Both men and women can have gender affirming surgery if they wish to change the way they feel about themselves. This involves transforming the skin and penis of a male or a female to make them more feminine or vice versa. Some procedures include an orchiectomy or hysterectomy. Others include inversion of skin and penis.
Hysterectomy
The surgical procedure of gender affirming surgery or hysterectomy (or gender changing surgery) is when a male is surgically transformed from a girl to a boy. About 0.4% is transgender. This condition can lead to symptoms of gender dysphoria, such as physical or emotional pain. The most common treatment is medical management, but surgery is also an option for transgender man. Some common surgical procedures for transgender men include hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Only 3.3% of transgender males had hysterectomy to change their gender according to the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Database.
Hysterectomy to confirm gender is a relatively new procedure that is constantly evolving. It has been done historically for pathological reasons. A coexisting diagnosis of gender dysphoria may have resulted in a hysterectomy. However, in recent years, insurance providers are beginning to cover this procedure.
Orchiectomy
The first step in a transgender patient’s surgical transition is the orchiectomy. This is the removal of the testicular tissue. It removes the testicles, which in turn decreases testosterone production. This surgery may reduce blood clot risks, and it can simplify a patient’s hormone program.
It is possible to perform the procedure on an outpatient basis. The recovery time depends on the surgeon and the technique used. It can take anywhere from two to eight weeks. It can be covered by Medicare, private insurance or the individual's own health insurance.
Inversions of skin and penis
Inversion of skin and penis, one of the most common methods of transvaginal surgical treatment, is widely used and considered to be the best method for genital reconstruction in transgender women. This involves placing the penis inverted into a vagina to give it the appearance of a natural woman's vagina. The procedure takes about three to five hours and may require several days of recovery. To protect the new skin position, a special dressing will be placed in the vagina after surgery.
During the procedure, a standard protocol is used. Aftercare instructions will be provided by the doctor to the patient. The medical team will also give you a kit for home follow-up dilations. Follow-up emails will be sent to you and appointments will be made with your surgeon.
Time to recover
Post-surgery recovery is a critical component of gender-affirming surgery, which involves converting a male penis to a female one. The recovery period can last anywhere from four to eight weeks, depending on the specific surgery performed. A mastectomy is the most common procedure, although a vaginoplasty and breast augmentation are also possible. Both procedures are best done after at least one week of rest. However, they can take as long as five to six weeks.
Gender-affirming surgery is designed to reduce testosterone production. This procedure can reduce the need to take hormone-suppressive medication and estrogen therapy. It can preserve the ability to have children naturally. Recovery time for gender affirming surgery male to female differs depending on the procedure performed and the patient's health.