The last couple of years I started just thinning the hair on my legs, arms and chest when I was going out dressed. My wife commented saying that nobody notices if it is thinned out or not there at all like many older men she sees. I explained my logic is that I don’t want to jeopardize my crossdresser health so a little hair is better than no hair. Besides if you trim your hair to about 1/8 inch it won’t be too noticeable under hosiery and will just take a few weeks to fully grow out. I experimented by leaving my arms shaved when wearing short sleeves at a family gathering and received no comments.
Dermatologist visits are far more frequent in my advancing years and it is one area of my crossdresser health that I don’t mess with. All the fun I had in the sun as a southern California beach kid is haunting me as a grow barnacles on my hull. I reached the crossroads of hair vs. no hair and chose no hair for my recent dermatologist visit. I struggled with the decision for some time but decided it was time and I was not going back to the old days of wearing two pairs of pantyhose or pants.
One thing that was very helpful in making the decision to go in hairless was having two crossdresser friends who are physicians. I ran it by one of them and her answer made a lot of sense to me and her perspective was very valuable. My focus was very much based what the medical professionals would think about Duke wandering in with no hair. Dude whats with all the shaving are you a weirdo?
She convinced me that the medical folks are bound by the HIPAA Statute for patient privacy. That notwithstanding they don’t care about your crossdressing only your health and would never do anything that would discourage you from seeking treatment.
TESTING CROSSDRESSER HEALTH ADVICE
I am now very comfortable going to see my dermatologist and she and her staff are all female which is my preference with doctors. Nothing against the male doctors but in my head females are more nurturing and in my thinking understanding. No evidence here, just my thinking regarding my crossdresser health and my security.
During my last dermatologist visit she had a new physicians assistant that was training so he got to see lovely Micki’s hairless body. This was a first and another crossroad for Micki’s crossdresser health adventure. During the exam they discovered a brand new barnacle that looked weird and wanted to check it out. I am very talented when it comes to weird things growing on me but this was concerning to me because nobody said anything on my past visit.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and they told me the barnacle needed to come off so we scheduled the surgery. Crossroad #2 for my crossdresser health experience was the male surgeon who removed it and never batted an eye about my hairless body. That was particularly reassuring in that we used to belong to the same golf club which I left a few years ago.
I am now reassured about how my crossdresser health will be addressed by medical professionals I come in contact with. I would advise all crossdresser’s to put any fears they have aside and get any treatment that you need.
While I have a much better feeling about letting doctors and staff take care of my crossdresser health discretely I am not looking forward to the day my general practitioner finds out. While she is female she also lives two doors down and knows Duke well socially. I kind of hope she suspects something so the shock won’t be so bad, then again I’m also fine if she never figures it out.
So far so good!
Great post Micki all trans girl should read it. I have never had to worry about what doctors would think because I’m in hu mode from mid June to the end of September. And that’s when I get my physical. However when I blew my leg apart a year and a half ago I was rushed to the hospital with my entire body shaved and my toe nails painted. The only comment I got was from some of the nurses saying how much they liked the colour of my nails. But you saying how important looking after ourselves is especially as we age is spot on. Nowadays no one cares at least up here. Wishing you a very merry Christmas and best wishes for the New year.
Trish ❤️
Thanks for the comment Trish. You bring up an additional point for all of us to consider which is when we can’t control who finds out and when. Being a positive person you never consider being taken to the hospital before fully scrubbing yourself. Its nice to know medical professionals won’t make a big deal out of it.
I’ve been shaving my back, legs, and chest the last few years and also been going to the dermatologist. I also had a couple of barnacles (two melanomas) removed from my back, so I now have 24 railroad tracks (scars from the stitches) on the back of my left shoulder. I even had painted toes when I first met the surgeon who removed the melanomas. During none of my visits have any of them asked about my lack of body hair.
Nobody really notices and nobody cares.
Thanks Dee. It might just be that they don’t want to go there with the trans thing but either way I will take it. That said I think they are truly concerned about our health.
I’ve reached an age where I’ve given up on what others think… including my Doctor
If they have a problem it’s theirs not mine
Micki , our health is very important, as far as hair goes that’s the least of our worries, I haven’t had any for many years , as you know I have had my share of hospitalizations, and the amount of surgeries that go along with that , as I have had a few (5) pacemakers now and soon to be #6 about the second one many years ago , I had 2 choices 1 cut it off myself or 2 the nurse wil keep waxing the same area with those stickies they use to hook me up to various machines, plus that you don’t have to worry in another few years it won’t grow any way .
As far as the general family Doctor goes I think she would rather see Susie than Rocko any day of the week she has been seeing me for 7 or 8 years now , just this week Susie was in for my 6 month checkup you might find this interesting over the time I have seeing you you blood pressure is better as well as more stable wen Susie comes in than the Grumpy old man I see I have seen on a few occasions, and besides my office staff likes Susie better than Rocko .
Susie
Thanks for the comment Susie and for the record I like both of you. Grumpy old men seem normal to me these days.
My last trip to the Dermatologist I was hair free nose to toes, wore tank top, short runners shorts. During my visit a new a PA was with the Dr (both female)If they cared or thought weird I could not tell. My plan was “I just wanted you guys to be able to check me fully.
Using an Epilator for years I have very little regrouth.
It has been more than five years since I retired and moved. I selected a new primary care provider and chose to come out to her. And presented in Kimberly mode for the first and subsequent visits. The first visit included some interesting and appropriate questions, such as was I on HRT, had GRS, did I plan for either in the future. (No, in both cases). With those questions out of the way, we went on to the routine stuff.
She and her staff were positive, encouraging and always professional. Of course, I expect that from a medical professions.
Micki,
Just stopping by to thank you for who you are what you do.
For what its worth, no one cares about anyone’s hair. I was essentially a polar bear for 50 years. Shaved it all off and no one (and I wear shorts very often) cares. No one. As it relates to heath care, HIPPA makes sure your health care (and hair) is a private matter. You mentioned female doctors, I too believe as you do. My MD is a woman and I dress to see her every time. I’ve had MRIs, X-Rays, ultrasounds, blood draws, prostate exams, biopsies and on and on, in women’s clothing.
Merry Christmas!!
Kandi
Hi Micki!
I’m a bit late to the party, but echo the sentiments of others from experience. The medical community sees so many outrageous things that a man with shaved legs is but a blip in the day. Perhaps worthy of a smile, but no one is running home to tell about it.
Some men shave their body for sports like running, cycling, swimming, etc., it makes putting on wet suits much easier, and some women just do not like a fuzzy bloke.
Your PCP neighbor is a bit of a sticky wicket in your case, but she is bound by HIPPA to never tell a soul.
Dear Micki, Thanks for your thoughts on health and crossdressing. I share the experience that several others have reported as well: people (where I live) either don’t care or don’t dare to ask. I have kept my body essentially hair-free (using different methods, depending on the body parts) for many years by now and have never received a single question about it. And should that question ever come, I will simply say that I like to better without hair. Hence, I have never skipped or delayed any medical check-up. And I do notice more and more men of all ages without hair on their arms, legs or chest. Franzi
Some very wise and thought out advice! Thanks for sharing ! With much love, dear sis!
Thanks Jamie,
All the best to you in 2025.
Hi Micki,
I’m so very pleased to see a different topic for cross dressers that delves into the minutiae of our lives that I haven’t seen elsewhere. REFRESHING!!