Free project helps with the self-esteem of trans women

For four years now, trans women have been able to access a project for free that has transformed their lives by directly improving their self-esteem: beautiful, empowered hair. The TRANS Project welcomes interested parties to make them more delicate and feminine – in partnership with NGOs that understand the subject.

Máxima went to talk about this service provision with Julio Pierezan, a trichologist, specialized in Hair Transplant surgery, postgraduate in dermatology, member of the Brazilian Hair Society (SBC), the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) and the World FUE Institute, and physician director of Clínica Pierezan, in São Paulo (SP).

He decided to create the T for Transform, R for Restart, A for Love, N for Born and S for Overcome. Find out more in the following interview:

How long has the project existed? What led you to create it?
The project was created in 2020, when we received a request from three patients with this profile at the clinic. Since then, I began to understand this universe, feel their pain and all the difficulties in this gender transition process.

How important is this initiative today?
A 2020 study by Fapesp (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) showed that only 16.7% of transgender people, out of 528 interviewed, were in the formal job market in the State of São Paulo. We know that there is great suffering in the history of trans women, ranging from their discovery and self-acceptance, personal recognition, acceptance by family and society. All this together with a financial situation, often unfavorable, that prevents them from undergoing these feminization processes. So, I believe that the project helps in this field of self-acceptance, self-love and self-care, but also in the professional field.

How does it work and contribute to girls’ self-esteem and empowerment?
In the specific case of hair, many trans women may not feel comfortable having a higher hairline, which results in a longer forehead with visible receding lines. By altering this hairline, we make the area more delicate and feminine, improving, above all, the facial contour, and enabling this woman to style her hair the way she wants. The acronym TRANS brings the five pillars of the project:

T to Transform,

R for Start over,

That of Love,

birth number and

S to Overcome.

Who can participate? What are the requirements? Looking for who, where?
Any trans woman can sign up for the project via email contato@pierezan.com stating their name, age, telephone number, city where they live and send a video telling their story.

It is free? Is there a period of hospitalization?
Yes, it is free, but to support this project, Clínica Pierezan is also open to partnering with NGOs focused on caring for trans women to refer and screen these patients. There is no need for hospitalization.

What is the recovery period?
On the first day, rest is very important, due to the use of local anesthesia. On the second day, you should return to the office to wash your head and receive instructions on how to carry out this care at home, including the use of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. After ten days, the scabs may begin to come off the scalp on their own. At this stage, hygiene should continue with the use of antiseptic soap, water with a gentle jet and drying with a towel designed for the region. During this period, it is recommended to sleep with your head slightly elevated to avoid leaving the pillow in contact with the operated area and also to prevent edema from spreading to the eyes. It is also important to avoid sun exposure for at least a month and, if possible, avoid smoking, as nicotine impairs healing and can impact the results of the hair transplant. Physical activities can also be permitted fifteen days after the procedure.

What is very important for a person to observe before the procedure(s)?
It is important to remember that before carrying out the transplant it is necessary to carry out some tests, including hormonal tests, to find out if they are stabilized before surgery so that the thread can be implanted without the risk of falling. If the patient has frontal fibrosing alopecia, the procedure can only be performed after two years of stabilization of the disease, as there is a risk of losing even more hair. Furthermore, there cannot be any type of condition in the area that will receive the hair, such as psoriasis, folliculitis and skin cancer. Preoperative care also includes: maintaining a good diet and consuming at least one liter of water per day, avoiding alcoholic beverages and smoking. After the transplant, the patient needs to return for follow-up visits every two months to monitor the progress of the case. Some patients may need to undergo mesotherapy, which is the infusion of medication directly into the scalp, in order to enhance the results. Remembering that we offer free monitoring for 12 months with the nursing and concierge team, in addition to post-transplant clinical treatments.

By Ezatamentchy