Gender affirming surgery is available to men and women who want to change their sexual orientation. It is a procedure to alter the penis or skin color of a male, female, or vice versa. Some procedures include an orchiectomy or hysterectomy. Other procedures include penis inversion and inversion.
Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy, also known as gender affirming or gender-affirming surgery, involves the surgical transformation of a male from a feminine to a masculine. About 0.4% is transgender. Gender dysphoria can lead to emotional and physical pain. Although medical management is the most common type of treatment, transgender males have another option: surgery. Some common surgical procedures for transgender men include hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. According to the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement data, only 3.3% of transgender people had hysterectomy in order to undergo a gender shift.
Hysterectomy for gender affirmation is relatively new and still evolving. It has been done historically for pathological reasons. A coexisting diagnosis of gender dysphoria may have resulted in a hysterectomy. This procedure is now covered by insurance.
Orchiectomy
Orchiectomy is the procedure that removes the testicles. It is one of many first steps in a transgender individual's surgery transition. It removes the testicles from the patient and lowers the level of testosterone, the masculine hormone. This surgery can reduce blood clot risks and simplify a patient's hormone regimen.
This procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis and is quite simple. Recovery can take up to eight weeks depending on the surgeon and the technique used. It can be covered by Medicare, private insurance or the individual's own health insurance.
Inversion of skin, penis
The inversion of skin and penis is one of the most popular methods of transvaginal surgery and is considered the gold standard of genital reconstruction for transgender women. This involves placing the penis inverted into a vagina to give it the appearance of a natural woman's vagina. The entire procedure can take between three and five hours. It may take several days to recover. To protect the newly placed skin, a special dressing must be applied to the inside of the vagina.
During the procedure, a standard protocol is used. The doctor will provide instructions on how to care for the patient afterward. You will be given a kit by the medical team to perform follow-up dilations at your home. You will also be provided with follow-up emails, and an appointment with your surgeon.
Time for recovery
Post-surgery healing is crucial for gender-affirming procedures that involve the conversion of a male penis to one female. 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 need at least a week's rest and can take up to five- or six weeks.
Gender-affirming surgery is designed to reduce testosterone production. The procedure can eliminate the need for hormone-suppressive medications and estrogen therapy. It can preserve the ability to have children naturally. It is possible to have gender affirming surgery, male or female, within a short time frame. This depends on the nature of the procedure and the patient.