Principles of hormone use for transgender people: important guidelines and practices

Gender transition is not just about changing physical appearance, but also about emotional, social, and mental changes. Hormone therapy is an important part of helping transgender people transition to their gender identity appropriately. However, this process requires careful planning and supervision to prevent possible health risks and side effects.

Preparation before starting hormone therapy

1. Assessment of mental health and gender identity

Before transgender women start hormone therapy, there is an important step of consulting a psychiatrist or psychologist about gender identity. This step is to check both mental and emotional readiness. Discussing and assessing gender identity helps to ensure that the person understands and is confident in the gender transition process, and helps to create an appropriate plan for hormone use.

The reason for the psychological assessment is to help the patient make responsible decisions. Hormone therapy has many impacts, including social, work, and relationships. Being mentally prepared reduces anxiety and emotional problems that may occur during the transition.

2. Thorough health check-up

A medical health check-up is an important step that cannot be overlooked. A preliminary health check-up will allow the doctor to assess the health risks of hormone use for transgender women, such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, as well as factors that may increase the risk of blood clots or liver problems.

A blood hormone level test is part of this health check-up. To know the level of sex hormones in the body. This information will help determine the appropriate and safe amount of hormones.

In addition, the doctor may perform additional tests, such as blood pressure, heart function, and liver function tests, to assess whether the patient is ready for hormone treatment. This comprehensive and detailed health check-up can help prevent future health problems and reduce the risks of hormone use.

Types and Uses of Hormones for Transgender Women

1. Estrogen

Estrogen is the main hormone used in the gender transition process for transgender women. Using estrogen helps the body look more like a woman, such as increasing breast size, reducing muscle size, and changing body fat to accumulate in the thighs and hips. It also helps to make the skin smoother and reduce thick body hair.

Estrogen can be used in many forms, including pills, injections, and patches. Each form has different advantages and disadvantages. For example, using patches may have fewer side effects in terms of blood clots compared to using pills. The doctor will choose the method that is most suitable for the patient based on their health and other factors.

2. Anti-androgens

Using estrogen alone cannot completely suppress male hormones. Therefore, drugs that reduce male hormones are used. (Anti-androgens) along with estrogen. This group of drugs reduces the production of testosterone, the body's main male hormone, reducing body hair growth, hair loss, and muscle size.

There are many types of anti-androgen drugs, such as Spironolactone and Cyproterone acetate, which both work in different ways, but have the same goal of reducing male hormones in the body. People who use this drug must have regular follow-up and health check-ups to prevent side effects.

3. Use of Progesterone

Progesterone is a hormone used in some cases to enhance the efficiency of gender transition to be more complete. This hormone plays a role in helping to create and adjust certain physical characteristics, such as breast development and adjusting hair growth. However, the use of progesterone is still controversial in the medical community because there is no clear information on how much progesterone is really beneficial to transgender women. Therefore, the use of progesterone should be under the care of a specialist doctor and with close monitoring.

Hormone Administration Process: Gradual and Adjustment

1. Starting Hormone

Starting hormones usually starts with a low dose to allow the body to adjust to the change. Using hormones gradually reduces the risk of possible side effects, such as blood clots, abnormal liver function, or mood changes. Starting with a low dose also allows the doctor to assess the body's response appropriately.

The doctor will perform regular health checks and monitor the results of hormone use. During this initial period, the patient should strictly follow the doctor's instructions, as changing sex hormones requires accurate monitoring.

2. Adjusting the Hormone Dose

Once the body has started to respond to the hormone, the doctor will assess and adjust the hormone dose as appropriate. Adjusting the hormone dose is important, as using too much hormone can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease or heart disease. At the same time, using too little hormone may not produce the expected results.

Regular health check-ups allow the doctor to assess and adjust the treatment to suit the patient's needs, such as blood tests to measure hormone levels, heart health checks, and blood vessel thickness tests. Therefore, hormone adjustment is a careful and delicate process.

Long-term health care for transgender women Gender using hormones

1. Risks and side effects of long-term hormone use

Long-term hormone use carries some health risks. Although hormones help bring about physical changes consistent with the desired gender, they can also increase the risk of blood clots, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Therefore, hormone use should be under strict supervision and monitoring by a doctor.

In addition, hormone use can cause emotional problems, such as depression and anxiety. The changes in hormone levels in the body affect a person's brain and mood. Consulting a psychiatrist and receiving ongoing emotional support are important in managing emotional problems that may arise.

2. Regular health check-ups

Regular health check-ups are essential for transgender women who use hormones long-term. Blood tests, heart check-ups, and liver function tests will allow the doctor to monitor the results and prevent potential health problems. In addition, mental health check-ups are important to ensure that the patient is in good mental health and can cope with emotional changes appropriately.

Psychological and social support for transgender women

Gender transition is a process that has many impacts, whether it be physical, emotional, or social. Having support from family, friends, or support groups is important in helping transgender women feel confident in themselves and be able to face the challenges that may arise.