Nonsurgical Gender-Affirming Care
When you’re considering nonsurgical gender-affirming care, Ohio State’s specialists will support you with personalized care that respects your identity and your choices.
What are the nonsurgical gender-affirming care options?
At The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, we provide a full spectrum of gender-affirming care for transgender and gender-nonconforming people. We offer various nonsurgical gender-affirming options and procedures tailored to your individual needs and goals.
These treatments can prepare you for gender-affirming surgery or help you feel your best even when you don’t have plans for surgery. Our team of experts will help you explore the options that are right for you.
Skin care
Gender-affirming care can affect your skin and scalp, particularly if you use hormone therapy. We can help manage concerns such as:
- Acne, including hormone-induced acne
- Eczema
- Psoriasis
- Rosacea
- Scarring, including postoperative scars
Depending on your needs, treatment may include prescription medications or creams, phototherapy and laser or microneedling treatments for scars and other skin concerns.
For some people, nonsurgical cosmetic treatments can also support gender-affirming goals by changing certain facial features. Botulinum toxin injections can relax targeted facial muscles, while dermal fillers can add volume and shape to areas such as the lips, cheeks, chin and jawline.
Hair removal
Laser hair removal can reduce unwanted facial or body hair to help your appearance better align with your gender identity. Laser treatments, which are provided by our plastic surgery specialists, can target areas such as the face, chin, jawline, back, underarms, arms, legs and pubic area.
Because hair grows in cycles, you will typically need a series of treatments to reduce hair growth. Hair removal can also be used to prepare certain areas of the body for gender-affirming surgery.
Dermaplaning offers another nonsurgical option for removing fine facial hair. During treatment, a medical spa specialist gently removes the top layer of dead skin cells and fine hairs, leaving the skin smoother.
If you experience hair thinning or loss, including changes associated with hormone therapy, our dermatology specialists can evaluate the cause and recommend nonsurgical treatments, such as prescription medications or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, when appropriate.
If you want to learn about surgical hair removal, our plastic surgery specialists can discuss those options separately.
Hormone replacement therapy
Gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help you develop physical traits that better align with your gender identity without having surgery.
- Feminizing hormone therapy may include estrogen and medications that reduce testosterone. Changes can include breast growth, softer skin, changes in body fat distribution and reduced muscle mass.
- Masculinizing hormone therapy uses testosterone and can lead to a deeper voice, increased facial and body hair, changes in muscle mass and the stopping of menstrual periods.
Your provider will help you choose treatment based on your health and the changes you want to achieve. Care also includes ongoing health monitoring and lab testing to make sure hormone levels remain safe and appropriate for you.
Mental health services
Our mental health specialists provide gender-affirming support for concerns related to gender identity, gender dysphoria and other emotional or behavioral health needs. You can also receive care for anxiety, depression, trauma and other concerns in a safe environment, no matter if those concerns are related to your gender-affirming care or not.
Care may include individual or group talk therapy, psychological assessment and treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy or acceptance and commitment therapy. Your mental health provider can work with you on the goals that matter to you, whether you want support related to your gender, relationships and life changes or want treatment for a mental health condition.
Obstetric and gynecologic care and fertility preservation (family planning)
Our obstetrics and gynecology specialists provide gender-affirming reproductive and sexual healthcare based on your anatomy and stage of life. Care may include:
- Routine gynecologic exams
- Contraception
- Treatment for heavy or painful periods and pelvic pain
- Pregnancy care
- Other reproductive health services
Hormone therapy and some other gender-affirming treatments can affect fertility. If having biological children may be important to you in the future, you can discuss fertility preservation before beginning treatment. These options can include freezing sperm, eggs or embryos for possible future use.
Our specialists can also explain family-building options such as intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), donor eggs or sperm and gestational carriers.
Physical therapy
Affirming physical therapy can support you through different stages of gender-affirming care. Treatment can help you prepare for surgery and recovery, physical changes related to HRT, pelvic floor concerns and pain management.
Our pelvic floor physical therapists can help treat pelvic pain, muscle tension, bladder or bowel problems and sexual function using exercises, movement and relaxation techniques. For example, our pelvic floor physical therapists can help you learn to relax your pelvic floor muscles and use dilation safely after vaginoplasty.
Voice therapy
Gender-affirming voice therapy and training can help you develop a voice and a communication style that better aligns with your gender identity without surgery.
Our ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center will first evaluate your voice health. Then, speech-language pathologists will work with you on areas such as pitch, resonance, intonation, breathing and airflow. The gender-affirming voice therapy program typically involves about 10 to 12 weeks of therapy and daily practice.