News and Events => Science & Medical News => Topic started by: Jessica_Rose on January 30, 2026, 04:16:18 PM Return to Full Version
Title: Trans men face increased risk of acne after starting testosterone, study finds
Post by: Jessica_Rose on January 30, 2026, 04:16:18 PM
Post by: Jessica_Rose on January 30, 2026, 04:16:18 PM
Trans men face increased risk of acne after starting testosterone, study finds
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/01/trans-men-face-increased-risk-of-acne-after-starting-testosterone-study-finds/
Greg Owen (30 Jan 2026)
Results of a new study published in the American Medical Journal confirm what many transmasculine people already know: testosterone can cause acne.
But the research also revealed that transfeminine individuals on estradiol therapy experience a higher incidence of acne than their cisgender peers, demonstrating that androgen-dominant therapies alone (those employing male hormones) aren't the sole cause of acne in trans individuals.
Using electronic health record data from four Kaiser Permanente regions, researchers conducted a study including nearly 281,000 individuals without baseline acne. That number covered just over 20,000 trans patients: 11,234 transmasculine individuals and 9,486 transfeminine individuals, or about 7% of the total group.
At five years, cumulative acne incidence was substantially higher among transmasc individuals (15.8%) compared with matched cisgender men (3.8%) and cisgender women (10.5%).
Acne risk for that group peaked during the first year following testosterone initiation, when transmasc individuals had more than an eightfold higher risk than cisgender men, and a nearly threefold higher risk than cisgender women.
Although risk declined after the first year, it remained significantly elevated throughout the five-year follow-up period.
But transfeminine individuals initiating estradiol therapy also demonstrated altered acne risk patterns.
Their overall acne incidence at five years was 6.0%, higher than that observed in matched cisgender men (2.9%) but lower than that in cisgender women (8.4%).
After estradiol initiation, transfeminine individuals had a modestly increased acne risk compared with cisgender men, while remaining at lower risk than cisgender women.
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/01/trans-men-face-increased-risk-of-acne-after-starting-testosterone-study-finds/
Greg Owen (30 Jan 2026)
Results of a new study published in the American Medical Journal confirm what many transmasculine people already know: testosterone can cause acne.
But the research also revealed that transfeminine individuals on estradiol therapy experience a higher incidence of acne than their cisgender peers, demonstrating that androgen-dominant therapies alone (those employing male hormones) aren't the sole cause of acne in trans individuals.
Using electronic health record data from four Kaiser Permanente regions, researchers conducted a study including nearly 281,000 individuals without baseline acne. That number covered just over 20,000 trans patients: 11,234 transmasculine individuals and 9,486 transfeminine individuals, or about 7% of the total group.
At five years, cumulative acne incidence was substantially higher among transmasc individuals (15.8%) compared with matched cisgender men (3.8%) and cisgender women (10.5%).
Acne risk for that group peaked during the first year following testosterone initiation, when transmasc individuals had more than an eightfold higher risk than cisgender men, and a nearly threefold higher risk than cisgender women.
Although risk declined after the first year, it remained significantly elevated throughout the five-year follow-up period.
But transfeminine individuals initiating estradiol therapy also demonstrated altered acne risk patterns.
Their overall acne incidence at five years was 6.0%, higher than that observed in matched cisgender men (2.9%) but lower than that in cisgender women (8.4%).
After estradiol initiation, transfeminine individuals had a modestly increased acne risk compared with cisgender men, while remaining at lower risk than cisgender women.
Title: Re: Trans men face increased risk of acne after starting testosterone, study finds
Post by: Simplycause on January 30, 2026, 06:10:39 PM
Post by: Simplycause on January 30, 2026, 06:10:39 PM
Testosterone causes acne. That shouldn't really be a surprise or unknown. Anecdotally I've read that most people undergoing MTF transition have a decrease in acne...or hormonal acne anyways likely do to the decrease of testosterone.
But I would be interested to know if the transwomen in the studies actually tracked the hormone levels of the participants and whether or not they were on a monotherapy or taking an testosterone blocker as well.
But I would be interested to know if the transwomen in the studies actually tracked the hormone levels of the participants and whether or not they were on a monotherapy or taking an testosterone blocker as well.