(Facial) Hair Care

I shaved this week. Not a big deal, normally, but I’d been growing a beard since mid-December. I know, I know: a hideous image. But there was method in my madness. A beard is scratchy, and incompatible with dressing up. (Unless one is doing skag drag.) But a beard can be a great motivator and a great, well, beard. Let me explain…

Beards aren’t all bad. Truth be told, I think I look good with a beard. Copious amounts of facial hair hide my Jay Leno-like jawline. And a beard can be low maintainence, while repeated shaving can be hard on the skin.

But the best reason for growing a beard, for me, was the inspiration for getting rid of it. You see, I’m not the svelte young thing I used to be. (Who is?) But, exercising regularly can be tough. Especially when you’re a tub o’ lard. So, I made a deal with myself: I’d only shave the beard after I met my weight goal. And to make my weight goal, I had to exercise.

Funny thing is, the more I exercised, the more I sweat, the more the beard would itch.

But, I kept at it for the last seven weeks. And while I haven’t reached my weight goal per se, I’m close enough. When you’re exercising, it’s easy to forget that you’re building muscle as you burn fat. Muscle weighs more than fat. So, on a scale, it may seem like you’re not making any progress. But, there are other measures: better fitting clothing, improved endurance and tighter abs.

And my abs are tight these days. Sure, they’re still hiding behind a few inches of blubber, but they’re there. The flab is getting tighter anyway.

Once the beard came off, my wife could see the difference, instantly. My double chin is gone. And that’s a very impressive feat.

So, I walked into work the other day, clean-shaven, with a thinner face, and everyone was impressed.

So impressed, in fact, they didn’t notice I’d trimmed my eyebrows back dramatic style, because I’m going out en femme this weekend, and couldn’t do it with a beard.

Category: All TGForum Posts, Transgender Opinion