The Role of Medical Aesthetics in Gender-Affirming Care

March 31st is the International Transgender Day of Visibility, a day to celebrate trans and non-binary individuals and recognize the importance of gender-affirming care. While discussions around gender identity often focus on social and medical transitions, one aspect that is sometimes overlooked is the role of medical aesthetics in helping individuals feel aligned with their identity.

Fillers, Botox, and other aesthetic treatments are often associated with beauty standards, but for many trans individuals, they serve a different purpose: affirmation. These treatments can soften or enhance features to align with one’s gender identity, helping individuals be seen the way they truly feel inside.

“I wish there were better words than ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ to use to describe conventional appearance,” says Dr. Martin Ray, an expert in aesthetic medicine. “That is an oversimplification of the classic description of a face and the concept of what that entails. Perhaps it’s better to talk about the shape of the brow, the structure of the face — such as oval versus square — the chin, and the jawline. The deeper conversation is about how these changes can help someone feel at home in their body.”

It’s important to distinguish gender identity from sexuality and appearance. While they can sometimes be related, they are definitively not the same. Gender is a social construct, not biologically determined or strictly binary, and encompasses identities beyond male and female, including nonbinary, genderfluid, and transgender identities.  

Aesthetic medicine can play a key role in gender-affirming care by providing individuals with the ability to shape their outward appearance in a way that reflects their inner sense of self. It’s not about conforming to rigid standards of “how we should look” but about achieving results that feel natural and authentic to the individual — no matter your gender identity.

Gender-affirming care is health care. Transgender and gender-minority individuals face significant disparities in health, safety, and well-being. Being able to see yourself as you truly are has profound mental health benefits, cutting through discomfort and dysphoria.

Research supports this, with multiple studies, including this one, showing that gender-affirming facial procedures significantly reduce distress and improve quality of life and psychological well-being for trans individuals.

“In medical aesthetics, providers have a unique opportunity to offer affirming treatments that align with a patient’s gender identity and make a very real difference in their lives,” says Dr. Ray. “At View Laser our entire team is committed to fostering a welcoming environment for every single patient that walks through our doors.”

By integrating gender-affirming practices, aesthetic professionals can help enhance patient confidence, support mental well-being, and contribute to a more inclusive healthcare experience. When performed with skill, safety, and sensitivity, these procedures can be heartwarming experiences — not only for the patient but also for the providers who have the privilege of helping someone feel whole.

At View Laser, we recognize the role medical aesthetics can play in gender-affirming care and we're dedicated to creating a compassionate, safe space for people of all genders. Our intake form asks about preferred pronouns and this information is logged in patient files.  This Trans Day of Visibility — and every day — we’re committed to celebrating the diversity of gender expression and the life-changing impact of gender-affirming care in all its forms. Because at the heart of it all, feeling seen matters.

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To learn more and support trans visibility, visit GLAAD’s Transgender Day of Visibility page. 

For local resources and events, connect with the Delta Pride Society.

Click here for info on gender-affirming healthcare in Canada, or for BC resources, visit Trans Care BC.

And finally, for some levity surrounding the unsettling discourse still happening in the US, here are two links from 2022 via GLADD: Jon Stewart sets the record straight on gender-affirming care & John Oliver explains why gender-affirming care is so important, exposes extremist attacks on trans youth.