Many transgender people in HCM City are risking their lives using hormones sold illegally at local shops.

A bottle of hormones made in Thailand costs VND130,000 (USD5.71)
and VND180,000 for German manufactured products

On December 11, a 22-year-old man went with a Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper reporter to visit a small house on Binh Thoi Street to seek help to become a woman. A woman named Trinh was suspicious of him and only opened up when he mentioned about previous regular customers.

According to Trinh, a bottle of hormones made in Thailand costs VND130,000 (USD5.71) and VND180,000 for German manufactured products. "You don't need any operation now. Just use the hormones and your skin will get brighter, your breasts will become bigger and after four months, you can plan trips to Thailand," she said.

Trinh suggested using the hormones once every three or four days until the body changes. After that, she could help him go to Thailand for sex reassignment surgery for USD3,000 in 10 days including accommodation. Trinh said that she had sold the hormones to dozens of people.

When being asked about fatalities after using the hormones, Trinh became angry. "They were impatient and used too much. If you want a successful operation, you have to listen to me. Come here frequently," she said.

Trinh said the hormones weren't legally sold in Vietnam and no clinic or hospital would agree to carry out sex reassignment surgery.

After that, the man and Nguoi Lao Dong's reporter continued going to visit Long, a hormone seller on Au Co Street. Long said he sold the hormones to 30 people every day. The hormones are injected at the shop for VND170,000. The man was told to return four days later for another injection before he is given the drugs to do it at home.

After five days suffering from high fever, breathing difficulties and tiredness, the man refused to go to hospital because he believed he could become a woman.

In District 10, a mother is in a difficult situation after paying VND90m (USD4,000) for cheap hormones and surgery to help her son become a woman. He had severe complications but said that he was still luckier than two of his friends who apparently lost their lives.

He went on to say that there were about 10 hormone shops in HCM City and the most famous belonging to a woman called Thuan in District 11, a man named Long in Tan Phu District and a group called Tin 'Ga' in Thu Duc District.

"I heard that it costs about VND500m (USD22,000) for sex reassignment operations in Thailand. We can't afford it and because of lack of knowledge I believed strangers. My son used the hormones without medical supervision," she said.

Dr Duong Phuong Mai, deputy director of Saigon International Hospital said Estradiol and Sustanon were given to male-to-female and female-to-male transgender people respectively.

"These drugs are closely managed and banned from private shops. Patients must be under medical supervision while using these drugs," she said.

Dtinews