Puberty blockers, also known as puberty inhibitors or hormone blockers, are medications used to delay or temporarily suspend puberty in children. The most commonly used puberty blockers are gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists, which suppress the production of sex hormones, including testosterone and estrogen, during puberty. Puberty blockers have been used since the 1980s to treat precocious puberty in children, which is when puberty starts abnormally early.
Puberty blockers are also prescribed to young transgender people to temporarily halt the development of secondary sex characteristics, allowing them more time to solidify their gender identity without developing secondary sex characteristics. This can give transgender youth a smoother transition into their desired gender identity as an adult. Puberty blockers work by blocking the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen, delaying changes that can affect gender expression, such as breast growth and facial hair growth.
Puberty blockers are generally safe if used appropriately and under medical supervision. The most common medication for this process is gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues, which can be administered as a flexible rod or a shot. While there is no single best age to begin puberty blockers, starting them in early puberty leads to better outcomes and prevents the lifelong difficulties that can result from living with undesired sex characteristics. After a period of adjusting to puberty blockers, adolescents might work with their care team to add cross-hormone treatment to develop masculine or feminine secondary sex characteristics.
