According to a study published online on January 3 in JAMA Dermatology, trans and gender-diverse people report experiencing stigma associated with acne.
At a comprehensive sex center, Sarah Gold from the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta and colleagues used semistructured interviews and surveys to study the lived experiences of pimples and acne treatment in trans and gender-diverse participants. The study included 32 people, including 4 nonbinary individuals, 11 transgender women, and 17 transgender men.
The study’s findings revealed that 10, 11, and 11 participants self-rated their skin as currently clear or nearly clear, with mild acne, or with moderate to severe acne (31, 34, and 34 percent, respectively).
Participants admitted avoiding social interactions where they anticipated acne-related stigma, which caused depression and anxiety. Participants also described experiences of rejection and harassment related to acne.
Acne made gender dysphoria worse. Transgender men generally normalized acne growth because they saw it as a sign of testosterone action, despite the fact that transgender women reported that acne interfered with female gender expression.
The majority of the respondents used over-the-counter acne treatments, and advice on acne treatment was frequently sought from doctors, peers, online forums, or social media. Barriers to acne treatment included high costs, a lack of comprehensive care, mistrust of the healthcare system, and an absence of transgender-specific education in acne care.
According to the authors, clinicians should actively seek out, screen, and treat acne in order to relieve the patient’s burden and facilitate acne care. They may also conduct additional research to guide evidence-based physical acne treatment.
More details can be found in Sarah Gold et al.’s article, JAMA Dermatology (2024), Lived Experience of Acne Treatment in Transgender Patients. DOI: 10.1001/jamadermatol.203.5355.
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Citation: On January 4, 2024, https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-01-transgender-diverse-individuals-acne.html reported stigma associated with acne (2024 and January 4).
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