1. The “reversible” claim is misleading
Many detransitioners say the biggest myth is that you can simply stop puberty blockers and pick up where you left off. In reality, the body has a narrow developmental window. “Once you go past the window, that’s it. It’s over.” – ReaperManX15 source [citation:52f89ce8-5c26-4c37-bc8e-8c571500994b] After that point, even if blockers are stopped, the body cannot fully restart the intricate sequence of growth that natural puberty provides.

2. Lost growth cannot be replaced by later hormones
Taking cross-sex hormones years later does not recreate the precise timing and interplay of natural puberty. One man who desisted in his late twenties “had taken the blockers for so long that he missed the ‘developmental window’… his ‘junk’ is prepubescent boy-sized. He is sterile for life. And he will never experience an orgasm.” – taiwanjohn source [citation:662ba522-a288-4ab1-9682-cbad08a915af] The same pattern is reported for bone density, brain maturation, and overall organ development.

3. Damage shows up years later
Detransitioners warn that problems may not appear immediately. “Even if you go through normal puberty later, your body is damaged & it’s only a matter of time until it falls apart.” – Bluemeanie76 source [citation:35be57aa-dd5d-4de0-a182-302b5805f71d] Some discover severe bone-density loss in their twenties or realize they have no adult sexual function long after stopping the drugs.

4. The only safe “delay” is the natural kind
A naturally late puberty simply shifts the timeline; the body still completes every stage. Medically blocking puberty, however, erases stages entirely. “If you take puberty blockers for a year, you lose that year of puberty… Saying puberty is delayed is medically false.” – [deleted] source [citation:f4a4d15b-1cac-434c-ac79-6f87990569c7]

Conclusion
The shared experience of detransitioners is clear: once the natural puberty window closes, no medical intervention can fully restore what was skipped. Understanding this reality can help young people and their families explore non-medical ways—such as therapy, supportive friendships, and gender non-conformity—to navigate distress without risking irreversible physical harm. Your body and mind deserve care that honors natural development and offers lasting, healthy paths to authenticity.