Evaluating the Psychosocial Impact of Gender-Affirming Dermatology Treatments: A Systematic Review

The systematic review evaluated the psychosocial impact of gender-affirming dermatology treatments on transgender individuals, including treatments like hair removal and nonsurgical injectables. The review included 13 studies, with 10 showing a positive correlation between these treatments and beneficial psychosocial outcomes. Hair removal was associated with lower symptoms of depression and anxiety, greater positive affect, lower social anxiety, more body satisfaction, and less nonaffirmation of gender identity. Nonsurgical injectables were linked to greater self-esteem, positive body image, satisfaction with facial appearance, and less anticipated discrimination. However, these studies did not control for potential demographic differences or receipt of other gender-affirming procedures. The review concluded that more research is needed to definitively establish the relationship between gender-affirming dermatology treatments and psychosocial factors.