Location
Suwanee, GA
Start Date
7-5-2024 1:00 PM
End Date
7-5-2024 4:00 PM
Description
Introduction:
With the recent legislation restricting gender-affirming care for minors, more mechanical means of gender-confirming methods are being used as a substitute. For adolescent transmasculine people, this includes chest binding, designed to flatten breast tissue and give a more streamlined masculine appearance. Chest binding is a relatively inexpensive and widely available technique to affirm gender identity without the need for healthcare professional involvement. Although chest binders are recommended to be worn for less than 8 hours daily, transmasculine youth have been documented wearing their chest binders for upwards of 18-21 hours a day. This consistent pressure on their chest essentially becomes a cast in which their ribcage must grow, resulting in the deformation of the bony architecture. Since the thoracic cage is the main source of protection for essential organs such as the heart and lungs, any deviation in the bony structure will affect their functioning.
Objectives:
There are limited studies done to assess the health impacts of chest binding. Our objective is to make healthcare professionals aware of the possible implications of delaying gender-affirming care so that they can provide better long-term care.
Methods:
A literature review was conducted using PubMed on the available data on how chest binding affects thoracic anatomy.
Results:
In growing individuals, the thoracic cage is flexible, allowing for rapid adolescent growth. During the teenage years, bones in the thorax harden to produce a more permanent adult anatomical confirmation. Compression of the thorax during this critical period can influence the shape and structure of the growing thoracic cage and thus deform the adult thoracic shape. Wearing chest binders for more than 8 hours a day can lead to several health complications. Compression of the thoracic cage can alter both the bones and the thorax muscles, leading to postural changes. Too tight of compression can lead to rib fractures, spinal compression, and the exacerbation of asthma. The rubbing of compression devices on the skin can also lead to sores, skin infections, scarring, or stretching of the skin. Common clinical complaints include dyspnea, cough, chest pain, back pain, respiratory infections, and skin infections.
Discussion:
By limiting gender-affirming healthcare, the use of alternative non-clinical devices to implement gender affirmation has become more popular. These devices (e.g., chest binding) can cause significant anatomical damage to these individuals as they grow. Such changes can be hard to correct clinically later in life. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the health implications of such devices so that they can provide substantive care to the transmasculine community.
Embargo Period
6-27-2024
Included in
Chest binding alters thoracic anatomy in transmasculine youth
Suwanee, GA
Introduction:
With the recent legislation restricting gender-affirming care for minors, more mechanical means of gender-confirming methods are being used as a substitute. For adolescent transmasculine people, this includes chest binding, designed to flatten breast tissue and give a more streamlined masculine appearance. Chest binding is a relatively inexpensive and widely available technique to affirm gender identity without the need for healthcare professional involvement. Although chest binders are recommended to be worn for less than 8 hours daily, transmasculine youth have been documented wearing their chest binders for upwards of 18-21 hours a day. This consistent pressure on their chest essentially becomes a cast in which their ribcage must grow, resulting in the deformation of the bony architecture. Since the thoracic cage is the main source of protection for essential organs such as the heart and lungs, any deviation in the bony structure will affect their functioning.
Objectives:
There are limited studies done to assess the health impacts of chest binding. Our objective is to make healthcare professionals aware of the possible implications of delaying gender-affirming care so that they can provide better long-term care.
Methods:
A literature review was conducted using PubMed on the available data on how chest binding affects thoracic anatomy.
Results:
In growing individuals, the thoracic cage is flexible, allowing for rapid adolescent growth. During the teenage years, bones in the thorax harden to produce a more permanent adult anatomical confirmation. Compression of the thorax during this critical period can influence the shape and structure of the growing thoracic cage and thus deform the adult thoracic shape. Wearing chest binders for more than 8 hours a day can lead to several health complications. Compression of the thoracic cage can alter both the bones and the thorax muscles, leading to postural changes. Too tight of compression can lead to rib fractures, spinal compression, and the exacerbation of asthma. The rubbing of compression devices on the skin can also lead to sores, skin infections, scarring, or stretching of the skin. Common clinical complaints include dyspnea, cough, chest pain, back pain, respiratory infections, and skin infections.
Discussion:
By limiting gender-affirming healthcare, the use of alternative non-clinical devices to implement gender affirmation has become more popular. These devices (e.g., chest binding) can cause significant anatomical damage to these individuals as they grow. Such changes can be hard to correct clinically later in life. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the health implications of such devices so that they can provide substantive care to the transmasculine community.