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FTM Top Surgery Brisbane
FTM (Female-to-Male) top surgery is a gender-affirming procedure. It is typically elected by transgender men or non-binary individuals, who were assigned female at birth but identify as male, or with a more masculine gender.
Accessible Consultation Process
Surgery in Accredited Medical Facility
A Patient Care Focused Approach
What is FTM top surgery?
The surgery involves the removal of breast tissue to create a more masculine chest appearance. There are several different techniques used in FTM top surgery, and the choice of method depends on factors such as the patient’s chest size, skin elasticity, and overall health.
Surgeons who operate at Valley Plastic Surgery in Brisbane will consult with each patient to plan a highly personalised top surgery procedure tailored to their specific needs.
Suitable candidates for FTM (Female-to-Male) top surgery
Every candidate will undergo a comprehensive consultation and health screening to determine their suitability for the procedure. This is a crucial step to help patients better understand what the procedure involves, plan detailed and personalised surgery, and minimise complications.
Consultations are held at Valley Plastic Surgery in Brisbane. Our team will inform you if any additional information is needed before or after your consultation. You will need a referral from your General Practitioner to book your consultation with us. You are welcome to contact us should you have any questions about our consultation process.
Requirements in Australia
In Australia, individuals seeking top surgery must have a documented history of gender incongruence for at least 12 months, and be over 16 years old. They must demonstrate the ability to make informed decisions and have a diagnosis of gender dysphoria from a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist.
For more information about Australia’s top surgery requirements before your consultation, please contact our team.
Physical health assessment
A thorough health assessment is necessary to determine a candidate’s suitability for surgery. Candidates should be in good health, not pregnant, and non-smokers or willing to quit before the procedure.
Candidates must have realistic expectations for the surgery’s outcome, follow recovery instructions, attend follow-up appointments, and adhere to all essential requirements.
How FTM (Female-to-Male) top surgery is performed
During your consultation, your surgeon will explain the detailed steps of the procedure, ensuring that you understand how it will be performed. Since gender is highly personal, gender affirmation surgery will need to be tailored to each patient.
The procedures are conducted under general anaesthesia at accredited facilities, by highly experienced and qualified surgeons.
After an assessment, your surgeon can explain the details of the type of chest masculinisation surgery you will undergo.
Types of chest masculinisation surgery
To create a more masculine chest, breast tissue is surgically removed with a mastectomy. The procedure involves carefully extracting the breast tissue and reshaping the remaining chest tissue to create a more masculine contour. The nipples and areolae are usually repositioned to match the new chest shape aesthetically.
The placement of incisions, which affects the location of any visible scars, is discussed with the surgeon beforehand. There are techniques available that can minimise scarring.
Double incision mastectomy
A double-incision mastectomy is commonly used for individuals with larger chests. The technique is normally performed with nipple grafts.
To perform this method, your surgeon will make horizontal incisions across the chest, remove the breast tissue, and reposition the nipples to create a male chest contour. The nipples may then be resized and grafted back onto the chest.
Peri-areolar (keyhole)
The keyhole method, or peri-areolar method, is typically suitable for individuals with smaller chests and good skin elasticity. The surgeon makes a circular incision around the areola, removes the breast tissue through this opening, and tightens the skin around the areola. The method usually results in less visible scarring.
Inverted T (anchor) mastectomy
The anchor technique may be used for individuals with moderate to large chests, who also have significant excess skin. It combines the horizontal incisions of the double incision method with a vertical incision, resulting in an anchor-shaped scar. This allows for more extensive skin removal and contouring.
Buttonhole technique
The buttonhole approach is a variation of the double incision method, in which the nipples are preserved in their original blood supply and repositioned through a small opening created in the chest skin. This may help preserve nipple sensation.
What to expect during recovery
Recovering from FTM gender affirmation top surgery requires closely following your surgeon’s instructions. Generally, patients will be advised to avoid strenuous activities and follow specific wound care guidelines. Wearing a compression garment, as recommended by your surgeon, may also be necessary.
After surgery, patients may experience pain, swelling, and discomfort in the chest area. Pain management medications can be prescribed to alleviate discomfort. Dressings and drains might be used to aid healing, with drains usually removed within a week or two. Your surgeon can provide you with advice on how to manage swelling and discomfort after your procedure.
Patients will typically need to attend follow-up appointments in the early stages of recovery. These visits allow the surgeon to monitor healing, remove stitches if needed, and address any concerns or complications.
Most patients can return to normal daily activities, such as work and exercise, within a few weeks to a couple of months. The time frame will depend on how well the patient is healing after surgery.
To minimise the risk of complications, following your surgeon’s recovery instructions closely is crucial. These instructions will be personalised to your specific procedure.
Costs of FTM (Female-to-Male) top surgery at Valley Plastic Surgery in Brisbane
The costs of female-to-male top surgery will need to be determined after a thorough consultation. Costs depend on factors such as the complexity of the surgery, anaesthesia fees, surgeon fees, and the total procedure time.
Surgery factors, including the amount of tissue removal or adjustment, and nipple or areola resizing and repositioning, can affect the overall complexity and cost of the surgery.
The complexity of the surgery, based on individual anatomy and goals, will influence the detailed procedure steps. Some patients might need additional procedures or modifications to achieve their desired results, which can further impact costs.
For more information on costs, you’ll need to discuss the details of your procedure during a consultation. If you have more questions about costs before your consultation, please contact our team.
Surgery risks and complications
Medically speaking, chest masculinisation surgery, like all surgeries, carries some potential risks. However, these risks can be minimised with high-quality patient care provided by our experienced and qualified surgeons. Ensuring that candidates are suitable for the procedure and free of health contraindications will also be essential when preventing complications.
The possible risks and complications of FTM top surgery include infection, excessive bleeding, temporary or permanent changes in chest or nipple sensation, seroma (fluid accumulation under the skin), blood clots, haematoma (collection of blood under the skin), scarring, and reactions to anaesthesia.
During your consultation, your surgeon will explain the specific risks, including your personal risk level. After discussing the possible risks, patients should make an informed decision about whether to proceed with surgery. Surgeons who operate at VPS Clinic will explain how these risks can be minimised.
Patients will receive information on the warning signs to watch for during recovery that could indicate complications, along with steps to seek further advice or medical attention if needed.
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Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
