Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy Among Transgender and Gender Diverse Patients Receiving Laser Hair Removal Prior to Gender-Affirming Surgery

In a retrospective chart review at the University of Minnesota Department of Dermatology, 66 transgender and gender diverse (TGD) patients who underwent laser hair removal (LHR) prior to gender-affirming surgeries (GAS) were studied to characterize their gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT). The study, conducted between January 1, 2017, and November 30, 2020, found that 41 (62.1%) patients were receiving feminizing hormone therapy, with various combinations of estradiol, spironolactone, leuprolide acetate, and progesterone, and 17 (25.8%) were on masculinizing hormone therapy with testosterone. The duration of hormone therapy ranged from 1 month to 12 years. The study highlights that the majority of TGD patients seeking LHR are already on GAHT, which may influence LHR efficacy, although the exact impact is not yet clear. This underscores the need for future research on the effects of GAHT on LHR outcomes.