Top Surgery and Your Safety A patient’s support team often has concerns about  surgery. One of the most important of those concerns is safety. Plastic surgery—like any surgery– carries some degree of risk.  An adverse reaction to anesthesia, infection, scarring, blood clots, or loss of sensation due to nerve damage are all possibilities. With appropriate preparation beforehand, these risks can be minimized. Being in good health, temporarily discontinuing certain medications, and screening for allergies can all lower the risks of surgery. Breast augmentation and chest reconstruction are considered low risk procedures when performed by board certified plastic surgeon  (BCPS) in properly certified surgical facilities. Board Certification indicates that the surgeon …

How Will Chest Reconstruction or Breast Augmentation Surgery Affect Quality of Life? If you have a friend, relative or loved one who is dissatisfied living in the sex and gender identities assigned to them at birth, that person may identify as transgender and/or gender non-conforming. What’s in a Term? ‘Transgenderism’ it is not currently classified as a diagnostic condition, nor is this term used in the WPATH Standards of Care, but is generally used as a catchall description for identifying as a sex and/or gender other than those assigned at birth. ‘Transsexualism’, ‘gender diversity’, ‘gender variance’, ‘gender dysphoria’, and ‘gender identity disorder (GID)’ are all terms used by both the medical and …

Hormone Therapy and its Effect on Chest Reconstruction and Breast Augmentation Surgery Any individual seeking plastic surgery to alter sex characteristics to align their outward appearance with their gender identification should begin by learning as much as they can about gender dysphoria as it is defined in the ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases-10, published by the WHO-World Health Organization) or the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association . The Three-phase Approach to Treating Gender Dysphoria Before contemplating plastic surgery to alter physical characteristics it is recommended to first seek counseling with a psychologist or psychiatrist to explore and treat the emotional damage …

WPATH Standards of Care for FTM/N ‘Sex Reassignment Surgery’ WPATH The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) periodically publishes Standards of Care (SOC) based on the consensus of the best available science and expert professional studies related to the health and care of transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming people. The most current edition is the Seventh Edition, released in September 2011. The SOC is an important reference to assist both individuals experiencing gender dysphoria and those in medical and other support roles who seek to understand the many varied aspects of the trans experience. The entire edition is freely available for anyone to read and download in 19 languages. …

The Informed Consent Model for Gender-Affirming Surgery Informed consent is a particularly important process for transgender, non-binary and gender-non conforming people because it gives them autonomy over their own healthcare. Historically, the trans and gender non-conforming community has had a difficult time accessing quality, gender-affirming health care in part because of gatekeeping and discrimination on behalf of mental health providers and medical professionals. Therapist-mediated support and the therapeutic process can be highly valuable in the gender transition journey. The informed consent model honors patients’ self-knowledge and ability to make informed decisions regarding medical interventions they want to access. The GCC acknowledges that, regardless of insurance coverage requirements, adults who have …

Hormone Therapy and Surgery A good place to start when looking for  more information about gender confirming surgery and other medical interventions is to review the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care (SOC), Version VIII. This edition is freely available for viewing online as a PDF. The WPATH SOC guidelines are an important reference for both individuals who desire gender affirming medical care, as well as anyone else interested in the topic or wanting to support trans loved ones.  Many US-based health insurance companies base their coverage of gender affirming medical interventions on the WPATH SOCs, so it can be helpful to be familiar with them.  …

Anesthesia and Gender Affirming Surgery Experience This article provides information on the anesthesia experience during your breast augmentation top surgery, formerly MTF top surgery or MTF breast augmentation. Here we describe the processes we have in place to help your surgery journey be as smooth and safe as possible. We briefly explore what happens once you arrive at our operating suite and how our professional staff can help guide you through the pre-op and post-op period. Read on to gain a better understanding of what to expect during your surgery day. About Anesthesia Surgery is not an ordinary experience for most of us. Our professional staff caring for you recognize …

Is it safe to travel abroad for a cheaper surgery? In the past decade, rates of medical tourism in countries like Malaysia, India and Thailand have skyrocketed. The appeal of reduced prices coupled with exciting travel has ignited a growing interest, especially in the transgender community. If you’re considering MTF breast augmentation abroad, you may want to think twice. Both the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) have issued statements about patients experiencing dangerous complications following surgery abroad. That being said, there are excellent plastic surgeons around the world, and MTF breast augmentation abroad can still be a safe experience producing very satisfying …

Choosing a Surgeon for Gender-Affirming Surgery These days any licensed physician can claim to be a cosmetic doctor, so the importance of finding a reputable, board-certified surgeon for your  MTF breast augmentation is vital to your safety and satisfaction. When selecting a surgeon for your procedure, there are three essential components you should look for: certification, experience and a solid commitment to the transgender community. In the following video, Dr. Jacobs (he/him) gives his tips on how to figure out which surgeon is right fit for you: Board Certified Plastic Surgeon The first step to ensuring quality care and surgical expertise is to choose a surgeon who is board certified by the American …

Surgical Safety When considering MTF breast augmentation, most patients  focus on the excitement of their expected outcome rather than on the surgical procedure itself. This is understandable and it’s also very important to be fully informed prior to undergoing MTF breast augmentation. This means you’ll want to ask  questions about safety, as well as your expected results. Although thousands of people undergo plastic surgery each year without experiencing complications, no surgical procedure is risk-free. To ensure that you are receiving the best care possible, you’ll need to do your research. Choosing a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Choosing a surgeon with Good credentials won’t necessarily guarantee successful results, but certainly improves your chances. If you’re considering …