How long does gender reassignment surgery take?
Gender reassignment takes a long time. It is not done quickly. On average, the minimum time required to change your physical sex is about two years, and that is a best-case situation. Often, the process can take three, four, five, or many more years. How does gender reassignment surgery work?
What is sex reassignment therapy?
Sex reassignment therapy is the medical aspect of gender transitioning, that is, modifying one's characteristics to better suit one's gender identity. It can consist of hormone therapy to modify secondary sex characteristics, sex reassignment surgery to alter primary sex characteristics,...
How long does it take to change your physical sex?
On average, the minimum time required to change your physical sex is about two years, and that is a best-case situation. Often, the process can take three, four, five, or many more years.
What are the side effects of sex reassignment surgery?
Patients of sex reassignment surgery may experience changes in their physical health and quality of life, the side effects of sex steroid treatment. Hence, transgender people should be well informed of these risks before choosing to undergo SRS.
How long does the sex change process take?
Some of the physical changes begin in as little as a month, though it may take as long as 5 years to see the maximum effect. For example, men transitioning to women can expect A-cup and occasionally larger breasts to fully grow within 2 to 3 years.
How long does MTF surgery take?
MTF/MTN top surgery procedure MTF and MTN top surgery is also known as breast augmentation or augmentation mammoplasty. MTF and MTN top surgery typically takes between 1 and 2 hours. You are put under general anesthesia for the duration of the surgery.
How much does it take to transition from female to male?
Its price list mentions estimates of $140,450 to transition from male to female, and $124,400 to transition from female to male.
How long do you have to be on hormones before bottom surgery?
Surgeons require that people stop taking hormone replacement therapy two weeks before surgery and refrain for two weeks after surgery before starting again.
Can you feel your nipples after top surgery?
This is very common among transmen and is a completely normal sign of healing. During your procedure, your nerves in this area are stretched and compressed, and the swelling you experience afterwards will impact the nervous system. This prickling feeling is a sign that the nerves are healing.
How long does hormone therapy take?
You may be offered hormone therapy for up to six months before radiotherapy. And you may continue to have hormone therapy during and after your radiotherapy, for up to three years. Some men might have hormone therapy on its own if radiotherapy or surgery aren't suitable for them.
How do you start transitioning?
In general the first step is to explore your gender identity. This can include any combination of internal self-reflection, connecting with community and support groups, or working with a therapist who has expertise in gender identity issues. This process could take anywhere from months to years.
Do you have to take testosterone forever FTM?
Testosterone must be taken as directed by your endocrinologist or family doctor. While most trans men continue some level of testosterone hormone therapy for their entire lives, others will stop at some point.
How much is MTF bottom surgery?
Bottom surgeries can cost about $25,000 and top (breast surgeries) from $7,800 to $10,000. Facial and body contouring are also costly.
Which gender reassignment surgery is easier?
Male to female genital surgery is easier, less expensive and generally more successful than female to male surgery. That's one reason why fewer women choose to have surgery on their genitals, Bowers said.
How long after reassignment surgery can you have a psychiatric exam?
Psychiatric care may be required for many years after the reassignment surgery. The procedure is not recommended for individuals who have been diagnosed with HIV or Hepatitis C. Possible complications include infection, bruising, blood clots, scarring and necrosis.
How does a male to female sex change work?
For male to female sex change, the surgery involves removal of the penis, reshaping surrounding tissues and using skin grafts to construct a vagina. Other procedures like breast implants, buttock augmentation and facial feminization can be carried out as a part of the transitioning process. First the patient is sedated and a penile skin inversion ...
What is the procedure for sigmoid colon graft?
For female to male sex change, the surgery involves two main types of procedures- phalloplasty and metoidioplasty . A hysterectomy is performed in addition to the aforementioned options. Phalloplasty involves a tissue graft ...
What is the procedure to make a penis?
A hysterectomy is performed in addition to the aforementioned options. Phalloplasty involves a tissue graft from the arm and abdomen to construct a penis. In this surgery, The labia majora is joined to make the scrotal sac and the urethra is connected to the penis.
Is SRS a gender change surgery?
SRS is not simply a gender-change operation. The male and female anatomy is vastly different, beyond simply sexual anatomy, such as size of pelvic bone, facial structure etc. Choosing the right doctor (s) who is capable of handling every aspect of the surgery is imperative for good results.
How long does it take to recover from a male to female surgery?
Male to Female Surgery Care: . After 3 days in the hospital for the surgery, for the recovery time, the patient has to stay in the area for 10 to 12 days. . The patient can perform light work in 4 to 6 weeks. Strenuous work and exercise can begin by 6 to 8 weeks. .
What happens after genital surgery?
Life after surgery. After surgery, most Trans women and men are happy with their new sex and feel comfortable with their gender identity. One review of a number of studies that were carried out over a 20-year period found that 96% of people who had genital reconstructive surgery were satisfied.
How long does compression binder last?
A compression binder might have to be worn during the recovery stages for 6 weeks. It primarily depends on the surgeon's advice. . There will be less than moderate pain after surgery for a few weeks depending on how the surgery was done.
How long does it take to recover from a syphilis?
After 2 days in the hospital, the patient will have to stay in the area for about 5 to 6 days. . Small work can be resumed in 2 weeks. More strenuous exercise can only be started after 4 to 6 weeks. . A compression binder might have to be worn during the recovery stages for 6 weeks.
Can you resume HRT?
You can resume your HRT (Hormonal replacement therapy) as soon as you arrive home. Later on, you can probably reduce your estrogen dose and completely discontinue androgen suppressors, however this delicate adjustment should be taken care of by your hormone specialist. . Scars never disappear.
How does genital surgery help trans people?
The Merck Manual states, in regard to trans women, "In follow-up studies, genital surgery has helped some transsexual people live happier and more productive lives and so is justified in highly motivated, appropriately assessed and treated transsexual people, who have completed a 1- to 2-year real-life experience in a different gender role. Before surgery, transsexual people often need assistance with passing in public, including help with gestures and voice modulation. Participation in support groups, available in most large cities, is usually helpful." With regards to trans men, it states, "Surgery may help certain [trans men] patients achieve greater adaptation and life satisfaction. Similar to trans women, trans men should live in the male gender role for at least 1 yr before surgery. Anatomic results of neophallus surgical procedures are often less satisfactory in terms of function and appearance than neovaginal procedures for trans women. Complications are common, especially in procedures that involve extending the urethra into the neophallus ."
What is testosterone therapy?
Testosterone therapy is typically used for masculinizing treatments. Effects can include thicker vocal cords, increased muscle mass, hair loss, and thicker skin. Intramuscular, subcutaneous, and transdermal options are available. These include cypionate (Depo-Testosterone®), and the longer acting testosterone undecanoate ( Aveed ®). Oral formulations are available in Europe, Andriol®, but are not available in the U.S. due to their pharmacokinetic properties.
What is gender dysphoria?
The US Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) names it gender dysphoria (in version 5 ). Some people who are validly diagnosed have no desire for all or some parts of sex reassignment therapy, particularly genital reassignment surgery, and/or are not appropriate candidates for such treatment.
What is the American Medical Association's resolution 122?
The American Medical Association 's Resolution 122 states, "An established body of medical research demonstrates the effectiveness and medical necessity of mental health care, hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery as forms of therapeutic treatment for many people diagnosed with GID".
How long should trans men live before surgery?
Similar to trans women, trans men should live in the male gender role for at least 1 yr before surgery.
When was botulinum toxin approved?
It was approved by the FDA in 1989 for intramuscular, intradetrusor, and intradermal injection. There are a number of preparations for botulinum toxins, all of which can be used for the same treatments: Botox cosmetic, Dysport (Ipsen pharmaceuticals) (Botulinum toxin type A), Xeomin, Neurobloc, and Myobloc.
Can hormone therapy reverse sexual characteristics?
However, many of the existing primary and secondary sexual characteristics cannot be reversed by hormone therapy.
What is a sex reassignment surgery?
Sex reassignment surgery ( SRS ), also known as gender reassignment surgery ( GRS) and several other names, is a surgical procedure (or procedures) by which a transgender person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble those socially associated with their identified gender.
How many letters of recommendation do you need for sex reassignment surgery?
Many surgeons require two letters of recommendation for sex reassignment surgery. At least one of these letters must be from a mental health professional experienced in diagnosing gender identity disorder (now recognized as gender dysphoria ), who has known the patient for over a year.
Which country has the most sex reassignment surgeries?
This Pakistani law prevents Hijras from receiving feminizing surgery. Thailand: Thailand is the country that performs the most sex reassignment surgeries, followed by Iran.
What are the complications of transgender surgery?
Some transgender persons present with health conditions including diabetes, asthma, and HIV, which can lead to complications with future therapy and pharmacologic management. Typical SRS procedures involve complex medication regimens, including hormonal therapy, throughout and after surgery.
What is the procedure for transgender men?
For trans men, these may include mastectomy (removal of the breasts) and chest reconstruction (the shaping of a male-contoured chest), or hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of ovaries and Fallopian tubes ).
What is the procedure called to remove the Adam's apple?
Adam’s Apple Reduction surgery ( chondrolaryngoplasty) or tracheal shaving is a procedure in which the most prominent party of the thyroid cartilage is reduced. There is also Adam’s Apple Enhancement therapy, in which cartilage is used to bring out the Adam’s apple in female to male patients.
Who was the trans woman who was denied sex reassignment surgery?
On 12 June 2003, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of Carola van Kück , a German trans woman whose insurance company denied her reimbursement for sex reassignment surgery as well as hormone replacement therapy.
How long does a desire to act last?
This desire must be continuously present for six months in order to be recognized as a disorder [source: WPATH].
What is hormone therapy?
Hormone therapy is used to balance a person's gender identity with their body's endocrine system. Male-to-female candidates begin by taking testosterone-blocking agents (or anti-androgens) along with female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.
What is a transgender person?
Transgender is an umbrella term for people who identify outside of the gender they were assigned at birth and for some gender reassignment surgeries are crucial to leading a healthy, happy life. Contents. Gender Dysphoria: Diagnosis and Psychotherapy. Real-life Experience. Hormone Replacement Therapy. Surgical Options: Transgender Women.
How do little girls express their gender?
Little girls in the U.S., for example, would be expected express their feminine gender by playing with dolls and wearing dresses, and little boys would be assumed to express their masculinity with penchants for roughhousing and monster trucks.
What is the difference between sex and sexuality?
Sex refers to the parts we were born with; boys, we assume, have a penis, while girls come equipped with a vagina. Sexuality generally refers to sexual orientation, or who we're attracted to in a sexual and/or romantic sense. Gender expression refers to the behavior used to communicate gender in a given culture.
Can transgender people bank sperm?
Some transgender people may choose to bank sperm or eggs if they wish to have children in the future. Sometimes hormonal therapy is enough to make a person feel he or she belongs to the desired gender, so treatment stops here. Others may pursue surgical means as part of gender reassignment. Advertisement.
When was gender identity disorder first recognized?
In 1980, when gender identity disorder(GID) was first recognized, it was considered a psychiatric disorder. In 2013, though, GID was, in part, reconsidered as biological in nature, and renamed gender dysphoria.
When does hormone therapy start?
If used in an adolescent, hormone therapy typically begins at age 16. Ideally, treatment starts before the development of secondary sex characteristics so that teens can go through puberty as their identified gender. Many trans girls are treated with a medication to delay the start of puberty. Gender affirming hormone therapy is not typically used ...
How can feminizing hormone therapy help with gender dysphoria?
Feminizing hormone therapy can: Make gender dysphoria less severe. Reduce psychological and emotional distress. Improve psychological and social functioning. Improve sexual satisfaction. Improve quality of life.
Why do people need feminizing hormone therapy?
Typically, people who seek feminizing hormone therapy experience discomfort or distress because their gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth or sex-related physical characteristics (gender dysphoria).
What age should a child be to see a doctor for transgender?
Adolescents younger than age 18, accompanied by their parents or guardians, also should see doctors and behavioral health providers with expertise in pediatric transgender health to discuss the risks of hormone therapy, as well as the impact and possible complications of gender transition in that age group.
Can you use gender affirming hormone therapy for children?
Gender affirming hormone therapy is not typically used in children. Feminizing hormone therapy isn't for all trans women. Your doctor might discourage feminizing hormone therapy if you: Had or have a hormone-sensitive cancer, such as prostate cancer.
Does estrogen affect transgender women?
Other side effects of estrogen use in trans women include reduced libido, erectile function and ejaculation. Erectile function might improve with the use of oral medications such as sildenafil (Viagra) or tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis).
Can you have feminizing surgery alone?
Feminizing hormone therapy can be done alone or in combination with feminizing surgery. Feminizing hormone therapy isn't for all transgender women, however. Feminizing hormone therapy can affect your fertility and sexual function and cause other health problems. Your doctor can help you weigh the risks and benefits.
Overview
Effectiveness
The Merck Manual states, in regard to trans women, "In follow-up studies, genital surgery has helped some transsexual people live happier and more productive lives and so is justified in highly motivated, appropriately assessed and treated transsexual people, who have completed a 1- to 2-year real-life experience in a different gender role. Before surgery, transsexual people often need assistance with passing in public, including help with gestures and voice modulation. Participati…
Eligibility
In the International Classification of Diseases, the diagnosis is known as transsexualism. The US Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) names it gender dysphoria (in version 5 ). Some people who are validly diagnosed have no desire for all or some parts of sex reassignment therapy, particularly genital reassignment surgery, and/or are not appropriate candidates for such treatment.
Psychological treatment
According to the WPATH SOC v7, "Psychotherapy (individual, couple, family, or group) for purposes such as exploring gender identity, role, and expression; addressing the negative impact of gender dysphoria and stigma on mental health; alleviating internalized transphobia; enhancing social and peer support; improving body image; or promoting resilience" is a treatment option.
Some transsexual people may suffer from co-morbid psychiatric conditions unrelated to their ge…
Hormone therapy
For trans people, hormone therapy causes the development of many of the secondary sexual characteristics of their desired sex. However, many of the existing primary and secondary sexual characteristics cannot be reversed by hormone therapy. For example, hormone therapy can induce breast growth for trans women but can only minimally reduce breasts for trans men. HRT can prompt facial hair growth for transsexual men, but cannot regress facial hair for transsexual wo…
Sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery (SRS) refers to the surgical and medical procedures undertaken to align intersex and transsexual individuals' physical appearance and genital anatomy with their gender identity. SRS may encompass any surgical procedures which will reshape a male body into a body with a female appearance or vice versa, or more specifically refer to the procedures used to make male genitals into female genitals and vice versa.
Ethical, cultural, and political considerations
Sex reassignment therapy is a controversial ethical subject. Notably, the Roman Catholic church, according to an unpublished Vatican document, holds that changing sex is not possible and, while in some cases treatment might be necessary, it does not change the person's sex in the eyes of the church. Some Catholic ethicists go further, proclaiming that a "sex change operation" is "mutilation" and therefore immoral.
See also
• List of transgender-related topics
• Sex assignment
Overview
Sex reassignment surgery (SRS), also known as gender reassignment surgery (GRS) and several other names, is a surgical procedure (or procedures) by which a transgender person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble those socially associated with their identified gender. It is part of a treatment for gender dysphoria in transgender people. The term is also sometimes used to describe surgical intervention for inters…
Post-procedural considerations
Patients of sex reassignment surgery may experience changes in their physical health and quality of life, as well as side effects of sex steroid treatment.
Several studies have measured quality of life and self-perceived physical health using different scales. Overall, transsexual people have rated their quality of life as normal or quite good, although their overall score was lower than those in the control group. Another study showed si…
Terminology
There are numerous other expressions that are used to refer to this type of surgery apart from sex reassignment surgery and gender reassignment surgery. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) uses the term gender confirmation surgery or GCS and many transgender people prefer this terminology. Other terms include gender-affirming surgery, sex change operation, genital reconstruction surgery, sex realignment surgery, sex reconstruction surgery, a…
History
In the US in 1917, Alan L. Hart, an American tuberculosis specialist, became one of the first trans men to undergo hysterectomy and gonadectomy as treatment of what is now called gender dysphoria.
In Berlin in 1931, Dora Richter became the first known transgender woman to undergo vaginoplasty.
Lili Elbe of Dresden, Germany became the next SRS patient in 1930–1931. Her first surgery remov…
Prevalence
The prevalence of transgender-related surgeries is difficult to measure and likely underestimated. In 2015, the largest survey of transgender people in the United States reported that 25% of respondents reported having undergone such a surgery.
Prior to surgery
Some transgender persons present with health conditions including diabetes, asthma, and HIV, which can lead to complications with future therapy and pharmacological management. Typical SRS procedures involve complex medication regimens, including sex hormone therapy, throughout and after surgery. Typically, a patient's treatment involves a healthcare team consisting of a variety of providers including endocrinologists, whom the surgeon may consult when determinin…
Surgical procedures
The array of medically indicated surgeries differs between trans women (male to female) and trans men (female to male). For trans women, genital reconstruction usually involves the surgical construction of a vagina, by means of penile inversion or the sigmoid colon neovagina technique; or, more recently, non-penile inversion techniques that make use of scrotal tissue to construct the vaginal canal. For trans men, genital reconstruction may involve construction of a penis through …
By country
Under The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, articles: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 19, and 28, no person’s fundamental human rights should be denied because of discrimination, thus transgender and gender diverse people are not illegal in any state of Africa.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Though it is not illegal to be transgender, there are no protective rights or supportive legislations for legal gender change or any type of medical transit…