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[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

Sorry if this has been asked, but do you have a list of wait times for the surgeons who do top surgery through the NHS in England?

Some very rough estimates for some of the surgeons would be:

Christopher Caddy - 4 months

Grit Dabritz - 11 months

Philip Drew - at least 6 months

Peter Kneeshaw - 11-12 months

Catherine Milroy - 6-12 months

Robert Morris - 4 months

Victoria Rose - 12 months

Thangasamy Sankar - 6 months

If anyone has any information about surgeons not on this list, or updates for those who are we would be very grateful to hear!

~ Alex

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

26/12/12 - yesterday I did something I have wanted to do for what has literally been months, and shaved my hair off. Still catching myself by surprise when I see my reflection, but I love it. Ears are cold though

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

My FreeToM

So a little while ago I bought myself a FreeToM rouge 5.5 for packing, peeing and maybe sex purposes. I’ve had it a little under two weeks, and must admit I am very thoroughly impressed. It packs well, I have had absolutely no issues peeing with it at all. Not a single bit of leakage or backflow any time I have used it, even first thing in the morning or after a few beers. I’m very happy with using it at urinals and around other men, I hope to continue as I am currently and without incident! When I pee all I do is pull it over boxers and push the balls up while pointing down and opening the hidden pee hole with a gentle squeeze

Packing with it is awesome, it looks bulky but when it’s in a good position, it sits well and I have no problems. If it sits right, it looks natural, if I get the position wrong or I’m not wearing tight pants, it does look like a semi 😂 I live in skinny jeans, and it’s not obscenely huge as a bulge, it looks pretty normal

I forgot the rod when I was planning to use it for sex reasons, so although it’s thick silicone, I feel like it definitely needs the rod in order for penetration otherwise it is just not hard enough to do what it’s meant to! Condoms are most definitely a must when it comes to play though. I will admit, there’s something natural about being able to just pull my dick out of my pants and just go without fumbling around with harnesses and all of that rubbish though. I have yet to make up my mind fully about sexual use, will probably have a better opinion once I use it with the rod 🙄

I have three peecock harnesses, although I prefer to use a jock strap with a hole, they all work the same but the jock strap method is far cheaper and in many ways can be more comfortable

I would 100% definitely buy another FreeToM product after my experience with this one, I don’t think I could really be more satisfied, especially after the disasters I have had with almost every other of my stp’s.

My only real complaints about my FreeToM are from how long it took to get to me. Even with express international delivery, it took a very long time to get here. Once it had arrived in the UK, it was then taken and thoroughly investigated by UK customs who I then had to pay import duty and a little extra ‘handling fee’ because they’d opened my package. Literally. Cheeky bastards. I went for the Caucasian option for flesh tone, but I feel it is very yellow against my skin tone, and although I do wish I had chosen darker, nobody really looks at your dick at a urinal so I don’t care that much at all. Only other tiny issue is that because of international postage, they have to state what is in the box. Thankfully all it said was ‘silicone prosthetic’, but again, that’s not really an issue at all.

I have tried peecock, no1 stp, no1 model D sport, a modified mr limpy, and now FreeToM and I would choose FreeToM every time.

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

29/11/17

I don’t really know what to say, dysphoria is royally kicking my arse, and has been for the past week or so. I really don’t know how to handle it. I feel so body conscious all of the time, and one person misgendering me is enough to ruin my entire day.

When my girl isn’t here I literally sleep in boxers and a binder because I just cannot deal with what’s underneath them. I’m currently just hoping for things to get better and to hopefully feel a little more like myself again soon

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

10/11/2017 tomorrow will be 7 months on T!

I haven’t noticed anything new recently, however there have been a few comments on voice drops and generally looking broader or more masculine than before.

I get read as male around 95% of the time by people who don’t know me, as for the people who do know me (colleagues, people I don’t often interact with, and those who knew me from before) most of them are still addressing me by the wrong pronouns despite correcting them each and every time.

Body hair! There is most definitely a small happy trail creeping in, the inside of my thighs are growing thick hairs, I have a fluffy butt, and my leg hairs have started creeping over my knees so that’s great. Hairs on my arms are definitely longer too, and there’s more of them, even baby finger hairs are making an appearance.

Facial hair, this is one thing I’m particularly excited about. I have the smallest blonde moustache, but it is most definitely there! I also have some very fine blonde hairs on my neck and around my jawline in general. Very hard to get any of this on camera purely due to the lightness of hairs.

Sweating is becoming a problem for me, even with super strength antiperspirant my underarms are soaking my clothes. Acne keeps making an appearance the closer it gets to leg stabbing day, so pretty much I can tell the days of the week by my skin condition 😒

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

14/10/17 - in need of a haircut but that jawline is standing out more these days ❤️

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

03/10/2017 First appointment at the gender clinic! It was no way near as scary as I thought it would be, the doctor was lovely, managed to fit everything into an hour. The doctor was happy with everything, and I have my next appointment in six months! Hopefully will start on NHS T ☺️

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

5.5 months on T and having my first actually needed shave. So long peach fuzz! 25/09/17

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

22/09/17 purely putting this on here so I can look back and see how my body is changing 😐

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

04/09/2017

Started noticing some bum fluff on the bottom my my chin 😁

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

So just under 4 months and definitely starting to get some muscle definition on my shoulders, filling out a medium T shirt well. Ignore the tummy flub and the pizza boob

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

So, four months (11/8/17), noticed a few small changes! More leg hair on my thighs Slight voice drop - people are noticing and commenting on the change! Acne. Face, back, shoulders.. everywhere Also noted but may be totally irrelevant, a really itchy chin. Hopefully this is the start of facial hair 🤞 The biggest change I have noticed in the last few months is that I’m significantly bulkier. My shoulders are bigger, I am a lot heavier, and my thighs are stronger. Really should get back into the gym..

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

I can't seem to find that list of FTM gender affirming things, or that you're the blog that made one. Could you please help me out?

Lee says:

I’m not sure exactly what you’re looking for, so check out these links!

Dysphoria:

Coping with dysphoria masterpost

Disablity-friendly dysphoria tips

Transmasculine dysphoria

Dysphoria when you have to wear a dress

Dysphoria and periods / Period Dysphoria

Masturbation with dysphoria

Presentation/Clothes:

Masculine Makeup / Kii’s masculine makeup / Fiber mascara beard

Finding Masculine Clothing in the Women’s Section (our own article)

Dressing to flatter your body type

Our Masculine Clothes post

How to dress better than James Bond

Where to Get Men’s Clothes that Fit

Packing/Binding:

Lee’s post on packing 101 and packer size

Our binding FAQ

Binding without a binder

Passing:

Passing tips

How to pass as male

Guide to being read as male

Hudson’s FTM Guide

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

Spectrum outfitters is a new UK BASED company that is about to start selling binders

I know this damn website is so Americanised but PLEASE reblog this! Transmasculine people in the UK have to pay a ridiculous amount of money for shipping from America. This could change all that.

Support your UK trans community. Reblog this. Get the word out.

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

Hey, I was referred to CHX in September last year, and I have still heard nothing from them. I've been to my gp who haven't heard anything either, and I've been given what apparently is a duff number with no option to leave a voicemail. Does anyone have any advice on what to do because I'm feeling a little concerned that I'm not getting anywhere. It's been 10 months of silence /:

Did you contact them using the number on their website? They came under new management in April this year, and their phone number changed, so if you’ve been trying to use their old number recently then that’s likely the issue.

As far as I know, they’re usually quite quick in sending people ‘welcome packs’ after referral, so I would have thought you should have heard from them by now - I would definitely get in touch with them using the number linked to above, or perhaps using the email address, to see if you can find out more.

~ James

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

Beginner Workout Tips

I know a lot of guys wanna improve their strength, and summer is definitely a good time for that. Many of us have more free time now that it’s summer. Perfect time to try out the gym. If you’re thinking of working on getting go the gym more this summer, I have a few tips that could really help:

Starting off is tough. Get through 2 weeks, though, and you’ll probably be able to make going to the gym a consistent habit! The first week is definitely the hardest. If you can, find a friend to work out with. Put the offer out there, and you’d be surprised who might say yes. It’s definitely more motivating to go when you have a friend going with you. It’ll keep you both accountable, on track, and motivated. Trust me, it worked for me back when I first decided to get serious about exercising.

Start taking a multi-vitamin. Sure, you should be able to get enough nutrition from food alone, but some diets have holes in them and multi-vitamins can fill those in. If you don’t have proper nutrition, you won’t see results, and you might actually strain your body. I know not all of us make the best food decisions every day. This will help your body stay on track.

Increase your protein intake on days you work out. When you lift weights, this is especially important. Meats are all high in protein. Try and make choices that tend to be lower in fats. Eggs are your best friends! Fish is great, and omega oils are Good for you, yo. Beans, peanut butter, nuts, milk, and yogurt all have protein, too (and the dairy items have calcium! an extra plus!), so don’t stress if you can’t have meat! And while we’re on the subject of protein, this is extremely important to point out: Protein shakes are NEVER a meal-replacement. Skipping meals or eating less than 2000 calories (if you’re counting) will hurt you. Seriously. Don’t do that. Protein shakes are meant to be consumed after workouts, unless they are specifically pre-workout shakes. Whey protein will be tough on those of you who are lactose-intolerant, because it’s made from milk, so even though it’s typically cheaper than other plant-based protein powders, the extra money will help you not feel terrible. The easiest on the stomach, I have found, are rice-based protein powders. If the store has little individual packets, buy different flavors and different ones to see which one(s) you like best. I personally am partial to the generic CVS chocolate flavored whey powder.

If you are just starting out on lifting, do NOT go heavy. Your muscles will build p strength faster than your tendons, so you could hurt yourself if you try to go too heavy too fast. If something hurts, do NOT do the exercise. Know your limits, and never push yourself to a crazy degree. I know you wanna impress your friends you’re at the gym with, or even the cute person you’ve been eyeing across the gym, but if you hurt yourself, you will look like a huge fool. It will ruin you. Don’t. Instead, do lighter weights with higher reps. I usually go for 3 sets of 10 reps, but you can go for anywhere from 8-12 reps. Only after you have built up a certain degree of strength would I even attempt to go heavier and even target certain body parts and muscle groups more intensely than others.

Have at least 2 rest days! Rest days are important. Your body needs to recover, or else it will never grow. You’ll also just exhaust yourself, and that’s not good. Use your rest days to just chill out. Stay hydrated and stretch so the soreness from your gym days won’t make you stiff and will dissipate faster!

Split your lift days by muscle-groups. This will keep your workouts structured and keep your body’s development proportional. I divide my days up like this: pull day (biceps and back), push day (triceps and chest with some shoulders), leg day (and yeah, don’t skip it), and shoulder day (since I just really want mine to develop well lol). I do abs every time, after I lift, but you can also do them before. Don’t skimp out with abs. Sure, it hurts, but the results are great. Core strength will really help with overall strength! I do at least 5 weight-lifting exercises for each designated day. Stretch before, and then get going! If you are unsure about your form for an exercise, most gyms have personal trainers who are willing to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask them a question! Youtube is also a great resource for videos on form. I like AthleanX’s videos, as well as Gabriel Sey’s, and Buff Dudes. Proper form is extremely important, otherwise you could strain your body or even seriously injure yourself. It’s especially important for heavier exercises.

Cardio days are good for you! Have at least 1 cardio day in your week! Walking, biking, jogging, dancing, and the elliptical are great for cardio. Swimming is also good cardio, but as a poor swimmer myself, I don’t really get much of a workout from it. If you have friends who like to play sports, soccer, basketball, etc are great for getting in some cardio and also making it fun (because jogging is honestly boring unless you jog outside or have a killer playlist). Speaking of jogging, I know this may sound silly to some of you, but try not to jog at night, especially if you’re a younger guy. Safety is important, and believe it or not, younger men in their 20s are the most common victims of violent crime. Know where you are, jog with a friend or two, be aware of your surroundings (if your music is so loud you can’t hear the cars passing by, turn it down a notch), and have your phone available in case you need to make a call. If things look iffy, call it a night and go home. If you’re in a hospital (or freaking dead), you won’t be working out much anymore.

This may sound silly, but celebrate your results! Get excited over your gains. Take selfies, flex in the mirror, admire those veins that pop that weren’t there before. Also, little tip: the secret to getting arms that look bigger is working your triceps. They’re more of your arms than your biceps, so even though nice biceps look hot, good triceps will make you look stronger. It’ll make you look impressive! And being excited about your results from all your hard work will help keep you motivated!

Those are a lot of tips, so that’s enough for now. If you have questions that are more specific, my ask box is open and you can even message me if you’d prefer. Don’t be afraid if you don’t know anything about working out – that was once me, too. I ain’t gonna judge you, yo. Like I said, I don’t have any professional knowledge, but I figured some of what I know may be helpful. I won’t be able to answer every question you send my way, but if I can find a video or article that can, I will definitely send that your way instead. Have fun, and try and stay motivated! Best of luck on them gains, yo.

[alex-through-the-lookinggla-blog]

Updates Thru 9 Months on Testosterone

Month 1:

Hot flashes and sweating increased

Fuzzier knees

Acne increase

Increased libido

Voice cracking

Hungry literally all the time

Mood swings

Oiler skin (especially my chest/back)

Clitorus growth (this was actually the first thing I noticed)

Month 2:

Leg mass/shape changing

Increase body hair (happy trail, side burns, eyebrows and chin) and coarser feel–week 8 was when I noticed my first chin hair!

Weight gain (approx. 8-10 pounds)

Arms getting bigger

Breasts getting smaller

Voice cracking more noticeably

Mood seemed to start leveling out around week 9

Face shape noticeably different

Month 3:

Voice became noticeably deeper but still cracked occasionally

Fuzzy facial hair increasing

Increased acne on back/arms/chest

Curves around hips lessening

Hair on thighs and knees getting thicker

Month 4:

Hair creeping onto hands and thicker on arms

Smell changing (body odor worse)

Finally seem to be settling into my voice

Shoulders broader (some shirts that used to fit became too small)

First month with no menstruation

Many of the same changes as the first 3 months continue to develop

Month 5:

Sideburns more noticeable

My eyebrows are absurd

Jaw line changing (a little soreness)

Shoulders and legs are sore

Facial hair coming in a little better, but still very patchy and blonde

Many of my shirts no longer fit my shoulders

Month 6:

Acne seems to be getting better

Voice started cracking again

First time I cut myself shaving!

Hair increasing everywhere, especially happy trail

My hands and feet grew, but not noticeably probably to anyone other than myself (I only noticed because I put on shoes I hadn’t worn for 6 months)

Month 7:

Need to shave more frequently

So much hair–upper thighs/butt and leg hair is now very thick and visible; arm hair is darker and thicker; hair on feet and hands filling in; eyebrows are out of control; nipple and pubic hair is thicker/denser and has spread

Somewhere around month 7 was also when I noticed that the hair on my head had a different texture/was thicker

Overall, around month 6/7 is when the changes started leveling off and were only noticeable in pictures

Month 8:

Veins in hands/feet more pronounced

Jaw line/face shape is VERY different

Facial hair still patchy, but growing back faster

I think my voice is finally okay

Month 9:

Thicker hair in general

Adam’s apple pretty noticeable (this actually started happening around month 6)

Acne on back/chest coming back?

Black hairs developing on upper back/shoulders

These are the updates in my journal from my first 9 months on testosterone. These things are different for everyone, but I thought a timeline might be a nice reference. I have some pictures/voice comparison videos on my transition tag as well. Overall, these first 9 months have been outstanding and I’m looking forward to doing my one year reflection post. Stay tuned and, as always, feel free to drop by my ask box if you have any questions!