Gender Affirmation Surgery
Contents
WHAT IS GENDER AFFIRMATION SURGERY
Multidisciplinary team (plastic surgeon, head and neck plastic surgeon) perform gender affirmation (transgender) surgery. Basically, with these operations, we achieve the physical appearance and functionality of the gender we want to obtain (which exists in man).
Specifically, we call a person who wants to change from a woman to a man: Female to Male, FtM, i.e. transgender/transsexual man. A person who wants to become a woman from a man is referred to as: Male to Female, MtF, ie a transgender/transsexual woman.
Without doubt, treatment of gender dysphoria improves quality of life in 80% of people with this disorder. It encompasses a multidisciplinary approach. In summary, that includes psychological, social, medical (hormonal and operative) and legal procedures. At the same time, we choose various therapeutic procedures, from person to person. For some, only one type of therapy is sufficient. On the contrary, others require a combination of several procedures to eliminate gender dysphoria.
The patient cannot be accepted for surgery unless he/she has a prior opinion on suitability for surgical treatment. It is common practice in the Republic of Croatia that a person who wants to undergo surgical manipulation of changes in sexual characteristics must be included in a well-defined multidisciplinary program and typically a long-term process that includes various medical specialties and other related professions (internal medicine, endocrinology, surgery, urology/gynecology, psychiatry/psychology, social work, legal profession). These approvals primarily serve as a confirmation that the person is healthy and is not undergoing psychiatric treatment, which would be an obstacle to treatment and a danger for both the doctor and the patient.
SURGICAL OPTIONS
Any planning of a potential surgical treatment is preceded by a detailed interview with the patient. Additionally, insight into the collected medical records is necessary step.
Surgical treatment as a treatment for gender dysphoria (transgender surgery) is one of the available medical modalities. In general, we can perform procedures on the breasts/breasts, on the reproductive organs and aesthetic surgeries. In most cases, a person who decides to undergo a surgical transition does not undergo all of the above surgical procedures.
Facial feminization
- The goal of facial feminization surgery is to achieve the transformation of facial masculine features into a more feminine appearance.
Transfeminine breast surgery
- The goal of transfeminine breast surgery is to increase the size and shape of the breasts to achieve a feminine breast appearance.
Facial masculinization
- The goal of facial masculinization surgery is to achieve the transformation of feminine facial features into a more masculine appearance.
Transmasculine breast surgery
- The goal of transmasculine breast surgery is to remove breast tissue (mastectomy) to achieve a masculine appearance of the breast.