UCHealth Integrated Transgender Program
Our team of professionals helps transgender and gender diverse adults in their journey to achieve their personal health goals.
Across all UCHealth regions:
Collaborative and comprehensive transgender health care services
Learn about our range of services available in metro Denver.
From initial evaluation through hormonal therapy, surgical procedures and routine health maintenance, we offer a range of services including:
- Gender-affirming hormone therapy.
- Mental health care.
- Sexual health and STI screening.
- Surgical and dermatologic care.
We offer coordinated appointments where you may be able to see multiple providers in one visit.
For information about providers, research activities, and additional patient and clinician resources, visit this page on the CU School of Medicine site.
Recently our program was recognized by One Colorado with a 2019 Ally Award.
Find out more >
Specialties offered in-clinic
Endocrinology and hormone therapy
Our team of endocrinologists can provide the following services:
- Individualized options for gender-affirming hormone therapy.
- Titration and monitoring of hormone levels to ensure effectiveness and safety of treatment.
- Age-appropriate screening for cardiovascular disease and cancer screening.
Gynecologic care and surgery
We are sensitive to the gynecological needs of our patients and provide a variety of services including:
- Referral to reproductive specialists as needed.
- Contraception management.
- Age-appropriate breast and cervical cancer screening.
- Testing for sexually transmitted infections.
- Evaluation and management of sexual pain.
- Gender-affirming hysterectomy and oophorectomy.
Weight management
Our weight management specialist provides affirmative, comprehensive and evidence-based treatment to help patients lower their weight to improve health and/or to meet BMI requirements for gender-affirming procedures. Such treatments include:
- Individual and group interventions for lifestyle modification.
- Weight loss medications.
- Discussions about and referral to surgical weight loss, as appropriate.
Mental health care
Our team of psychiatrists provides affirmative support for individuals considering and undergoing transition. Such support includes:
- Pre-transitioning evaluation, including letters of support.
- Individual therapy.
- Medication management when necessary.
- Group therapy.
Consulting services
Consulting services within the system include:
Primary medical care
Our internists provide comprehensive, patient-centered care for adults, including:
- Preventive care and wellness exams including individualized screening.
- Primary and urgent care.
- Management of chronic health conditions.
Plastic surgery
The UCHealth Plastic and Reconstructive Clinic at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital offers cosmetic and reconstructive surgery for gender affirmation.
Our surgeons work closely with a multidisciplinary team of professionals, including urologists, psychiatrists, and endocrinologists to provide safe procedures for transgender and gender diverse individuals. We strive to achieve an appearance and anatomy that aligns with the patient’s gender identity.
We offer both feminizing and masculinizing procedures, as well as revisions from previous surgeries. Services include:
Feminizing
- Body contouring.
- Breast augmentation (implants, autologous fat grafting, composite – both implants and autologous fat grafting).
- Facial feminization (forehead modification/scalp advancement, brow lift, cheek/zygoma augmentation, rhinoplasty, lip lift, chin contouring, lower jaw contouring, thyroid cartilage reduction otherwise known as tracheal shave, autologous fat grafting to the face).
- Laser hair reduction.
- Vaginoplasty (includes orchiectomy).
- Vulvoplasty.
Masculinizing
- Body contouring (including various implants such as pectoral, 6-pack, forearm).
- Facial masculinization.
- Mastectomy.
- Metoidioplasty.
- Phalloplasty.
Urology/urologic surgery
Our urologists assist in the care of male-to-female transgender individuals. Services include:
- Prostate screening.
- Gender-affirming gonadectomy or orchiectomy as a means to assist with hormonal control and reduce side effects of testosterone production. We approach this with intent to preserve tissues for future gender-affirming surgery.
Facial plastic surgery/laryngology
Our otolaryngology team provides state-of-the-art and highly individualized care for transgender facial and voice transformation. We specialize in the corrective surgeries of the face, brows, and neck to achieve a more masculine or feminine face. In addition, we are experts in procedures and therapies to elevate or depress the pitch of the voice. We are excited to meet with you to discuss your options, which may include:
- Team assessment with a speech pathologist and laryngologist.
- Voice feminization or masculinization.
- Facial feminization or masculinization.
- Laryngeal/thyroid cartilage shaving procedure.
- Facial photographic assessment and image morphing.
Other medical specialists
We routinely collaborate with CU’s Advanced Reproductive Medicine team to provide fertility-preservation counseling and egg and sperm cryopreservation prior to gender-affirming surgery.
We also partner with UCHealth specialists in infectious diseases and neurology. We can refer to support groups for family and friends as well.
For patients and families
Gender-affirming hormone therapy and your care
New to hormones (first visit):
- At this point in their care process, many patients have already started working with a Mental Health Provider (MHP). They are trained in the care of patients who have a mismatch (difference) between their gender at birth and how they feel about themselves. This is a medical condition called gender dysphoria or incongruence. If you already see an MHP, we will ask you to sign a release of information. This will help us understand how we can best meet your care needs.
- You will then meet with your GAHT provider (Endocrine or IM) to discuss:
- Hormone therapy options
- Risk and benefits
- Opportunities for fertility preservation (if desired)
- Plan for your transition
- If you have had any of the following labs done within the last year, please have them sent to us ahead of time.
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Liver function
- Kidney function
- Cholesterol panel
- Blood sugar levels
If recent labs are not available, your provider will order labs at your visit.
We will also need medical records showing any long-lasting (chronic) medical conditions and medicines you take to treat them.
- After assessment from the MHP and GAHT provider, hormone therapy may be prescribed at your first visit. Sometimes, more testing or input from other specialists is needed.
Follow up:
- The follow-up plan will be decided after your first visit. Usually, we like to see patients between 2 – 4 months after initiation or dose adjustment.
- Referrals can be placed to other team members or specialists as needed.
- Follow up blood tests can be done a few days before the next visit if possible. This way, they are available for review at the time of the visit.
- If needed, ongoing care with an MHP can be arranged.