8 Lesser-Known Gender-Affirming Care Options Providers Should Know

For many health and wellness professionals, gender-affirming care knowledge begins and ends with three basic interventions: hormone therapy, "top surgery" (chest reconstruction or breast augmentation), and "bottom surgery" (genital reconstruction procedures). While these generally form the foundation of medical transition care, they represent only a fraction of available options that can significantly impact patient wellbeing and treat gender incongruence.

The reality is that gender-affirming care encompasses a broad spectrum of behavioral, medical and surgical interventions—many of which remain unfamiliar to providers outside specialized gender clinics. This knowledge gap can leave patients without appropriate referrals and limit access to procedures that might be transformative for their specific needs.

The following eight procedures represent just some of the important tools that can make up a gender-affirming care toolkit, tools that deserve greater recognition among healthcare providers. Each offers unique benefits for specific patient populations and can play crucial roles in comprehensive transition care.

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