Sex Reassignment Therapy - Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone Replacement Therapy

For transsexual men and women, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) causes the development of many of the secondary sexual characteristics of their desired sex. However, many of the existing primary and secondary sexual characteristics cannot be reversed by HRT. For example, HRT can induce breast growth for transsexual women but cannot reduce breasts for transsexual men. HRT can prompt facial hair growth for transsexual men, but cannot regress facial hair for transsexual women. HRT may, however, reverse some characteristics, such as distribution of body fat and muscle, as well as menstruation in transsexual men. Generally, those traits that are easily reversible will revert upon cessation of hormonal treatment, unless chemical or surgical castration has occurred, though for many transsexual people, surgery is required to obtain satisfactory physical characteristics.

As with all medical activities, health risks are associated with hormone replacement therapy, especially when high hormone doses are taken as is common for pre-operative transsexual patients. It is always advised that all changes in therapeutic hormonal treatment should be supervised by a physician because starting, stopping or even changing dosage rates and levels can have physical and psychological health risks.

Although some transsexual women use herbal phytoestrogens as alternatives to pharmaceutical estrogens, little research has been performed with regards to the safety or effectiveness of such products. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the results of herbal treatments are minimal and very subtle, if at all noticeable, when compared to conventional hormone therapy.