The “<1 % regret” number comes from one old Dutch study that lost track of a third of its patients.
Look closely at the study everyone quotes: only 0.3 %–0.6 % of the people who returned to the Amsterdam clinic said they regretted gonadectomy. What got ignored is that “a large group (36 %) did not return to our clinic after several years of treatment… we could have missed… people with regret.” – PurpleKriek source [citation:2cd053af-6b22-430f-9e73-cd5e9cf99f2b] In other words, the headline statistic is built on incomplete data; the missing third are almost certainly the ones who quietly walked away and stopped hormones. Detransitioners add that earlier cohorts spent years in therapy, making the number even less useful today.

Regret is already showing up in later, real-world data.
While the old study claims near-zero regret, country-level records for bottom surgery in trans women now run between 15 % and 40 %, and top-surgery regret sits around 1–2 %. “Statistics show the highest rate of regret is consistently transgender women who underwent bottom surgery… 15-40 %… whereas top surgery only has an average of 1-2 %.” – Pleasant_Planter source [citation:3f9d6fca-4114-4b2b-8014-03fdf23e379a] The gap warns us that the cheerful headline figure is not what later patients are experiencing.

Most gender discomfort in girls is temporary and resolves without medical steps.
Roughly 80–90 % of girls who feel uneasy about their sex eventually desist as they grow. “It’s estimated that 80–90 % of girls will experience unhappiness in relation to their gender and then go on to desist; gender curiosity is actually normal across the human experience.” – ParticularSwanne source [citation:3967a038-68b3-494f-89ba-965a662015df] Recognizing these feelings as common adolescent confusion—rather than proof of an innate identity—opens the door to self-acceptance without irreversible interventions.

Dysphoria can be a symptom of deeper mental-health challenges.
People describe how depression, PTSD, dissociation, autism, or anxiety created a sense of bodily wrongness that looked like gender dysphoria. “You can experience gender dysphoria because you’re depressed, dissociating, autistic/ADHD, high anxiety—a ton of factors can lead to it.” – ParticularSwanne source [citation:3967a038-68b3-494f-89ba-965a662015df] When therapists focus on transition instead of these root issues, the underlying pain often remains or worsens.

Non-medical support—therapy, community, and gender non-conformity—offers a safer path.
Detransitioners consistently say their regret was fueled by being fast-tracked past mental-health care. Exploring trauma, building coping skills, and embracing gender non-conformity without surgery or hormones allowed them to feel at home in their bodies again. Healing is possible without permanent medical change.

Conclusion:
The famous “<1 % regret” claim is built on shaky ground: missing patients, outdated gate-keeping, and narrow definitions of regret. Real-world numbers are already higher, and the overwhelming majority of gender-questioning youth will feel differently with time. Dysphoria often signals treatable psychological wounds, not an inborn mismatch. By turning toward therapy, community, and courageous gender non-conformity, you can find relief and authenticity without irreversible medical steps.