Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40478692›Full record

ArticleJMIR dermatology2025

Investigating Experiences With Scarring Among Transgender and Gender Diverse People: Mixed Methods Study.

Nora Yanyi Sun, Kanika Kamal, Alex Sogomon Keuroghlian

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR dermatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Nora Yanyi SunHarvard College, Harvard University, 373 Quincy Mail Center 58 Plympton St, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States, 1 904-646-8255.ORCID 0009-0008-2023-8215
Kanika KamalHarvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-0907-1310
Alex Sogomon KeuroghlianDepartment of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-6624-8354

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Scarring has been shown to have adverse health effects on marginalized patient groups. However, experiences of scarring among transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people have not yet been thoroughly characterized. . Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impacts of scarring related to gender-affirming care and other causes among TGD people. Methods: Anonymous data were extracted from Reddit, a popular online platform organized into "subreddit" groups based on identities and interests. A combined total of 604 posts and comments that explicitly reference physical scarring were extracted from r/FtM, a subreddit for transmasculine people (449 posts and comments) and r/MtF, a subreddit for transfeminine people (155 posts and comments). Applying inductive thematic analysis, all posts and comments were coded and codes were sorted into overarching themes. . Results: Among the 604 posts and comments, the scars most discussed were secondary to gender-affirming care procedures, including mastectomy (n=338 posts and comments), hormone administration (n=102 posts and comments), and hair removal (n=38 posts and comments). Nongender-affirming care-related scars, such as those due to self-harm (n=43 posts and comments), were discussed less often. A total of five overarching themes emerged through thematic analysis: (1) concerns about physical outcomes related to scarring; (2) psychological distress related to scarring; (3) societal perceptions of scarring; (4) strategies to prevent, conceal, and minimize scarring; and (5) positive experiences with scarring. Conclusions: For TGD people, scar complications, visibility, and permanence represent major concerns. While many TGD people ultimately accept scarring as an unavoidable consequence, scarring both related and unrelated to gender-affirming care can present a significant psychosocial stressor for TGD people. Scarring can result in physical health complications, gender dysphoria, and negative body image; visible scarring is also a barrier for TGD people who wish to blend into society. Clinicians should improve communication regarding scarring outcomes and scar-care procedures. Future research should focus on the development of scar prevention, care, and reduction techniques for TGD people.

Indexed as

CicatrixGender-Affirming ProceduresTransgender PersonsAdultFemaleHumansMaleMastectomybarrierbody imagecontentemotional traumagendergender-affirming caregender dysphoriamarginalized patientsmastectomyonlineonline forumphysical scarringpsychosocialpsychosocial experiencequalitative studyredditscarscarringscar visbilitystressthematic analysistransgendertraumavisibility

Identifiers

PMID40478692
PMCPMC12164948

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.