Psychosocial Differences Between Transgender Individuals With and Without History of Nonsurgical Facial Injectables

Patrick J Kelly; Anne S Frankel; Paul D'Avanzo; Katie Suppes; Adrian Shanker; David B Sarwer

doi:10.1093/asjof/ojaa050

Psychosocial Differences Between Transgender Individuals With and Without History of Nonsurgical Facial Injectables

Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2020 Nov 10;3(1):ojaa050. doi: 10.1093/asjof/ojaa050. eCollection 2021 Jan.

Authors

Patrick J Kelly¹, Anne S Frankel¹, Paul D'Avanzo¹, Katie Suppes², Adrian Shanker³, David B Sarwer⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
² Research and Evaluation, Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, Allentown, PA, USA.
³ Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, Allentown, PA, USA.
⁴ Director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Abstract

Background: Considerable research has explored psychosocial characteristics of individuals who seek aesthetic procedures as well as psychological changes experienced after successful treatment. Little research, however, has explored the experiences of transgender individuals who have undergone nonsurgical injectable procedures (NSIPs).

Objectives: This study examined theoretically relevant psychosocial characteristics of transgender individuals who have and have not undergone NSIPs.

Methods: An online survey of demographic and psychosocial constructs was disseminated through transgender-specific support groups and Facebook groups from December 2019 to February 2020. Psychosocial measures included self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory), anticipated discrimination (Intersectional-Anticipated Discrimination), gender identity and physicality congruence (Transgender Congruence Scale), body image (Body Image Quality of Life Inventory), and overall satisfaction with facial appearance (FACE-Q Face Overall). The Mann-Whitney U test assessed differences by history of NSIPs, and the Kruskal-Wallis test assessed gender and racial differences. A P-value of <0.05 was considered significant.

Results: Participants (N = 101) were transfeminine (n = 58), transmasculine (n = 31), gender-diverse (n = 12), and mostly (71%) white. Almost two-thirds of respondents (62%) reported using NSIPs; 6 participants reported undergoing NSIPs from non-licensed providers. History of NSIPs was associated with greater self-esteem (P < 0.01), less anticipated discrimination (P < 0.01), greater physicality and gender identity congruence(P < 0.001), greater body image quality of life (P < 0.001), and greater satisfaction with overall facial appearance (P < 0.01).

Conclusions: Use of NSIPs was associated with more positive psychosocial symptoms. Experiences with NSIPs may play an important role in psychosocial functioning for transgender individuals.