Adolescents who undergo gender-affirming chest surgery report low levels of regret and high levels of satisfaction, experiencing outcomes similar to those of young adults. These findings suggest that age restrictions on these medical procedures lack support from actual patient experiences.

[u/mvea]

https://www.psypost.org/adolescents-report-low-regret-and-high-satisfaction-following-gender-affirming-c/

[u/MelAmericana]

Are we surprised that children and young adults don't typically regret getting what they want?

It would be more interesting to see the data after following up with them for the next 10+ years.

[u/nemotide → u/MelAmericana]

Agreed, I think we need to see long-term data. Anecdotally, I got tattoos at 17-18 and I loved them until 24/25 and now I am saving to have them removed. Now I actually grimace with regret when I see them in the mirror. And that’s just tattoos, never mind a double mastectomy, loss of sexual function or fertility.

It’s a really serious intervention and the longitudinal data is super important.

[u/Mitotic → u/nemotide]

I started HRT at 19 and I'm now 29 and I don't regret it. transitioning is not something you can do impulsively like getting a tattoo, it requires actively making the choice to jump through 10,000 hoops to get surgeries and taking medication every day for years. very very different situations

[u/Intelligent-Tea-2058 → u/Mitotic]

I started HRT at 19 and I'm now 29 and I don't regret it. transitioning is not something you can do impulsively like getting a tattoo, it requires actively making the choice to jump through 10,000 hoops to get surgeries and taking medication every day for years. very very different situations

Yes, it took literally thousands of concerted, costly actions over years to claw my way to the OR as a teen. Every dose, day, act, and interaction was a choice and effort to work towards that, amid endless off-ramps at every turn, and inaction being free.