Transgender Patients Can Consult Dermatologists for Facial Transformations

The transformation process for transgender patients involves many moving parts; these individuals can seek help from a wide range of clinicians, including dermatologists, who can consult on facial transformations for women.

Brian A. Ginsberg, MD, NYU Langone Medical Center, and colleagues piloted a cross-sectional study that included an anonymous online survey to distinguish the areas with which dermatologists could help for the physical transformation of transgender patients.

Upon assessing the surveys completed by 327 individuals (63% men, 29% women, 9% other), researchers discovered most transgender women preferred their face to be changed, while men indicated their chest was most important.

For women, the order of preference for procedures was hair removal, other facial procedures, surgery, and injectables, with the majority of the work typically done by plastic surgeons.

The hormone-induced facial effects took at least two years to kick in, which meant a significant investment of time and money — money being the primary barrier when choosing procedures.

Patients naturally hope for a favorable aesthetic outcome, which can be expensive, and they often don’t believe facial procedures should require as many perquisites typical recommended.

As such, the authors concluded, “Dermatologists could contribute to the physical transformation of transgender patients through noninvasive procedures.”