The physical appearance of a person’s body doesn’t necessarily reflect their gender but for trans men, having the two line up properly can make a huge difference in the way you feel. Here are just some of the options available to trans men when it comes to female to male reassignment surgery – and what to expect from each.
Facial Masculinization Procedures
Making the face more masculine is one of the primary hurdles many trans men feel they face in physically looking more like their mental and emotional perception of themselves. From reducing feminine facial curves to enhancing more masculine ones – such as forehead and cheek augmentation, jaw and chin contouring and enhancing the appearance of the Adam’s apple – these procedures are cosmetic in nature but can have deep, lasting mental and emotional impact.
Mastectomy
Mastectomy is the removal of breast tissue to flatten and masculinize the chest. This is one of the most common forms of female to male reassignment procedures since it allows masculine clothing to fit better and trans men to forgo wearing bras and even shirts.
Body Masculinization Procedures
Contouring the rest of the body to look and feel more masculine is one reassignment surgery that many trans men welcome. This uses liposuction to remove fat and reduce curves so that the midsection and hips appear more masculine. This can help with the overall feeling of presenting as masculine, as clothing designed for men will fit more properly.
Genital Gender Confirmation Surgery
This is what most people think of when they envision female to male reassignment surgery. Gender confirmation surgery for trans men involves creating a phallus – or penis-like structure – with tissues transplanted from other parts of the body. This typically allows for sexual sensation to remain, and in some procedures, the urethra can be extended to allow for standing urination. However, these procedures are still in development to make results more organic and comfortable for patients, so talking to your doctor before choosing genital reassignment surgery is important.
There are no rules about which procedures you should or shouldn’t have as a trans man. Talk to your doctor, your therapist, and your entire trans health care team to decide what works for your budget and your body – and remember, it’s all part of the process to reveling the most authentic version of you!
