Transgender people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis C virus may encounter difficulties in finding surgeons who are capable and willing to perform this operation, because many surgeons often perform this operation in small private clinics, and when such patients have complications, there is no way to properly handle the problem. Some doctors charge higher surgery fees for patients who are HIV or hepatitis C positive, because these doctors (usually in developing countries) are more willing to throw away the instruments used for such patients after use.

Other health conditions, such as diabetes, abnormal coagulation and obesity, are usually not a problem for experienced doctors, but they do increase the risk of anesthesia and the incidence of postoperative complications. Some doctors will ask severely overweight patients to lose weight to a certain extent in advance, and they will also ask patients to quit smoking for a period of time before and after the operation, although this is what doctors will do in practice, regardless of whether the operation is carried out or not.