recommend a colovaginoplasty only when there is no alternative. [10]
One other frequently asked question regarding surgery is: "Can they make a clitoris? and can I orgasm post-operation?"
In short: Yes, they can make a clitoris, and Yes, it varies between girls but most definitely possible.
Your Neoclitoris and You
There are two ways to create a clitoris for a transsexual woman. The most common method is to remove the head or glans of the penis, and use some of that tissue to function in the position of a biological woman's clitoris. Some transsexual women have the entire penis head used as their clitoris. Some transsexual women have had spongiform tissue from the urethra fashioned to function as the neoclitoris.
The success rate for the creation of a clitoris for transsexual women varies greatly.If the relocation of the glans penis is successful then the transsexual woman may have a sensate neoclitoris capable of orgasm.
The glans penis tissue does not resemble a biological woman's clitoris. Most transsexual women's bodies readily accept the relocation of glans penile tissue in the area of a biological woman's clitoris. However, as with all surgeries nothing is perfect and there have been cases of the glans penis neoclitoris bleeding and even falling off entirely.
There are many surgeons who do not attempt any creation of a neoclitoris for their transsexual patients. Instead they allow the transwoman to orgasm with the penile lined vagina. Some surgeons do not agree with using the head of the penis to create a neoclitoris. They prefer to either use urethral spongiform tissue or make no attempt at the creation of a clitoris at all. Some surgeons take the head of the penis and surgically place it inside the body in the position of a cervix. Many transsexual women like the glans penis being inside their bodies because it can be greatly stimulated during vaginal penetration.
The transsexual activist and playwright Kate Bornstein has indicated in her book Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and The Rest Of Us that her glans penis was placed inside her body in the position of a cervix. She reports enjoying vaginal penetration and that the use of dildos greatly stimulates her now internalized glans.
Standards of Care
In order to qualify for Sexual Reassignment Surgery, one must meet certain requirements set by a doctor. These differ from doctor to doctor and locale to locale, depending on what, if any, diagnostic standards are being followed.
Common requirements are letters of recommendation from separate doctors/psychiatrists, prolonged, consistent therapy, and years living as a woman. [11]
SRS is not something you do on a whim. It's a very serious operation, and is completely irreversible. Obviously, one needs to be sure. After SRS, you will need to continue hormones for the rest of your life as you do not have ovaries or a uterus, so you don't produce much estrogen!
Of course, before you ever make a decision about SRS, you may find yourself in the operating room for one of the above surgeries!
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Ripped off from source of the whole wall of text : 420chan's wiki "taimapedia" in "hormones" article
I'll continue to edit, fix, or add up stuff in this post, since i noticed some reference links are dead, some things can leave questions hanging around and i have yet to add some things present in the original article.
Plus some typos on the bbcode that may mess up the shit out of this post
