Masculinizing hormone therapy: Difference between revisions

On the other hand, the reality of distinct differences between the brains of men and women is disputed by various neurologists. British neuroscientist Gina Rippon, author of the 2019 book ''Gendered Brain: The New Neuroscience that Shatters the Myth of the Female Brain'', argues that there is not a "single item type as a male brain or a female brain", instead that "everybody is actually made up of a whole pattern of things, which is maybe due to their biology and maybe due to their different experiences in life."<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|title='Every brain is different from every other brain’: Author Gina Rippon challenges gender stereotypes|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/article-every-brain-is-different-from-every-other-brain-author-gina-rippon/|access-date=2020-08-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111205327/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/article-every-brain-is-different-from-every-other-brain-author-gina-rippon/|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> She puts forward the idea that "every brain is different from every other brain".<ref name=":2" /> Rippon is opposed to the "continued emphasis on '[[gender essentialism|essentialist]]', brain-based explanations in both public communication of, and research into, many forms of gender imbalance."<ref>{{cite journal | last = Rippon | first = Gina | title = The trouble with girls? | journal = [[The Psychologist (magazine)|The Psychologist]] | volume = 29 | issue = 12 | pages = 918&ndash;922 | publisher = British Psychological Society | date = December 2016 | url = https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-29/december-2016/trouble-girls | ref = harv }}</ref>

Implants, as subcutaneous pellets, can be used to deliver testosterone (brand name Testopel). 6 to 12 pellets are inserted under the skin every three months. This must be done in a physician's office, but is a relatively minor procedure done under local anesthetic. Pellets cost about $60 each, so the cost is greater than injected testosterone when the cost of the physician visit and procedure are included. The primary advantages of Testopel are that it gives a much more constant blood level of testosterone yet requires attention only four times yearly. One common risk of any kind of implants is that the body can reject them. This often happens with testosterone implants, causing the implant to emerge from deep and painful skin lesions. One trans-masculine blogger, K-CON, posted weekly blog updates about being on Testopel for over a year, and his resulting complications (pellets failing to dissolve at the rate claimed by the manufacturer, implant rejection, leading to infection, pain, and surgery under general anesthesia to remove the pellets and the damaged tissue). He summarized his experience in [https://k-con.today/post/172598026877/whats-testopel a post where he explains why he would not recommend Testopel to anyone].<ref>K-CON. "What's Testopel?" ''K-CON'' (personal blog). 2018. https://k-con.today/post/172598026877/whats-testopel [https://web.archive.org/web/20210206180405/https://k-con.today/post/172598026877/whats-testopel Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>  

<ref name="pfafflin">Pfäfflin, F., & Junge, A. (1998). "Sex reassignment. Thirty years of international follow-up studies after sex reassingment surgery: A comprehensive review, 1961-1991." ''International Journal of Transgenderism.'' Retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20070503090247/http://www.symposion.com/ijt/pfaefflin/1000.htm</ref>

*[http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119425589/abstract Androgen Treatment of Female-to-Male] by Louis J.G. Gooren, and Erik J. Giltay (Journal of Sexual Medicine, Volume 5 Issue 4, Oct 2007)

*[http://www.eje-online.org/cgi/content/abstract/159/3/197 Hormone-related tumors in transsexuals receiving treatment with cross-sex hormones] by Andreas Mueller and Louis Gooren (European Journal of Endocrinology, Vol 159, Issue 3, 197-202)

*[http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122667383/abstract Testosterone and Breast Cancer] by Susan A. Hall, Andre B. Araujo, Varant Kupelian, Nancy N. Maserejian, and Thomas G. Travison (Journal of Sexual Medicine, Not yet in print)

*[http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122463029/abstract Absorption of Testosterone Gel 1% (Testim) from Three Different Application Sites] by Andre T. Guay, Ted M. Smith, and Laura A. Offutt (Journal of Sexual Medicine, Volume 6 Issue 9, Jun 2009)

*[http://www.forge-forward.org/socialsupport/hormones2003.html FTM Hormone Information] - Very informative with different topics than this article

*[http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/chn/HlthCtrs/HlthCtrDocs/TransGendprotocols.pdf Tom Waddell Clinic Transgender Protocol] - MTF and FTM clinical protocols aimed at providers

*[http://www.nickgorton.org Medical Therapy and Health Maintenance for Transgender Men: A Guide For Health Care Providers]: a free online medical book.