Why do some transsexual women look more masculine than others?

There are a number of factors as to why some transsexual women look more masculine or feminine when compared to others. Here are some of the common reasons:

1. Age of transition - Usually, the earlier you start taking female hormones and transitioning, the more feminine you appear. Estrogen receptors are most sensitive to female hormones during puberty. When female hormones are started before male puberty, the voice doesn't lower as much, and the thyroid cartilage (Adam's Apple) doesn't enlarge as much. There is less bone growth. This is important to the face and height, since male hormones slow the closure of the bone plates, thus allowing more bone tissue to form. Also, facial hair doesn't grow except for some vellus (fine, underdeveloped) hair, and that kind is good to have since men generally only have the thicker kind on their face. Thus vellus hair adds to the perception of femininity.

2. Luck of genetics - Sometimes a person's race or genetics plays into the perception of femininity, particularly if they are in a different culture or location. If an Asian transsexual woman were to move to the US, their shorter stature and less body hair will make them seem more feminine in the US. Some Americans with Native American ancestry may also appear naturally more feminine. Plus some families tend to produce males that have a "baby face" look. The male body isn't that different, just that the male features just mean thicker bones and a greater appearance of aging.

3. Better skill - The better you are at hiding male features, wearing the right clothes, and fixing your makeup, the more feminine you will appear. The earlier you start transition, the more in touch you will be with others of your target gender, and the more you will be socialized as that gender. Some of the better skill may relate to desperation or insecurity, ironically.

4. More income - The more money you have, the more tailored designer clothes you can get, the more surgeries you can get, the more higher end makeup you can afford, and the more you can get your hair and nails done. Passing as a fashionable girl/woman in this day and age takes a lot of resources.

5. More surgeries - If you can get your forehead moved in and reshaped, get malar implants (the "Apples" of the cheeks), get the nose brought in and perhaps narrowed some, get breast implants, and get the jawbone reduced, it will help a lot, unless you are lucky enough to not need any of that.