Detransition MTF
Detransition happens when a person who has already made the transition returns to living as the gender assigned by their birth sex.
A person who was born female, lived socially as a male for many years, and then returned to living as a woman is an example of detransition MTF (male to female). And according to detransition statistics, it may or may not involve detransition surgery.
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If you’re looking for a doctor who understands your needs and can help you with how to detransition MTF through breast restoration, schedule a consultation here.
People whose gender identity differs from their assigned sex at birth may opt to participate in transition or detransition processes at specific points of their lives.
However, detransition cases are rare for people who have sought medical or surgical treatment to confirm their gender.
What It Means to
Detransition MTF
The term "detransition" is often used to describe people who only socially transitioned and then returned to identify as their biological sex.
But “desistance” is the more common term for these people. On the other hand, detransition is more commonly used to refer to the reversal of medical transition.
An example of detransition MTF is a female who transitioned to male and opted to go back to being female. In this detransition process, testosterone administration will stop. If the ovaries are not removed, female sex hormone production will resume. Fat and muscle redistribution, skin softening, and female hair growth patterns will all reappear in time.
Detransition surgery can also be done. The masculine features can revert to feminine features with the help of surgery.
But it’s worth noting that the detransitioning process is slow. It can take a year or more for the female body to return to producing normal levels of female sex hormones.
Although detransitioning cases are rare, it occurs to both MTF (male to female) and FTM (female to male) transitioners.
According to the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey 1, detransition statistics show that 11% of female respondents reverted to their assigned sex at birth. Transgender men reverted at a rate of 4%.
These people cited many reasons for their decision to detransition.
Detransition Statistics
Detransition statistics show various reasons why people go through detransitioning.
Most of the reasons are due to external factors. There are also some internal factors, such as psychological reasons, uncertainty, and fluctuations in gender identity.
Here are some of the key reasons why transgender people decide to detransition:
External pressures come from the people around a transgender person. Lack of acceptance by society is a common problem for transgender people.
Some of these are family rejection, school or workplace rejection, and lack of government validation.
According to a 2021 study of detransitioners 2, those who experience less acceptance from society may face tremendous external pressure. As a result, internalized self-doubt about their gender identity may lead to detransition.
Transgender people frequently face harsh or humiliating treatment from a non-accepting culture. They often face discrimination and harassment because of their gender identity.
These societal behaviors are risk factors for poor mental health. It also acts as an obstacle to living comfortably in one's gender identity and expression.
Some transgender people decide to detransition due to medical reasons. Complications from transitioning, declining physical health, and mental health issues are some reasons. Others are anxious about infertility and transition surgical complications.
Some individuals tend to detransition MTF temporarily. This is to achieve a particular goal, such as having biological children.
According to detransition statistics from the Society for Evidence-Based Gender (SEGM) Detransition Study 3, 51% of their female respondents felt dissatisfied with the physical results of transition. They feel like there are too many changes in their bodies.
Around 36% of male respondents feel the same, but their dissatisfaction is more inclined with too few changes.
Regret is an uncommon reason for detransitioning.
Yet, there are still some transgender people who wish they had never transitioned. They believe that transition didn't solve their issues. Some even think that their transition made their lives worse.
Some express regret because of the long-time effects of undergoing transition. They hoped that doctors would not push them to think about their bodies as flawed. On top of this, they hope to have a better idea of what to look forward to after transitioning.
The gender-affirmative model involves medical procedures to meet the desired sex’s appearance. Several procedures are involved in achieving the desired result of a transition or detransition surgery.
The process usually involves:
- Hormone blockers (GnRHas)
- Lifelong cross-sex-hormones
- Mastectomy or breast implants
- Removal of ovaries or testes
- Hysterectomy or removal of the uterus
- Surgical removal and revision of sex organs
More about the detransition surgery…
For instance, a transgender person named Chelsea 4 realized her gender identity in 2000. She went through two years of therapy, hormone treatment, and breast augmentation. This took a total of eight years.
Chelsea was yet to have a vaginoplasty. But things started to shift, and her feelings changed. She realized that it was affecting her body and mental health. Her doctors weaned her off the hormones little by little to allow her body to adjust.
Chelsea chose to have her breast augmentation reversed and complete chest reconstruction surgery done. The process would have been more complicated had she decided to detransition after vaginoplasty.
Detransition Rates
Another 2021 study 5 on detransition statistics showed that approximately two-thirds of the 237 survey participants transitioned socially and medically. Under 1/3 had only transitioned socially.
Around 46% of those who medically transitioned had “gender-affirming” procedures. This is in comparison to individuals who only had hormonal interventions.
Despite the minimal detransition rate, there are still some transgender people who want to have detransition surgery to reverse the changes they went through during their initial transition. Vaginoplasty and breast reconstruction are two of the most common detransition MTF surgeries.
MTF detransition timeline | MTF detransition mastectomy
If you’re one of the transgender people thinking of undergoing detransition surgery, schedule a consultation with Dr. Gary Rosenbaum—a board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in breast-related surgeries.
References:
- The Report of 2015 US Transgender Survey
https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS-Full-Report-Dec17.pdf - Factors Leading to “Detransition” Among Transgender and Gender Diverse People in the United States: A Mixed-Methods Analysis
By: Jack L. Turban, Stephanie S. Loo, Anthony N. Almazan, and Alex S. Keuroghlian
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/lgbt.2020.0437 - Growing Focus on Detransition
https://segm.org/new_detransition_study_2021 - Dispelling the Myths About Trans People ‘Detransitioning’
https://www.vice.com/en/article/kwxkwz/dispelling-the-myths-around-detransitioning - Detransition: a Real and Growing Phenomenon
https://segm.org/first_large_study_of_detransitioners