According to a study published online on January 3 in JAMA Dermatology, transgender and gender-diverse individuals report experiencing acne-related stigma. On Wednesday, January 3, 2024 (HealthDay News), Sarah Gold from the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta and associates used semi-structured interviews and surveys to study participants’ lived experience with acne and acne treatment. The study included 32 people, including 4 nonbinary members, 11 transgender women, and 17 transgender men.
The study’s findings revealed that 10, 11, and 11 participants (31, 34, and 34 percent, respectively) self-rated their skin as currently clear or nearly clear, with mild acne, or with moderate to severe acne. Individuals admitted avoiding social interactions where they anticipated acne-related bias, 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 mark of testosterone action, while transgender women reported that acne interfered with female gender expression. The majority of the participants tried 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 direct evidence-based physiological acne treatment.
