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Keeping Up With Cait: The Cost of Being TransgenderIt takes big money to look as good as Caitlyn Jenner. We break down the hefty price of becoming a woman |
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Depending on how much hair you're trying to remove, costs vary. At the very least, transgender women typically remove facial hair, according to Sabrena Smith, owner of Sabrena Smith Electrolysis in Hollywood, CA. Smith says that after being on HRT, most of her clients find that their arm and torso hair stops growing in. For those who don't experience less hair growth, shaving is usually the norm.
However, hair growing on places like the back is hard to take care of, says Monica Prata, a feminine image consultant and owner of Nouveau She, a service that helps transgender women with the transition process. She has some clients who have spent around $40,000 on hair removal via electrolysis. It's also a painstakingly long process -- complete removal of a beard for someone not on HRT can be around 200 hours -- "you're zapping hair by hair," says Prata.
Some of Prata's clients turn to laser hair removal, which is ideal for someone with lighter skin and dark hair. It's less expensive and less painful, but it does require upkeep for the rest of your life (nope, it's not permanent), and it won't work on grey or light hair.
Cost: For just the face, Smith says most pay between $10,000 and $20,000, though it can cost less once HRT kicks in and the body stops producing as much hair. The full body can be up to $60,000 and take several years, according to Smith.
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