Sex reassignment surgeries for transgender people go far beyond vaginoplasty, metaidoioplasty or phalloplasty. These interventions aimed at changing a person’s birth sex to that which corresponds to his or her gender identity must be understood from a much broader point of view.
Medical advances have facilitated surgical techniques that allow a change in the overall appearance of the patient, surgeries that entail much more than the creation of a vagina or a penis. In this way, the transgender patient can opt for different interventions that will help him/her to progressively change his/her body appearance depending on his/her needs, choice and budget.
Cutting-edge technology for masculinization and feminization of the body and face
In the field of gender surgeries, Dr. Cristina Brasó, specialist in Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, highlights techniques such as facial or body feminization for female transgender people, or body masculinization or mastectomy for male transgender people.
Specifically, in Dr. Brasó’s clinic we developed a revolutionary method in this type of surgeries known as high definition liposculpture with Vaser Lipo. This technique not only practices a fat extraction, but also allows to remodel in detail all the muscular structures. A much more athletic muscular definition is achieved in transgender men, while in trans women the body is remodeled to soften the feminine curves and improve them. Buttock or breast augmentation can be obtained with your own adipose tissue, without the need for implants.
One of the most innovative and exclusive liposculpture techniques of Dr. Brasó Clinic is the ultrasound mastectomy, through which the excess fat located in the thorax is absorbed. Dr. Cristina Brasó is the only one in Spain who performs this technique of liposculpture that, applying the knowledge and technology of the base and of the microgroup, practices a breast extraction from a minimal scar in the areola. With this, the result is much more optimal without visible scars. In addition, you can masculinize the pectoral using fat from another part of the body in order to volumize it and get a more athletic and masculine thoracic appearance.
The most requested surgeries by transgender patients
If we focus on surgeries for transgender people who wish to masculinize their body, we can highlight two main ones: body masculinization and subcutaneous mastectomy. Subcutaneous mastectomy is usually the most demanded, since the patient’s main desire is not to have female breasts. However, if the patient also wishes to masculinize the rest of the body, it is possible to perform both procedures at the same time.
In the case of facial feminization, it is also common to perform several surgeries in the same intervention: rhinoplasty, chin reduction, jaw reduction, cheekbone implant, etc. This is due to the fact that the facial bone structure allows a more harmonious result when performing the different areas at the same time. However, it can also be applied in a progressive way, always depending on the patient’s priorities.
With this technology, bleeding is much less and the intensity of postoperative pain is reduced by up to 90% during the acute phase of the first week, thanks to the revolutionary technique of the clinic’s anesthesiologists. In this way, more body parts can be sculpted at the same time.
Frequently asked questions by transgender patients when undergoing this type of intervention
The vast majority of patients who come to the clinic to inquire about the surgeries have been undergoing hormone treatment for some time, although not all of them. In one way or another, it is always advisable to stop the treatment up to 3 weeks before the operation and for a week after to prevent testosterone from increasing the risk of post-surgical bleeding. In any case, the decision to undergo surgery is independent of whether or not hormones are taken, since this does not influence the result.
On the other hand, another frequent concern of patients is the condition of the scars. If we focus on mastectomies, one of the most demanded surgeries, we can differentiate between two types: the subcutaneous, for which the scar is practically invisible, and the classic, which is performed when the breasts are very large and voluminous. In this case, the scar is quite visible in the lower part of the pectoral area. To conceal it and make it more hidden under the pectoral muscle, masculinization of the thorax or muscularization of the thoracic area is recommended. However, it will always depend on the genetics of each patient.
When a transgender person has made the decision to change his or her body, a recurring question is the price of the procedure. The classic or subcutaneous mastectomy usually costs around €6,000. From here, the other surgeries depend on the areas intervened and if several areas are intervened at the same time.