Study Shows That Top Surgery Patients Have No Regrets
Unfortunately in the day and age that we live in gender-affirming care has become a heated political topic and grounds for unwanted and invasive opinions toward one’s bodily autonomy. An argument utilized by those in favor of the intrusive laws invading patients who undergo semi-invasive or invasive procedures is that they may regret their decision in the future.
However, on August 9, a study from the Journal JAMA begged to differ showing that those who had undergone a gender-affirming mastectomy experienced meager rates of regrets surrounding their decision and instead were very satisfied portraying an “overwhelmingly positive compared to other medical and non-medical decisions.”
The study took place at the University of Michigan and covered 235 people who had undergone a gender-affirming mastectomy within 2-23.6. Around 60% of the patients answered the survey to the correct standards and returned it to the researchers showing the satisfaction score was a five on a five-point scale, and the decision regret was a 0 on a 100-point scale. The results showed that the patients participating in the study had no regrets and were completely satisfied with their decision.
A gender-affirming mastectomy, more commonly known as top surgery, is a procedure that shapes the chest skin and tissue of individuals who identify as transmasculine or nonbinary, allowing their chest to align more with the typical characteristics of a male chest. However, most medical centers insist that those considering gender-affirming procedures must undergo holistic care including working with a team of doctors, therapy, and taking the steps to address any gender dysphoria that the patient may be experiencing.
Dr. Oscar Manrique, a co-author of the review and a plastic surgeon, states, “It’s not that if Mary or John decides to come in today and say, ‘Hey, I need surgery,’ that we would just go ahead and do that. Any patient that comes in gets assessed from head to toe, and then we walk through their expectations, the risks and benefits of any operation. I believe that’s the reason why the regret rate is so low. These guidelines allow patients access to adequate medical care.”
A multitude of states have recently passed or are considering putting laws into action that restrict gender-affirming care whilst completely disregarding the transformative benefits of the procedure. Manrique states, “It changes their life completely and allows them to be more confident in society, be more productive, and allow someone to live their full lives.” And, in my opinion, I think that the topic shouldn’t even be up for debate.
Photo courtesy of Daylina Miller.
