GENDER AFFIRMING CARE
Fosnight Center strives to provide a safe space for all patients and clients. Fosnight Center works with each individual patient to provide the care they desire to affirm their own gender identity.
Although we do not offer top surgery or full bottom gender affirming surgical interventions, we do offer post operative care. Currently, we are collaborating with gender affirming surgeons around the country and we are happy to take care of you postoperatively. We understand postoperative care and complications that may arise during your recovery time. Our pelvic floor physical therapist is also trained to assist in vaginal dilator therapy after vaginoplasty. Our physical therapy department is also here to assist with helping you through your top surgery pre and post-op to help your body with healing, strength and range of motion.
Whether you identify as genderqueer, gender non-binary, or gender fluid, or none of the forementioned, we want to help you affirm your identity with hormone therapy. We approach hormone therapy on an individual basis to match the desired gender to each patient or client. Through a combination of estrogen, testosterone, and other hormone medications, we balance your hormones to meet your needs as an individual.
At the center, we offer masculinization hormone affirming therapy for our transmale patients. The goal of therapy is to develop male secondary sex characteristics, and suppress female characteristics. We can use testosterone medications to support the masculinization process as well as add progesterone or other contraceptive methods to suppress the menstrual cycle. Masculinization hormone therapy also brings about changes in emotional and social functioning. We use a biopsychosocial approach during the transition process and provide informed consent that includes the discussion of risks and benefits of hormone therapy. Close follow up is important to maximize the effects during the transition process while minimizing the potential risk factors.
At the center, we offer feminizing hormone affirming therapy for our transfemale patients. The goal of therapy is to develop female secondary sex characteristics, and suppress male characteristics. We can use estrogen and androgen blocking medications to support the feminization process as well as add progesterone as an adjunct therapy and potentiate breast development. Feminizing hormone therapy also brings about changes in emotional and social functioning. We use a biopsychosocial approach during the transition process and provide informed consent that includes the discussion of risks and benefits of hormone therapy. Close follow up is important to maximize the effects during the transition process while minimizing the potential risk factors.
If you have internal pelvic organs that may put you at risk for pregnancy, it is important to understand what medical prevention options are out there for you. You can still get pregnant even if you are on testosterone and your periods have stopped. At the center, we want to talk to you about reliable contraception options if you do not wish to have a child. Implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs) are great options and available services at the center. Should you decide to become pregnant, either now or in the future, we can also discuss your fertility options. We work closely with Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group (PREG) in Asheville, NC and Greenville, SC to help you explore ways to have a child with your own genetic material, either through freezing your eggs or ovarian tissue, and embryo freezing. These may be options for you if you want to become pregnant or if you want to have someone else, a surrogate, carry a child for you in the future.