PrEP offers trans men almost 100% protection against HIV when taken as directly.

PrEP offers trans men almost 100% protection against HIV when taken as directed.

PrEP offers trans men protection during both frontal and anal sex.

Starting PrEP

Trans men need to take PrEP every day for 7 days to reach maximum protection.

We recommend daily PrEP for all trans people using hormone treatment as we don’t have sufficient data to support other dosing options. There are no clinical trials that include trans men. As long as they’re only having anal sex with men, trans men can be assumed to have similar levels of protection to cis men who have sex with men.

How you take PrEP depends on the type of sex you have.

Daily PrEP is the only option for:

  • frontal sex, if you are the penetrative sex partner

Daily PrEP is recommended for:

  • receptive frontal sex
  • penetrative sex, when a person has had a phalloplasty.

If receptive anal sex is this is the only sex you have more dosing options are available.

Stopping PrEP – temporarily or permanently

You can decide to stop taking PrEP whenever you want. But don’t stop taking the pills on the day you decide.

You need to keep taking your daily dose for 7 days after your last risk of exposure to HIV – condomless sex, for example.

If you only have receptive anal sex, you need to dose for 2 sex free days .

PrEP and hormone therapy

Testosterone is safe to take at the same time as PrEP. PrEP does not cause fat redistribution in the body or face.

Taking testosterone is likely to stop your periods and greatly reduce your chance of getting pregnant. But testosterone is not contraception and it is still possible to get pregnant, unless you use effective contraception, sterilisation or a hysterectomy.

PrEP and contraception, conception and breastfeeding

When you take PrEP as a trans man, you can safely:

  • Take hormonal birth control – ‘the pill’. It is safe and both will work if taken correctly.
  • Get pregnant. PrEP prevents HIV, not pregnancies.
  • Conceive and carry a baby. It is safe for you and your baby.
  • Breastfeed safely.

PrEP and STIs

You need to take other precautions, such as using condoms, to help prevent all STIs other than HIV.

Information about how vaccinations can prevent some STIs.

Where to get PrEP (UK)

You can buy 3 months of PrEP at a time, legally and safely online using one of our tried, tested and reliable sellers.

Information on access to free NHS PrEP.