Alternatives to Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS)

Dr. Mosser understands that trans and gender non-conforming people are a very diverse group. His expertise and experience extends to more than just surgical skills. He is aware that most transgender patients who come to him are in various stages of transitioning from their birth-assigned sex to living as the gender they feel is their true identity. Some may be very comfortable already living in their chosen gender identity and confident in their readiness to undergo plastic surgery, while others may be still investigating alternatives for finding satisfaction and self confidence in their gender identity.

SRS can include MTF breast augmentation, FTM chest reconstruction, and a variety of genital surgeries, sometimes called “bottom surgery.” While many transgender and gender non-conforming people choose one or more SRS procedures, there are alternatives that can be used in conjunction with these surgeries or on their own.

Some alternative treatments and procedures to SRS:

• Altering hair, makeup and clothing to conform to the chosen gender identity, either on a part- or full-time basis.
• Removal of facial and body hair.
• Alteration of voice through training or surgery.
• Weight loss, weight gain and/or exercise to build muscle mass to alter body shape.
• Hormone therapy, which can cause significant physiological changes.
• Psychological counseling to learn how to handle gender-related distress or dissatisfaction.
• Practical training to learn new skills for functioning in a changed social environment.
• Cosmetic surgery procedures to alter facial features, skin, stomach, waistline, or other physical features to conform to the chosen gender. This could include liposuction, Botox, collagen fillers, and skin resurfacing.
• Live as the chosen gender for an extended period, usually referred to as a real-life test (RLT), to see whether you are psychologically ready to make a transition to the desired gender.

These alternative treatments and procedures can be very effective in relieving the distress experienced by many transgender and gender non-conforming people, and most treatments can be readily reversed if they don’t achieve the desired results.

SRS procedures create life-changing alterations to the body and are not reversible. This is why exploring alternative options is useful before making the decision to undergo SRS surgery.

Some transgender individuals find their true identities and comfort zone at some stage of transitioning without surgery, others may be unable to undergo hormone therapy due to health issues, and still others may not find true satisfaction without surgery.