Gender confirmation surgery is on the rise in the U.S.

The number of gender confirmation surgeries has risen in the United States, according to new data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The organization reported that in 2016 there were 3,200 gender confirmation surgeries—nearly a 20% increase from 2015.

"In the past, U.S. citizens had to go abroad to get this care," says report author Dr. Loren Schechter, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in Chicago.