# NHS chest-removal operations for trans men rose 52% in two years

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/number-of-women-having-breasts-removed-on-the-nhs-because-they-identify-as-men-has-soared-50-per-cent-in-two-years/
- Published: 2026-10-31T16:57:06+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-31T17:12:35+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16254881/women-breasts-removed-NHS-soared.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: UK, World

## Key points

- NHS chest-removal operations rose 52 per cent in two years.
- The reported annual cost was up to £6.5 million.
- The figures have renewed debate over assessment, support and outcomes.

## Summary

The number of NHS operations to remove breasts from people assigned female at birth who identify as men rose by 52 per cent, from 734 in 2022-23 to 1,115 in 2024-25. The increase has renewed debate about access to gender-affirming surgery, the support and assessment patients receive, and the experiences of people who later regret surgery.

The article estimates each operation costs about £5,800, putting the cost of these procedures in 2024-25 at up to £6.5 million, around 0.003 per cent of NHS England’s £187 billion budget. It also reports changes in genital surgery numbers, and cites differing estimates of detransition rates, from below 1 per cent in some studies to as high as 7 per cent in others. Some people who have detransitioned raise concerns about assessment and support; others, including actor Elliot Page, have described surgery as life-changing. The supplied article text ends partway through a quoted criticism.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.