Regret is real, and it is shared openly
Many young people who started medical transition in their teens now speak plainly about wishing they had waited. One woman who took testosterone at 14 and had a mastectomy at 16 says, “I really wish that I had not been allowed to… My parents were fed the narrative that I’d kill myself if they didn’t let me.” – DEVlLlSH source [citation:52d1020f-2d01-45c3-86bb-c086c2cd4846]
Another woman who followed the same path adds, “I wish more than anything that my parents pushed back and allowed me to just exist until I was an adult and able to understand the long-term consequences.” – AttorneyRich8118 source [citation:1d2de69f-c74a-4827-8e0b-647280d3b06f]
These voices are not isolated; they form a steady chorus in online detrans communities, all repeating the same message: “Let kids grow first.”

Bodies change forever, even after short treatment
Even a single year of blockers or hormones can leave lasting marks. One young man who started estrogen at 13 and detransitioned at 14 was left with “bone growth permanently changed… scars across his chest… even a year on estrogen can be irreversible beyond just breast tissue.” – DetransIS source [citation:7152b6d4-6f0a-4928-9f1c-61bb57709984]
Others describe chronic pain, early hair loss, and the grief of never knowing what their natural adult body would have looked like. Because puberty is a one-time event, interrupting it means the body cannot simply “catch up” later.

Normal discomfort was mistaken for a lifelong identity
Many detransitioners say their early feelings were ordinary childhood unease, not proof of an inner gender mismatch. One woman reflects, “I didn’t have the foresight as a kid to realize how much I would regret altering my body later on… Unless there’s signs of serious distress, it’s not weird for kids to feel dissatisfied with the sex they were born with. It’s just experimentation and play.” – purplemollusk source [citation:fe38dc3a-921e-4dca-a563-45fcdec3d589]
Tomboys who hated dresses, boys who liked dolls, and teens who felt awkward in their changing bodies were all told that discomfort equaled “being born in the wrong body.” Years later, they see that discomfort as a normal part of growing up, not a medical condition.

A gentler path: explore without altering the body
The stories point to a common wish: had someone simply allowed them to dress, play, and express themselves freely—without drugs or surgery—they believe they would have found peace. Therapy that explores feelings, builds coping skills, and affirms the whole person is repeatedly praised. As one parent learned from her now-detransitioned daughter, “Let them make that choice as an adult.” – DEVlLlSH source [citation:52d1020f-2d01-45c3-86bb-c086c2cd4846]

Conclusion
These lived experiences show that regret after childhood transition is not rare, and the physical consequences are permanent. They remind us that growing up involves many moments of uncertainty, and the kindest response is to give young people time, support, and freedom to explore who they are without medical intervention. By valuing gender non-conformity as a healthy form of self-expression—rather than a problem to fix with hormones or surgery—we protect both body and mind, allowing each person to arrive at adulthood with all options still open.