Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Another Long Road

When I was about 14 years I began shaving for the first time. It was an awkward experience, and the thought of a beard growing and enveloping my face making me manly was frightening. I preferred the barely noticeable amount that appeared naturally, though I wanted to just do without it entirely. My father forced me to watch him do it and then do it myself. My family was all proud of me, I guess they saw it as a coming of age thing... I was horrified. I now knew that if I failed to do this even one day, a beard would grow on my face. Even then, long before I knew I was trans, I felt it was disgusting.

I'm 23 years old now. The filth that covers my face is so thick that I sometimes shave twice a day, and even so, its still easy to see it. To me it looks like I got dirt on my face and there is no way to wash it off. I've always felt disgusted by it. Sometimes I'd spend hours just staring at it wishing I could remember my face without it... despite the fact that I hate my face regardless. I would stare and imagine if it was not there. I'd rub the razor over parts of my face 30 to 40 times, and I'd get itchy, but still see follicles of hair to thick and too deep to cut any more.

I once plucked out a third of my beard hair and ran my hand over my twitching smooth skin... it took me several several hours, over the course of a few days. Some of them were as thick as metal wires, often like little needles stuck in my face. I would stare at them and think about how long the part was that was inside the skin, and that they had to grow that much further before I would have to see their filth again... but it would only take a couple of days for that to happen.

I checked the price on laser hair removal several times, and got different answers each time. I believed it to be in the $3000 dollar range to remove the facial hair. Even that, though small compared to sex reassignment surgery, was still for me, a daunting mountainous price, and in fact... it still is.

I finally went in today, to a laser clinic in the town where I get my hormone shots, to see what kind of price I'd really be dealing with. 900 dollars for my face. It would take about 6 sessions or so, once every 4 weeks, with possible follow-up sessions after that. Over the phone he told me that I would be able to do 50$ a month, and I was strongly considering doing this, even though life is already a struggle without this extra bill... but I learned upon visiting today that I would require a credit card.

Rather than apply for a credit card I went to the bank and withdrew $100 in cash, and pocket-ed it. I decided I'll pay 900 in cash and then I wont have to worry about this payment ever again... So my life today has taken on a new goal... 800 more dollars in cash, to get the filth removed from my face. This hideous mutation has been a mental block not only on dressing, and trying makeup, but on just wanting to be seen at all. I feel helpless and useless with this disgusting beard on my face, and I've longed for too many years to get it. I'll eat less food, and not buy fries or chips when I don't need them. I'll look for cheaper meals that get me full, instead of whatever sounds good. I'll only buy things I know I'll need. But 100$ or more a month is a lot to save when rent costs 400, and bus passes cost 62$, and I only get a little over 600 per month. Looking for a job is long and grueling and I lack the medications I need to do a great many things... The bottom line is wish me luck. I'll need it.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wish you good luck Claudia. I believe it's well worth it. Be careful of your health tho: Having this hair removal at the cost of your health. If while you starve you pass out in the middle of the traffic or a railroad, having money will not help you much. Health comes before anything. I bet thats what this lover you're in a romance with would tell you.

Samantha Shanti said...

I'm with anon above, please don't sacrifice your health to get the hair gone. Eat right, take care of you, but you will get there! Yes, it's going to take time, but at least you know where you are going and one day, you will be there!

I will wish you much luck and blessings. I'm going to add you to my Reiki Box, and start sending you energy... Reiki is an old and trusted form of healing that can be done over long distances by Reiki practitioners... So in the last three years I've not only come from were you are, but I've been trained and certified as a Reiki Master/Teacher. Facial hair, well I'd been burning it off couple hours a week at an electologist, but I stopped for a while to afford other things, like brakes for my car, and the move here. Some day soon I'm going to go get the last of it cooked off by a laser. Thankfully what's left isn't really all that terrible now...

It takes time, but you will get there!

For some dramatic, and real life before and after take a look at:

http://samstrip.blogspot.com/2008/05/as-promised.html

It takes time, but it does happen...

Sam

Anonymous said...

Face hair is one of the most noticeable things, and that's why it worries you so much... but think that, unlike other parts of the transition, it really doesn't matter much if it is put off for a bit, if you get tight on money.

I am glad to see you back posting... all in all, things are getting better ^_^ try to think on achieving the more immediate goals instead of thinking that you are still far. You are not that far, but take it step by step ^_- You are getting there.