Has anyone ever transitioned and then transitioned back?
Asked by: Landen Stehr | Last update: January 27, 2026Score: 4.5/5 (69 votes)
Yes, people do transition and then transition back (detransition and retransition), though studies show overall regret rates for transitioning are low (around 2% or less), with many detransitions being temporary due to external pressures like discrimination or family conflict, and retransitioning often happens once those pressures are removed. Individuals may detransition for various reasons, including realizing they didn't need medical steps, experiencing difficulties, or facing societal pressure, with some eventually finding their gender identity again and retransitioning, as seen in personal accounts shared online.
Has anyone ever transitioned twice?
The National Center for Transgender Equality conducted a survey of individuals who currently identified as transgender. The results published in the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey found that 8% of respondents reported having ever detransitioned; 62% of that group reported having subsequently retransitioned.
Has anyone ever transitioned back?
This survey included the question “Have you ever de-transitioned? In other words, have you ever gone back to living as your sex assigned at birth, at least for a while?” The survey found that 8% of respondents had detransitioned temporarily or permanently at some point and that the majority did so only temporarily.
How many people who transition regret transitioning?
The percentage of transgender regret is ≤3%, often temporary. Most people who detransition do so because of external pressures, not regret. Retransition is common once those pressures are removed.
Can you reverse a gender reassignment?
Reverse top surgery may be an option for those who have undergone male-to-female (MTF) top surgery and female-to-male (FTM) top surgery. Understanding the intricacies of this surgery is crucial for individuals considering detransitioning.
Detransitioning: She Regrets Transitioning From Female to Male
What surgery has the highest rate of regret?
There isn't one single surgery with the absolute highest regret rate, but studies point to elective procedures like cosmetic surgeries (especially breast augmentation, rhinoplasty), certain orthopedic surgeries (knee/hip replacement), and bariatric (weight loss) surgeries as having higher dissatisfaction, often due to unmet expectations, complications, or lasting pain, with rates varying widely but sometimes reaching 10-30%+. In contrast, gender-affirming surgeries generally have extremely low regret rates (under 1%), much lower than many common elective procedures, challenging misconceptions.
Can you still legally change your gender in 2025?
In California, you can change the gender marker or sex identifier on a birth certificate or driver's license without a court order or medical certification. You can change it to male, female, or nonbinary.
What is the average age to start transitioning?
While the average age for beginning a medical transition is around 30, many trans women don't begin their transitions until later in life due to various factors such as family or career obligations.
What are the downsides of transitioning?
Trans people are at a slightly higher risk of developing some cancers that are tied to hormone use. The breasts, uterus, ovaries, prostate, lung, colon, or liver can be affected. This depends on the stage of transition. Your routine healthcare should include screenings such as prostate, breast, and pelvic exams.
Why did you detransition?
Of those who had detransitioned, 82.5% reported at least one external driving factor. Frequently endorsed external factors included pressure from family and societal stigma.
Can a fully transitioned woman have a baby?
As uterus transplantations are currently experimental, and none have successfully been performed on trans women, they cannot become pregnant.
Who is the actress that transitioned to male?
The most prominent actress who transitioned to male is Elliot Page, known for roles as Ellen Page in Juno and X-Men, who came out as a transgender man in 2020, sharing his journey for greater self-love and to advocate for trans rights. Other actors who transitioned from female to male include Robert« !nav »Moore (formerly actress Chaz Bono), known from The Sonny & Cher Show, and Ian Harvie, known for Transparent.
Can you transition back if you transition from male to female?
A detransition can be medical, such as stopping or switching hormonal treatments, pursuing surgical reconstruction or surgeries to reverse as far as possible the effects of transition. It can be legal if the person chooses to change their sex/gender markers back or change their name.
Can you tell if someone has transitioned?
Be aware that there are no clear-cut physical signs that you can rely on. You'll never be able to identify a trans person through physical attributes alone. People's bodies are incredibly diverse, and a single physical characteristic (or even multiple characteristics) won't say much about a person one way or the other.
Does "transitioned" mean passed away?
Transitioning is the first stage of dying. It describes a patient's decline as they get closer to actively dying. Generally, when one is transitioning, they likely have days — or even weeks — to live.
Do most transwomen have surgery?
In contrast 355 per 100,000 of the population(0.35%) self-identity as transgender. This means only 2.8% of the transgender community is undergoing any gender-affirming treatment with the vast majority 97.2% simply self-identity with no modifications to their sexed body whatsoever.
What is the regret rate for transitioning?
Among those who underwent gonadectomy, rates of regret, as ascertain from retrospective review of documentation in medical charts, were only 0.3% for transgender men and 0.6% for transgender women, with an average time to regret of approximately 11 years.
Can you get hard if you transition from female to male?
Metoidioplasty is a surgery for masculinizing gender affirmation. A metoidioplasty may have fewer steps than a phalloplasty and may help the patient retain sexual sensation and the ability to have an erection without a penile implant. The procedure may enable the patient to urinate (pee) in a standing position.
What are the long-term side effects of transitioning?
Reported adverse effects also include venous thromboembolism, fractures, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and hormone-dependent cancers [14], and finally, with some disagreement, osteoporotic changes in the bone mass, density, and geometry in transmen and transwomen patients have been described [15].
Is there a rise in detransitioning?
A UK study of over 3,000 gender clinic attendees found a regret rate of just 0.47%. A US study involving 28,000 trans adults showed that only 8% had ever detransitioned, and 62% of them did so temporarily, largely due to societal pressure. A Danish national cohort found a regret rate of 0.06% per person-year.
At what point is someone fully transitioned?
"Fully transitioned" will mean different things for different people. It might mean you've had all of the procedures you want to get, or that you pass completely in public and you being trans never really comes up in life. Some people might mean you've had bottom surgery, specifically.
How many genders are there legally?
“As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.”
What is the youngest age you can change your gender?
Transgender and non-binary people typically do not have gender-affirming surgeries before the age of 18. In some rare exceptions, teenagers under the age of 18 have received gender-affirming surgeries in order to reduce the impacts of significant gender dysphoria, including anxiety, depression, and suicidality.