When talking about “hormone therapy” in transgender people, many may already know that… this is the process of introducing the desired sex hormones into the body to cause changes or transition to the desired gender, such as transitioning from male to female, called Transwomen, or from female to male, called Transman. In fact, hormone therapy has many more details. If you are someone planning to change yourself, here are the key points about hormone therapy that you should know!!
Did you know? There are 3 methods of hormone therapy
1. Oral intake must be continuous every day. The advantage is convenience, no pain, can be done by yourself, and no need to visit the hospital frequently (but even if you choose this method, it is recommended to visit the hospital for a doctor to prescribe the medication because buying and taking it yourself may result in incorrect dosages and unsafe effects, especially the risk of blood clots). Additionally, discipline is required because if you forget, hormone levels will drop. Importantly! This method may affect the liver and shows results slower than other methods. For transwomen (those transitioning from male to female) who want to use oral intake, the appropriate dosage should be managed by a doctor because taking contraceptive pills has been found to contain hormone levels up to 6 times higher than necessary, which may cause long-term harm such as liver damage or blood clots since hormone therapy is long-term.
2. Injection acts faster than oral intake, and there are 2 types:
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- Short-term type: recommended to inject every 2-4 weeks (for transmen) because the effect gradually increases in the first week and decreases by the end of 2 weeks. When receiving the next injection, hormone levels will rise again. But if the next injection is not taken within 2 weeks, hormone levels will drop in weeks 3-4, so the next dose must be taken promptly. The advantage is that hormone levels can be adjusted up and down because the effect lasts a short time, but injections must be frequent. For transwomen, estrogen and/or progesterone injections can be given, usually recommended every 1 week.
- Long-term type for transmen: the hormone gradually increases and then slowly decreases, lasting up to 3 months. If the next injection is delayed, hormone levels will slightly drop. It is recommended to inject every 3 months. The advantage is fewer injections, stable hormone levels without fluctuations, but hormone levels cannot be adjusted as well as the short-term type. For transwomen, there is no long-acting injectable hormone available.
3. Topical application is a gel applied to various parts of the skin daily, and must be applied to areas that are not touched frequently and have little hair coverage, such as the abdomen, shoulders, inner thighs, etc., to allow good hormone absorption. The advantage is convenience, no pain, can be self-applied, and the effect lasts only 24 hours. The disadvantage is the high cost, daily application, and waiting for it to dry before putting on clothes. There are both male hormones for transmen and female hormones for transwomen.
How long do you need to take hormones to see results?
Hormone therapy is not just taking it 1-2 times and seeing results. Hormone therapy must be taken consistently, and changes such as voice and facial structure will start to appear after 3-6 months or more.
Precautions for hormone therapy
- Various health problems such as frequent illness, decreased bone mass, blood clots in blood vessels, high blood pressure
- Possible emotional changes or depression
- Must maintain stable hormone levels; if too low… desired effects will not be seen
For those who want hormone therapy to change themselves, the Gender Health Center at Phyathai Nawamin Hospital offers hormone therapy under the care of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atiwut Kamutmas, a specialist in sexual medicine with over 10 years of experience in hormone therapy. If you have other sexual health issues, you can inbox for consultation at this link https://bit.ly/3ggNpnj
