Short- and Long-Term Clinical Skin Effects of Testosterone Treatment in Trans Men

The study from 2014 investigated the effects of testosterone treatment on the skin of trans men, including 20 hormone-naive participants in a short-term study and 50 participants in a long-term study. Testosterone treatment significantly increased facial and body hair growth, with the median Ferriman and Gallwey (F&G) score rising from 0.5 to 12 after 12 months, and nearly all participants showing scores indicative of hirsutism after long-term treatment. Mild frontotemporal hair loss was observed in one participant after one year, while 32.7% experienced mild hair loss and 31% had moderate to severe androgenetic alopecia after long-term treatment. Acne severity peaked at 6 months but was mild or absent in most participants following long-term treatment. The study concluded that testosterone treatment leads to increased facial and body hair and that severe skin problems were generally absent after both short- and long-term treatment, with the risk of androgenetic alopecia increasing over time. Dermatological outcomes were not strongly associated with individual serum testosterone or dihydrotestosterone levels.