The demand for gender reassignment surgery is ‘going through the roof,’ according to surgeons who perform vaginoplasty and phalloplasty operations in the UK.
They say that fewer than a dozen surgeons currently specialise in gender reassignment surgery in the UK and more will be needed to keep up with the growing demand.
The current gender reassignment surgeons are passionate about their work and urge colleagues to consider training in this rewarding field.
The demand for vaginoplasty is growing by 20 per cent each year and 266 trans women are currently on the waiting list for surgery at Charing Cross Hospital.
However, it is not just surgeons who are needed, as beauty therapists who are able to meet the needs of trans clients are also in short supply. For example, trans women usually require regular hair removal treatments and experts in this field are highly sought after.
Look out for an article in the next issue of International Therapist, where Elaine Stoddart discusses the need for expert electrolysists to support transgender clients.
Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) 