Medical Dermatologic Conditions in Transgender Women
December 2018
in “
International Journal of Women's Dermatology
”
hormone therapy androgenic alopecia acne neovaginas stenosis intravaginal hairballs neovaginal cancer estrogen therapy testosterone treatment systemic lupus erythematosus SLE black market injectables body contouring gender-affirming surgery hair loss hair growth skin conditions vaginal complications autoimmune diseases illegal injectables
TLDR Hormone therapy in transgender women can affect hair growth and acne, and there are specific skin issues related to gender-affirming surgery, but more research is needed on their dermatological health.
The document reviews dermatologic conditions in transgender women, particularly those undergoing hormone therapy and surgical transition. It reports that hormone therapy can lead to changes in hair growth, improvement in androgenic alopecia, and reduced acne. Complications associated with neovaginas, such as stenosis and intravaginal hairballs, are discussed, along with the microbiology of neovaginas and the risk of neovaginal cancer, for which routine screening is recommended. The review also mentions benign neovaginal diseases and does not find an increased skin cancer risk due to estrogen therapy. Autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have been reported in transgender women following estrogen therapy, with some cases showing severe manifestations, while one case improved after testosterone treatment. The use of illegal black market injectables for body contouring can lead to serious complications. The document concludes that more research is needed to understand dermatological issues in transgender patients, as current knowledge is mainly limited to changes in acne, hair distribution, and the consequences of gender-affirming surgery.
