This page covers the general Frequently Asked Questions by teenagers doing DIY HRT. If you did not find your question here, consult the following FAQ pages.
If you have any questions or you're looking for a question to be added here, you can contact us at contact@hrteens.com.
There are many different laws surrounding DIY HRT that vary depending on the country and the specific hormone. It’s always a good idea to check the laws of the country you live in so you can be aware if you are possessing an illegal substance or not. In general, there are no restrictions on possessing estrogen and anti-androgens without a prescription from a doctor. Testosterone is illegal to use without a prescription in the US. However, since the market for testosterone is so large among cis male bodybuilders, sellers are targeted by the law significantly more than buyers. Prosecuting an individual for possession of testosterone is not worth the time for almost all law enforcement. Areas such as Europe, Canada, Australia, and the UK only have laws against selling/distributing testosterone, not buying it, so if you live in one of these areas you will likely be fine. Again, we recommend checking your local laws around hormones, because many countries are exceptions to the guidelines above.
If you live in a country where possessing your form of HRT is illegal, always keep it in your house, never your car. This way, if police ever pull you over and search your car, they will not find your HRT and have an excuse to arrest you. If you are unhoused, whether living in your car or on the streets, we strongly recommend storing your HRT at a safe location such as a friend’s house or, if you don’t have one, a completely secret hiding place outdoors (which is very risky and not generally recommended). Never attempt to fly with a controlled substance unless you have a prescription, because airport security will find it and ask you about it. If you follow these rules and keep the fact that you are DIYing as private as possible, you will go completely unnoticed by law enforcement.
We strongly recommend taking measures to hide the fact that you are purchasing HRT. Not only will this keep you safe as a minor, but your parents will also be less likely to notice your online purchases. Here are a few actions you can take to protect yourself:
Download Tor Browser. Tor Browser prevents someone watching your connection from knowing what websites you visit. All anyone monitoring your browsing habits can see is that you're using Tor. It aims to make all users look the same, making it difficult for you to be fingerprinted based on your browser and device information. This is helpful when researching DIY sources or other sites you want to keep private from government or other surveillance. Be careful! The Tor network is what is commonly reffered to as "The Dark Web", and yes, a lot of very illegal, dark, and bad things can be accessed using the Tor network, so please be extra careful when using it. You can download Tor Browser here: https://www.torproject.org
Get a Proton email address. Not only are they free and much harder to track than a Google email address, they also filter out more spam. We recommend creating a Proton email account and using their email alias feature for any HRT-related transactions to increase your safety, but you can also use Proton as a personal email. You can sign up for Proton here: https://account.proton.me/mail/signup
Get a VPN. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a tool that creates a secure, encrypted connection between your device and the internet. It hides your IP address and internet activity, making it harder for websites, hackers, or your internet provider to track what you're doing online. VPNs are often used to protect privacy, access region-restricted content, and stay safe on public Wi-Fi. In some cases, a VPN is necessary to access certain HRT sources. Generally, it isn’t strictly necessary to have a VPN, but it can give you greater peace of mind about searching for HRT on the internet. We recommend Proton VPN because it’s free and easy to download as a mobile app (and may also put you in the Netherlands too!) You can sign up here: https://protonvpn.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqVcYWDbY1fbMFe-uhzYh5fwK9zo8nhMFHblB4ttZBRyBg2fJhD
Besides these measures, we also recommend telling as few people as possible that you are doing DIY HRT rather than being prescribed it from a clinic. There is a lot of stigma around DIYing, and people who don’t understand it can do a lot of damage. You can educate your family and friends about DIYing if you are absolutely sure you can trust them, but in general, it’s wise to remain private about it. If governments become aware of the volume of trans people doing DIY HRT, they will make it harder for us to access these treatments. As much as you may want to, spreading the good news about DIY HRT far and wide may not be the best idea.
We recommend that everyone doing DIY should get a blood test at least once, preferably after three months of taking hormones. Regular blood testing is not required for DIY HRT, but it can help you get a good idea of where your hormone levels are and whether you should increase, lower, or maintain your dosage. When purchasing private blood tests, you usually use an online lab service. They generate a lab order for you, which you then take to the clinic of your choice. The entire process is handled remotely, doesn't involve a doctor, doesn’t require insurance, and still complies with HIPAA privacy regulations.
If you are in the US, you can purchase a blood test from Private MD Labs; if you are in the UK, you can find blood tests at Randox Health. Hormones that should be tested are testosterone, estradiol (E2), FSH/LH (gonadotropins that start hormone production; these levels should be lowered by HRT), AST/ALT ratio (measures liver health, should be done by those taking estrogen or anti-androgen pills), CBC (complete blood count; important for those taking testosterone), and U&E (should be done by those taking anti-androgens).
If you want to purchase only one of these tests, you can buy them individually. However, if you’re in the US and you want to test multiple of these, we recommend buying the Women’s Hormone Light Test if you are in the US. This is a package that tests all the hormones listed above, and it is cheaper than testing them all individually.
You can find your target hormone levels through the Mayo Clinic Pediatric Test Catalogue. Simply search for your desired hormone and compare the levels given to your blood test results. This can help you decide whether you should change your dose or not.
The vast majority of trans teenagers doing DIY HRT are forced to hide their HRT from their transphobic families. Both the creators of HRTeens had to transition without their parents’ knowledge. Therefore, we understand the necessity of being secretive when it comes to HRT. Here are a few ideas for places you could hide your supplies:
Empty non-assuming container, such as a shampoo bottle if the hole is big enough; you can pack the container with tissue to stop it from rattling
Book with the inside cut out for a hidden compartment
Inside the lining or pocket of a coat or jacket that isn't worn anymore
School backpack (if your school doesn’t search them)
Underneath loose floorboards or carpets
A small hole inside a teddy bear or plushie
A place that is not in your room (Author’s note: Okay, hear me out. It sounds strange to hide your HRT in a different room than yours. However, if you have parents who frequently search your room, it may be a good idea to put your HRT supplies in a different part of the house that they will not search. For example, I temporarily hid mine in a shoe box on a shoe rack that no one in my house ever looks at or uses. Be creative when thinking about hiding spots that your parents will not find!)
No matter where you decide to hide your HRT, you should definitely consider putting it in a small lockbox if at all possible. If your parents find a locked box, they will want to know what is inside it, but at least they won’t know that it’s HRT.
Hiding the effects of HRT is often much more difficult. Many younger teens doing DIY, especially those under 17 and/or taking testosterone, face the risk of losing the ability to pass as cis before they can become financially independent from their families. If you are in a situation where you want to take HRT but you want its effects to be less noticeable to your family, you can choose to go on 75% of your recommended dosage. Any lower than this will not be effective. The changes may be small and slow enough that your family will not notice them, and you won’t have to give up HRT.
However, not everyone’s body is the same. By taking a lower dose, your body may not respond to the hormones at all and you may continue to proceed through puberty. For many people, the best decision is to go on a full dose and use less invasive methods to hide their transition. Transmascs can use voice training exercises to feminise their deepening voice, while transfems can use binders to hide their growing breasts (note: this should be done for short periods of time in order to allow healthy breast growth).
Testosterone and estrogen have a half-life, which means the amount of time the hormone will stay in your system. After the half-life (usually a few days) ends, your hormone levels will begin to drop. This does not mean that you will stop masculinising or feminising immediately, it just means that your hormone levels in your blood will change. The general rule is that it takes 4 to 5 half-lives for a person’s hormone levels to go completely back to what they were before HRT. So, for example, if you are taking testosterone cypionate, which has a half-life of approximately 8 days, you will need to wait 32 to 40 days after your last dose for your levels to return to pre-T levels.
Since testosterone is a controlled substance, most governments do not want it entering their countries illegally. Every country has a customs agency responsible for monitoring the transportation of international packages entering or leaving the country. They are also in charge of package security, inspecting shipments to ensure they do not contain illegal items. However, customs only inspects international packages. If you purchase testosterone from within your own country (known as domestic sourcing), there is virtually no risk of it being seized. Even if you buy from a reputable international source, the likelihood of seizure remains relatively low.
Unfortunately, not completely. While significant changes can occur, such as reduced breast size, ending of menstruation, increased body hair, and muscle development, the skeletal changes from female puberty, like wider hips, narrower shoulders, and shorter stature, are permanent. If you have completed female puberty, it's important to keep your expectations realistic regarding how much testosterone will change your body.
It is not illegal to purchase estrogen or anti-androgens, but if you order them internationally, there is still a chance of delays and disruption in the shipping process. This is especially true for US residents, following the executive order on August 29, 2025, which declared that all packages entering the US internationally must go through customs. This does not necessarily mean that your package will be seized, but it is an incentive to order your HRT domestically whenever possible. Ordering domestically almost completely eliminates the risk of losing your package in transit.
Unfortunately, not completely. While significant changes can occur, such as increased breast size, smoother skin, decreased body hair, and decreased muscle development, the skeletal changes from male puberty, like an angular skull, wider shoulders, and taller stature, are permanent. If you have completed male puberty, it's important to keep your expectations realistic regarding how much estrogen will change your body.
All of the puberty blockers listed in this website are legal to purchase and possess in any country, at time of writing. It’s a good idea to check the laws of the country you live in so you can be aware if this has changed or not.
