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Hockey Stick Double Incision Top Surgery

The hockey stick double incision top surgery is a type of chest reconstruction top surgery, formerly referred to as FTM top surgery, which is similar to the regular double incision technique but involves a scar that appears to align with the bottom of the pectoralis muscle. In this article, we discuss these double incision techniques in terms of incision and scar pattern, post top surgery chest appearance, and ideal patients. Find out if you are a good candidate for this gender-affirming surgery by reading on. In summary, this procedure is ideal for patients with a medium amount of mammary tissue who have developed pectoral muscles and would like to have a flat, more defined, muscular appearing chest.

What is a “regular” double incision procedure?

During a standard double incision top surgery procedure, the incisions on each side of the chest are horizontal. This allows for the surgeon to give patients the tightest and flattest results possible.

One of the most popular chest reconstruction top surgery incision techniques is double incision because of the way that it allows surgeons to achieve the flattest and tightest chest possible while removing the most amount of excess chest tissue and skin. The double incision technique usually leaves two straight scars across the center of the chest that extends past the nipples on both sides.

What is a hockey stick double incision procedure?

During a hockey stick double incision top surgery procedure, the incision lines trace the outer edges of the pectoralis major muscle. This helps define the chest muscle for patients who want to have a more muscular-appearing chest.

The hockey stick double incision procedure is a newer approach to chest reconstruction top surgery. Rather than extending the scar in a straight line on both sides of the chest, this new procedure curves the outer edges of the scar upward towards the armpit. This incision for this procedure is made below and outside the pectoralis major (chest) muscle border so that when healed, the scar will appear to align with the bottom of the pec muscle.

Do I qualify for these procedures?

Patients who have enough chest tissue to qualify for a regular double incision but don’t have too much excess tissue in the outer chest area would be great candidates for these procedures. These incision types are ideal for patients who want their chest to appear more muscular after surgery or for anyone who would feel affirmed in their gender by having a scar that curves around the pectoralis muscle or gently curves to the side of the chest. However, anyone with excess tissue or skin in the outer chest may not be a good candidate for either procedure.

Contact us to schedule a free, virtual top surgery consultation with our surgeons or to learn more about the muscle-border or hockey stick double incision techniques.