Hello all, I guess I'll give a bit of backstory for context. I've been chemically a eunuch for four years now, since july 2022. Rather than the reasons most people have like a sense of identity or not wanting to feel horny or things like that, I was rapidly going bald and wanted to save my hair. So i went from Finasteride (only stopped progress) -> androgen blockers -> estradiol injections (which is what grew it back, though I don't personally identify as trans). Well, now I'm hitting a point where I'm wanting to move back to where I'm from, except my home state has been massively cracking down on this kind of stuff as of recently. In the last couple of years I've kept this idea in my back pocket but I think its finally time to figure out how to shut the testosterone factory down in case I ever have to give up doing this chemically, because i dont wanna lose all my progress. I don't want kids and after 4 years of effects, I'm fine with the idea. That being said, I'm wondering if anyone can help me with 2 ideas...
1 - Is there any legal route to getting this done for a broke person? Im in US-CA currently and have insurance. I can't help but feel like I'd seem crazy just walking in somewhere and asking for an orchiectomy, especially since my insurance would likely reject it. Is there some sort of pathway to getting this done? Again, I've been doing this DIY for about 4 years. Surely that must help to make my case? But if not, then...
2 - I'm curious about the alcohol method. Both here and where I'm from, the 190 proof everclear isn't legally sold. I would either have to find something else or travel to a state where its legal to sell retail and bring it back (it isnt illegal to simply own). That being said, is 190 EC the only option for this method? If not, would any other types of drinking alcohol in particular do the job? and also, is there any sort of measurements and schedules to follow when doing this method?
P.S - I did read the WPATH SOC. I've been lurking here a while and tried to lurk the old EA without an account as much as I could. Most of what I know comes from HLT and the now deleted reddit communities. Thank you for any help, it is really appreciated.
New here... need some guidance
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PacificBlues
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Swim_1650
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Re: New here... need some guidance
As someone well versed in pharmaceuticals, though admittedly I don't really deal with sex hormones professionally, I have never heard of someone taking estradiol injections for male pattern baldness- Was this prescribed for this reason or under false pretenses? Or was this a DIY type deal? I can't imagine any insurance paying for such medications for treatment of male pattern baldness. I find it interesting that you as a man would undergo the feminizing effects of estradiol to prevent balding, but to each their own.
A couple thoughts:
1) It's not advised to be hypogonadal- having essentially no T or E in your system, you need one or the other, even if its a low dose- there's an extensive list of long term serious health implications to being a eunuch without hormone replacement. So regardless of what you do, you will need some form of hormone replacement. 1) If you have private insurance you may be able to use it out of state, in which case you could continue getting your medications through your presumably legal route.
2) If you have been on Estradiol and anti-androgens (at least most anti-androgens) for 4 years, your testosterone levels and could take up to a few years to recover to their full potential- which may be well below what your baseline would have been having not taken these meds. Estradiol and stronger anti-androgens can permanently affect androgen levels. This is especially true if you're older.
3) If you have private insurance in public insurance (medicaid) on one of these "red states", yes, you cannot get an orchiectomy paid for unlike CA under gender affirmation*. That said- if you move to a new state post orchiectomy, *I believe* medicaid would probably still have to cover hormone replacement as medical necessity- they may only cover Testosterone though unless your doctor can give a good reason why you should be on Estradiol. You could try low dose T.
4) If you have private insurance you should be able to continue getting "gender affirming care" so long as it's billed as "gender affirming care"- the legislation only pertains to medicaid AFAIK. If for some reason local providers refuse, you may be able to use your private insurance out of state depending on the plan's network and flexibility.
I HIGHLY ADVISE you not to inject your testicles with anything. While sure it's probably *relatively safer* than other methods people seem to use, it's still dangerous- you risk infection, necrosis, limb loss, sepsis, alcohol toxicity, vital organ damage, etc. Death. All serious complications. Just don't do it. (I can't tell you the amount of tragedies I've seen professionally as a result of people injecting *** into their bodies, completely unaware of how dangerous it can be)
Considerations:
- Have you tried Dutasteride? It's similar to Finasteride but it blocks like 98% of DHT versus 70%. DHT (dihydrogentestosterone). DHT has androgenic effects as testosterone but is 3-4x more potent. It is most associated with male balding over testosterone. Testosterone is actually more associated with promoting body hair growth and is not usually a factor in hair loss, despite the common assumption it is.
- Minoxidil? It takes a while to work but it does provide improvement by improving blood flow to the scalp.
- There's other less known options steroid injections, laser therapy, PRP, not to mention hair transplants in Turkey (all probably very expensive as it's cosmetic)
- Topical Ketokonazole (anti-fungal) also blocks DHT, it comes in creams, shampoos. There's also topical estradiol cream some doctor might prescribe off-label. Typically this is used for vaginal atrophy Both of these are cheap- Off the top of my head <$25/month out of pocket. Topical estradiol can have systemic feminizing effects though unlikely to the extent for injections- but that doesn't seem like a major concern.
As someone exploring becoming a eunuch myself, though not for hair loss reasons- I'm fortunate to not have that problem unlike many of the other men in my family, I have done some research on this. The definition of "Eunuch" is very quirky and not logically consistent, but WPATH does recognize Eunuchs as a gender identity or subset of non-binary, gender non-conforming, etc, etc. Some researchers refer to Male-to-Eunuch Gender Identity Disorder- though not an ICD or DSM coded diagnosis.While I don't consider myself as a non-binary, transgender, etc (I feel like those words typically represent a very different community and I would still consider and present myself a man if castrated), it's probably the easiest way to access this treatment.
To be clear however, if you're only reason for seeking orchiectomy is to maintain your hair health, that's purely a cosmetic justification. No insurance will cover an orchiectomy for purely cosmetic reasons. That's the case with any cosmetic procedure... unless it's related to "reconstruction" or medical necessity. And tbh I can't see any credible prescriber prescribing Estradiol or ordering an Orchio for that reason. If you have other reasons to seek orchiectomy and/or estradiol I would be honest with your providers- or if not maybe it's worth something investigating further with a therapist? If this is purely about cosmetics and you want to play the game of saying the right thing for insurance coverage, I'm not going to say you should do that, but people do such things in our healthcare system.
TLDR
- You will still need hormone replacement of some type (T or E), even at low levels, to maintain good longterm health. So when it comes to longterm hormone coverage, you may still be in the same boat you're in now even with orchiectomy.
- Cosmetic procedures or treatments are never covered by insurance unless there's an underlying medical necessity (ie gender affirmation) or a reconstructive requirement. Balding treatment is the textbook definition of cosmetic treatment.
- DON'T INJECT YOURSELF WITH ANYTHING EVER- (unless it's a sterile, legitimate pharmaceutical product prescribed by a prescriber and you're properly instructed on how to use safely. And injecting directly into a delicate organ like the testicle carries tremendously more risk over subcutaneous or intramuscular injection)
A couple thoughts:
1) It's not advised to be hypogonadal- having essentially no T or E in your system, you need one or the other, even if its a low dose- there's an extensive list of long term serious health implications to being a eunuch without hormone replacement. So regardless of what you do, you will need some form of hormone replacement. 1) If you have private insurance you may be able to use it out of state, in which case you could continue getting your medications through your presumably legal route.
2) If you have been on Estradiol and anti-androgens (at least most anti-androgens) for 4 years, your testosterone levels and could take up to a few years to recover to their full potential- which may be well below what your baseline would have been having not taken these meds. Estradiol and stronger anti-androgens can permanently affect androgen levels. This is especially true if you're older.
3) If you have private insurance in public insurance (medicaid) on one of these "red states", yes, you cannot get an orchiectomy paid for unlike CA under gender affirmation*. That said- if you move to a new state post orchiectomy, *I believe* medicaid would probably still have to cover hormone replacement as medical necessity- they may only cover Testosterone though unless your doctor can give a good reason why you should be on Estradiol. You could try low dose T.
4) If you have private insurance you should be able to continue getting "gender affirming care" so long as it's billed as "gender affirming care"- the legislation only pertains to medicaid AFAIK. If for some reason local providers refuse, you may be able to use your private insurance out of state depending on the plan's network and flexibility.
I HIGHLY ADVISE you not to inject your testicles with anything. While sure it's probably *relatively safer* than other methods people seem to use, it's still dangerous- you risk infection, necrosis, limb loss, sepsis, alcohol toxicity, vital organ damage, etc. Death. All serious complications. Just don't do it. (I can't tell you the amount of tragedies I've seen professionally as a result of people injecting *** into their bodies, completely unaware of how dangerous it can be)
Considerations:
- Have you tried Dutasteride? It's similar to Finasteride but it blocks like 98% of DHT versus 70%. DHT (dihydrogentestosterone). DHT has androgenic effects as testosterone but is 3-4x more potent. It is most associated with male balding over testosterone. Testosterone is actually more associated with promoting body hair growth and is not usually a factor in hair loss, despite the common assumption it is.
- Minoxidil? It takes a while to work but it does provide improvement by improving blood flow to the scalp.
- There's other less known options steroid injections, laser therapy, PRP, not to mention hair transplants in Turkey (all probably very expensive as it's cosmetic)
- Topical Ketokonazole (anti-fungal) also blocks DHT, it comes in creams, shampoos. There's also topical estradiol cream some doctor might prescribe off-label. Typically this is used for vaginal atrophy Both of these are cheap- Off the top of my head <$25/month out of pocket. Topical estradiol can have systemic feminizing effects though unlikely to the extent for injections- but that doesn't seem like a major concern.
As someone exploring becoming a eunuch myself, though not for hair loss reasons- I'm fortunate to not have that problem unlike many of the other men in my family, I have done some research on this. The definition of "Eunuch" is very quirky and not logically consistent, but WPATH does recognize Eunuchs as a gender identity or subset of non-binary, gender non-conforming, etc, etc. Some researchers refer to Male-to-Eunuch Gender Identity Disorder- though not an ICD or DSM coded diagnosis.While I don't consider myself as a non-binary, transgender, etc (I feel like those words typically represent a very different community and I would still consider and present myself a man if castrated), it's probably the easiest way to access this treatment.
To be clear however, if you're only reason for seeking orchiectomy is to maintain your hair health, that's purely a cosmetic justification. No insurance will cover an orchiectomy for purely cosmetic reasons. That's the case with any cosmetic procedure... unless it's related to "reconstruction" or medical necessity. And tbh I can't see any credible prescriber prescribing Estradiol or ordering an Orchio for that reason. If you have other reasons to seek orchiectomy and/or estradiol I would be honest with your providers- or if not maybe it's worth something investigating further with a therapist? If this is purely about cosmetics and you want to play the game of saying the right thing for insurance coverage, I'm not going to say you should do that, but people do such things in our healthcare system.
TLDR
- You will still need hormone replacement of some type (T or E), even at low levels, to maintain good longterm health. So when it comes to longterm hormone coverage, you may still be in the same boat you're in now even with orchiectomy.
- Cosmetic procedures or treatments are never covered by insurance unless there's an underlying medical necessity (ie gender affirmation) or a reconstructive requirement. Balding treatment is the textbook definition of cosmetic treatment.
- DON'T INJECT YOURSELF WITH ANYTHING EVER- (unless it's a sterile, legitimate pharmaceutical product prescribed by a prescriber and you're properly instructed on how to use safely. And injecting directly into a delicate organ like the testicle carries tremendously more risk over subcutaneous or intramuscular injection)
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dandelion
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Re: New here... need some guidance
Dutasteride, minoxidil: both very good recommendations. Should definitely explore these alternative therapies before trying anything else.Swim_1650 wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2026 12:03 am not to mention hair transplants in Turkey (all probably very expensive as it's cosmetic)
A friend of mine went to Taiwan to get hair transplants. I don't remember him telling me it being very expensive.
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WheelyFixed
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Re: New here... need some guidance
Welcome to the forums, glad to have you speaking up!
Swim has given you some good advice!
I would say that he is definitely right in advising against injections, but if you feel you must, Everclear or equivalent is definitely the preferred choice, but basically the key thing is as high a proof (% alcohol) pure spirit as you can get - avoid colors, flavors, etc., which usually means plain unflavored Vodka.... DON'T ever inject any alcohol you couldn't safely drink...
If you wanted to go the WPATH route, you'd basically need to be wiling to accept getting a trans or non-binary label and probably a gender dysphoria or other psych label in order to get 'gender affirming care'. However I like to remind people that having a label slapped on you doesn't change who or what you are, it just makes the insurance types happy... It can get strange when they ask some of the questions that come from the binary side... During my psych eval to get my notes for surgery I was asked if I'd been living a "Eunuch Lifestyle"
My response was to ask what constituted a "Eunuch Lifestyle" but that I'd been living my daily life w/o T for over a year if that counted....
The other alternative that many members have used is 'medical tourism' with a popular choice being Dr. A's clinic down in Mexico. All the reports I've seen from people that used him said he did a good job, and had a reasonable price (often less than what the copay would have been using insurance at the local hospital) He operates on an 'informed consent' basis...
Once you have had an orchie, no matter how you got it, they pretty much have to cover your hormones because they have become a 'medical necessity'
WheelyFixed
Swim has given you some good advice!
I would say that he is definitely right in advising against injections, but if you feel you must, Everclear or equivalent is definitely the preferred choice, but basically the key thing is as high a proof (% alcohol) pure spirit as you can get - avoid colors, flavors, etc., which usually means plain unflavored Vodka.... DON'T ever inject any alcohol you couldn't safely drink...
If you wanted to go the WPATH route, you'd basically need to be wiling to accept getting a trans or non-binary label and probably a gender dysphoria or other psych label in order to get 'gender affirming care'. However I like to remind people that having a label slapped on you doesn't change who or what you are, it just makes the insurance types happy... It can get strange when they ask some of the questions that come from the binary side... During my psych eval to get my notes for surgery I was asked if I'd been living a "Eunuch Lifestyle"
My response was to ask what constituted a "Eunuch Lifestyle" but that I'd been living my daily life w/o T for over a year if that counted.... The other alternative that many members have used is 'medical tourism' with a popular choice being Dr. A's clinic down in Mexico. All the reports I've seen from people that used him said he did a good job, and had a reasonable price (often less than what the copay would have been using insurance at the local hospital) He operates on an 'informed consent' basis...
Once you have had an orchie, no matter how you got it, they pretty much have to cover your hormones because they have become a 'medical necessity'
WheelyFixed
Paraplegic - T-5, ASIA-B. 2010 Injury left non-functional & frustrated. 4/24/22, stop T. 5/4 start 3.75mg Lupron. 6/29 - T ~0. 7/7 - start E. 9/2 stop Lupron. 3/30/23 - GOT LETTERS! surgery (O&S) 9/28/23. Doing 0.75mg/day E patch as HRT
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WheelyFixed
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Re: New here... need some guidance
Welcome to the forums, glad to have you speaking up!
Swim has given you some good advice!
I would say that he is definitely right in advising against injections, but if you feel you must, Everclear or equivalent is definitely the preferred choice, but basically the key thing is as high a proof (% alcohol) pure spirit as you can get - avoid colors, flavors, etc., which usually means plain unflavored Vodka.... DON'T ever inject any alcohol you couldn't safely drink...
If you wanted to go the WPATH route, you'd basically need to be wiling to accept getting a trans or non-binary label and probably a gender dysphoria or other psych label in order to get 'gender affirming care'. However I like to remind people that having a label slapped on you doesn't change who or what you are, it just makes the insurance types happy... It can get strange when they ask some of the questions that come from the binary side... During my psych eval to get my notes for surgery I was asked if I'd been living a "Eunuch Lifestyle" My response was to ask what constituted a "Eunuch Lifestyle" but that I'd been living my daily life w/o T for over a year if that counted....
The other alternative that many members have used is 'medical tourism' with a popular choice being Dr. A's clinic down in Mexico. All the reports I've seen from people that used him said he did a good job, and had a reasonable price (often less than what the copay would have been using insurance at the local hospital) He operates on an 'informed consent' basis...
Once you have had an orchie, no matter how you got it, they pretty much have to cover your hormones because they have become a 'medical necessity'
WheelyFixed
Swim has given you some good advice!
I would say that he is definitely right in advising against injections, but if you feel you must, Everclear or equivalent is definitely the preferred choice, but basically the key thing is as high a proof (% alcohol) pure spirit as you can get - avoid colors, flavors, etc., which usually means plain unflavored Vodka.... DON'T ever inject any alcohol you couldn't safely drink...
If you wanted to go the WPATH route, you'd basically need to be wiling to accept getting a trans or non-binary label and probably a gender dysphoria or other psych label in order to get 'gender affirming care'. However I like to remind people that having a label slapped on you doesn't change who or what you are, it just makes the insurance types happy... It can get strange when they ask some of the questions that come from the binary side... During my psych eval to get my notes for surgery I was asked if I'd been living a "Eunuch Lifestyle"
My response was to ask what constituted a "Eunuch Lifestyle" but that I'd been living my daily life w/o T for over a year if that counted.... The other alternative that many members have used is 'medical tourism' with a popular choice being Dr. A's clinic down in Mexico. All the reports I've seen from people that used him said he did a good job, and had a reasonable price (often less than what the copay would have been using insurance at the local hospital) He operates on an 'informed consent' basis...
Once you have had an orchie, no matter how you got it, they pretty much have to cover your hormones because they have become a 'medical necessity'
WheelyFixed
Paraplegic - T-5, ASIA-B. 2010 Injury left non-functional & frustrated. 4/24/22, stop T. 5/4 start 3.75mg Lupron. 6/29 - T ~0. 7/7 - start E. 9/2 stop Lupron. 3/30/23 - GOT LETTERS! surgery (O&S) 9/28/23. Doing 0.75mg/day E patch as HRT
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PacificBlues
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Re: New here... need some guidance
hello all, thank you for the advice. I really do appreciate it.
As far as things like minoxidil and dutasteride go, I forgot to mention that I had tried oral minoxidil for around 3 months in the past but didn't continue. Don't particularly want to deal with the shedding phase it can now induce since I have most of my hair growth back. Also:
https://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/t ... fe.109288/
My biggest concern is that I have seen examples in the past of Dut and Min not having the same effects that they normally would after such a regimen as mine.
Also Wheely, Thank you for that bit of info. Do you reckon I could just inform them that I've been doing this for years on my own and it would suffice? and as for being hypogonadal, I have been doing lots of research into that for a while and its only a last resort. Even if I stopped right now, I am only in my mid twenties so I doubt my natural levels wouldn't return. Medically necessary hormones at the lowest possible dose (just enough to keep me from getting osteoporosis) from what I've seen, would be fine for my situation.
As far as things like minoxidil and dutasteride go, I forgot to mention that I had tried oral minoxidil for around 3 months in the past but didn't continue. Don't particularly want to deal with the shedding phase it can now induce since I have most of my hair growth back. Also:
I've been doing this DIY for all four years with no professional opinion, I'm a risk taker, I know. I advise you to check out this thread on HairLossTalk, it is basically a never ending science experiment that made me jump into all of this.Swim_1650 wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2026 12:03 am I have never heard of someone taking estradiol injections for male pattern baldness-
https://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/t ... fe.109288/
My biggest concern is that I have seen examples in the past of Dut and Min not having the same effects that they normally would after such a regimen as mine.
Also Wheely, Thank you for that bit of info. Do you reckon I could just inform them that I've been doing this for years on my own and it would suffice? and as for being hypogonadal, I have been doing lots of research into that for a while and its only a last resort. Even if I stopped right now, I am only in my mid twenties so I doubt my natural levels wouldn't return. Medically necessary hormones at the lowest possible dose (just enough to keep me from getting osteoporosis) from what I've seen, would be fine for my situation.
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WheelyFixed
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Re: New here... need some guidance
I'm really not sure, a lot of it may depend on who the doctors are and how well you present your self... While I don't recommend lying at all, I've compared to to being like a job interview, where HOW you answer the questions is as important or more so than what your answer is factually. So I advise reading the entire SOCv8 with special attention to the non-binary, mental health and eunuch chapters, thinking about the sort of questions they are going to be asking, and how best to answer them in a way that's consistent with what they are looking for...Also Wheely, Thank you for that bit of info. Do you reckon I could just inform them that I've been doing this for years on my own and it would suffice? and as for being hypogonadal, I have been doing lots of research into that for a while and its only a last resort. Even if I stopped right now, I am only in my mid twenties so I doubt my natural levels wouldn't return. Medically necessary hormones at the lowest possible dose (just enough to keep me from getting osteoporosis) from what I've seen, would be fine for my situation.
Supposedly there is a bit of a 'fast track' option for those with a history or high potential for 'self harm' that shortens a lot of the usual things like requiring a test period of chemical castration. Usually this seems aimed at the people that have been doing various DIY castration approaches like injectables, banding, self surgery, etc... Whether they would consider estradiol injections for hair loss in the same way I don't know...
Paraplegic - T-5, ASIA-B. 2010 Injury left non-functional & frustrated. 4/24/22, stop T. 5/4 start 3.75mg Lupron. 6/29 - T ~0. 7/7 - start E. 9/2 stop Lupron. 3/30/23 - GOT LETTERS! surgery (O&S) 9/28/23. Doing 0.75mg/day E patch as HRT
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Swim_1650
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Re: New here... need some guidance
PacificBlues wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2026 5:51 pm hello all, thank you for the advice. I really do appreciate it.
As far as things like minoxidil and dutasteride go, I forgot to mention that I had tried oral minoxidil for around 3 months in the past but didn't continue. Don't particularly want to deal with the shedding phase it can now induce since I have most of my hair growth back. Also:I've been doing this DIY for all four years with no professional opinion, I'm a risk taker, I know. I advise you to check out this thread on HairLossTalk, it is basically a never ending science experiment that made me jump into all of this.Swim_1650 wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2026 12:03 am I have never heard of someone taking estradiol injections for male pattern baldness-
https://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/t ... fe.109288/
My biggest concern is that I have seen examples in the past of Dut and Min not having the same effects that they normally would after such a regimen as mine.
Also Wheely, Thank you for that bit of info. Do you reckon I could just inform them that I've been doing this for years on my own and it would suffice? and as for being hypogonadal, I have been doing lots of research into that for a while and its only a last resort. Even if I stopped right now, I am only in my mid twenties so I doubt my natural levels wouldn't return. Medically necessary hormones at the lowest possible dose (just enough to keep me from getting osteoporosis) from what I've seen, would be fine for my situation.
Good to know. Minoxidil is definitely a frustrating drug because of the shedding period you mentioned and the fact it needs to be applied every day for a year for the full results to be realized. Finasteride and Dutasteride 1-2 years. So you really have to stick with them for them to be effective. I'm sure you know this.PacificBlues wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2026 5:51 pm hello all, thank you for the advice. I really do appreciate it.
As far as things like minoxidil and dutasteride go, I forgot to mention that I had tried oral minoxidil for around 3 months in the past but didn't continue. Don't particularly want to deal with the shedding phase it can now induce since I have most of my hair growth back. Also:I've been doing this DIY for all four years with no professional opinion, I'm a risk taker, I know. I advise you to check out this thread on HairLossTalk, it is basically a never ending science experiment that made me jump into all of this.Swim_1650 wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2026 12:03 am I have never heard of someone taking estradiol injections for male pattern baldness-
https://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/t ... fe.109288/
My biggest concern is that I have seen examples in the past of Dut and Min not having the same effects that they normally would after such a regimen as mine.
Also Wheely, Thank you for that bit of info. Do you reckon I could just inform them that I've been doing this for years on my own and it would suffice? and as for being hypogonadal, I have been doing lots of research into that for a while and its only a last resort. Even if I stopped right now, I am only in my mid twenties so I doubt my natural levels wouldn't return. Medically necessary hormones at the lowest possible dose (just enough to keep me from getting osteoporosis) from what I've seen, would be fine for my situation.
Interesting- and sorry if I came off as judgmental, that's wasn't my intention. Curious more than anything. After all, I'm looking to get my genitals removed too, something your average male can't wrap their head around. I will have to check out that forum to see what people are trying on themselves.
I personally like my idea of topical estradiol though I'd need to do some research to have a better idea if this would work. I suspect there's not many studies on its effects on men generally, let alone men's hair. I do know that when used at low concentrations on a maintenance dose which is typically weekly the effects are localized (ie when use in women for vaginal atrophy). Higher concentrations applied regularly can quickly build up to have systemic effects. That said, the vagina is much better at absorbing drugs than skin. Any doctor who cares about their medical license could not ethically allow themselves to facilitate self-experimentation... but there are a lot of doctors who do wacky things.
Being in your mid-20's and starting this process 4 years ago you have a much better chance of androgenic recovery than someone middle or advanced age. It may not be where it would have been but it may at a sufficient level for you to be healthy. Of course, it can take quite a while for peak activity to return.
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Swim_1650
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Re: New here... need some guidance
WheelyFixed, I can assure you they would not. From what I have read, PacificBlue's desire for hormonal therapy is entirely cosmetic. Balding is not related to gender identity or gender identity disorder. If a guy wanted his insurance to pay for hair transplant in order to feel more masculine, insurance would never approve that. If you look at insurance coverage of transgender surgeries, there's a lot of cosmetic stuff they do not cover because it's deemed cosmetic and not gender affirming.
I would be afraid if he sought out orchiectomy as a treatment for hair loss he risks being labeled as having body dysmorphic disorder= specifically because of the lengths he's going to prevent/return hair loss and risks has taken in the past and is mentioning exposing himself to. Whether that diagnosis is accurate is not for me to say, it may or not be. But I suspect that's where there focus would go. And the treatment for body dysmorphia is not grant corrective surgery- it's antidepressants and therapy. In fact, BDD is screened for in transgender and plastic surgery patients.
I would be afraid if he sought out orchiectomy as a treatment for hair loss he risks being labeled as having body dysmorphic disorder= specifically because of the lengths he's going to prevent/return hair loss and risks has taken in the past and is mentioning exposing himself to. Whether that diagnosis is accurate is not for me to say, it may or not be. But I suspect that's where there focus would go. And the treatment for body dysmorphia is not grant corrective surgery- it's antidepressants and therapy. In fact, BDD is screened for in transgender and plastic surgery patients.
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WheelyFixed
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Re: New here... need some guidance
You may very well be right - I'm the first to admit to a lack of 'official' creds of any sort... (I wish we had folks that did have them who'd be willing to be mods... Back on EAv2 both Kristoff and LT did.) This is why I was definitely suggesting the 'job interview' approach of getting a good idea of what kinds of questions to expect and how best to answer them... Not advising anything, but I could imagine something like acknowledging the hair loss as a initial motivation, but then discovering he liked things better as a chemical eunuch and wanting to make it permanent to reduce the risk of being forced back to a non-desired state... Worth pointing out that willingness to trade masculinity for hair growth implies it has little value.... (How many would sign up for that trade?)Swim_1650 wrote: Fri Jul 03, 2026 10:03 am WheelyFixed, I can assure you they would not. From what I have read, PacificBlue's desire for hormonal therapy is entirely cosmetic. Balding is not related to gender identity or gender identity disorder. If a guy wanted his insurance to pay for hair transplant in order to feel more masculine, insurance would never approve that. If you look at insurance coverage of transgender surgeries, there's a lot of cosmetic stuff they do not cover because it's deemed cosmetic and not gender affirming.
I would be afraid if he sought out orchiectomy as a treatment for hair loss he risks being labeled as having body dysmorphic disorder= specifically because of the lengths he's going to prevent/return hair loss and risks has taken in the past and is mentioning exposing himself to. Whether that diagnosis is accurate is not for me to say, it may or not be. But I suspect that's where there focus would go. And the treatment for body dysmorphia is not grant corrective surgery- it's antidepressants and therapy. In fact, BDD is screened for in transgender and plastic surgery patients.
Of course it also doesn't rule out the medical tourism option... For instance I've never consulted Dr. A, but my understanding is that he doesn't ask a lot about why a patient wants surgery, but he does go into a lot of effort to make certain they know what they are getting into (which isn't a lot different from what I went through in my early appointments at the TG center...)
WheelyFixed
Paraplegic - T-5, ASIA-B. 2010 Injury left non-functional & frustrated. 4/24/22, stop T. 5/4 start 3.75mg Lupron. 6/29 - T ~0. 7/7 - start E. 9/2 stop Lupron. 3/30/23 - GOT LETTERS! surgery (O&S) 9/28/23. Doing 0.75mg/day E patch as HRT
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PacificBlues
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2026 6:10 pm
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Re: New here... need some guidance
Hey again all. I just thought I should elaborate on a couple of things real quick. The first is that I of course wouldnt walk into this by telling them it was cosmetic haha. I would most likely choose my words carefully as wheely mentioned. If they have to label me, sobeit. Secondly is the fact that I've been living with the side effects as is for almost half a decade now, so it should be said that I already generally know what im getting into and am fine with it, so in a way I suppose I've chosen the eunuch approach by preference. I appreciate all the help here- you are a friendly group! I'll be sure to update in the future regarding my results. I'm gonna try and go legit before anything else.