Gender change
First of all, people who changed their gender underwent a large amount of preliminary training. Before the procedures, the patient must undergo hormonal therapy under the supervision of a physician. Hormone therapy lasts approximately one year. For some countries, it is not possible to change gender until a diagnosis of transsexualism is made. Without this diagnosis, no action will be taken.
Several areas of plastic surgery are involved in gender reassignment: • Mammoplasty • Phalloplasty • Vaginectomy • Scrotoplasty • Colpocleisis • Hysterectomy • Metoidioplasty • Salpingo-oophorectomy • Ovariectomy
Physiological risks
The risks associated with transgender transition can be divided into psychological and physiological.
Physiological includes any complications that may arise after surgery. Namely:
- blood poisoning;
- hematomas;
- tissue infection;
- scars;
- loss of tissue sensitivity;
- swelling;
- bleeding.
Almost all of these complications are reversible. That is, for some time a person will have to face physical discomfort and postoperative difficulties, but after a period of rehabilitation the person’s well-being will be completely normalized.
As a rule, the surgeon gives the patient recommendations, following which, all undesirable consequences of the operation can be minimized. If complications do occur, you should report them to your doctor or medical staff as soon as possible.
From woman to man
People who have changed their gender from female to male have undergone surgery to remove breast tissue and reposition their nipples. Surgery to remove the breast is called a mastectomy. In the process, breast tissue is removed along with fatty tissue and partly muscle tissue. The surgeon achieves the best resemblance to the male breast. Vaginectomy involves removing the vagina, and with colpocleisis, the vagina is surgically sutured.
To shape the penis, phalloplasty is needed. The essence of the process is to create a penis using surrounding tissues. There are two methods for forming a phallus: 1. The surrounding tissue in the abdominal area is cut off and sutured into the groin area in the form of a stem. 2. The second method is a suitcase handle. To nourish the cut flesh, the tissue was sutured until the healing process took place. It was then cut to form the head.
The first method is most often used, since the second method disrupts tissue sensitivity. The significant difference between metoidioplasty and phalloplasty is the formation of the penis by lengthening the clitoris. Using the clitoris as a material for creating a phallus is a more promising technology. Its properties are very similar to the penis. People who have changed their gender do not feel discomfort, everything is natural and natural.
In hysterectomy operations, the uterus is removed, and it may include complete removal along with the cervix - salpingo-oophorectomy. A hysterectomy is performed after hormone replacement therapy, which takes about five years. Once the shaft of the penis is formed, the construction of the testicles and scrotum is performed - scrotoplasty. An oophorectomy involves removing the fallopian tubes and along with them the ovaries.
Everything that was listed above relates to FtM, that is, to the transformation from woman to man. But there are also the opposite - MtF, where a woman is created from a man.
Related procedures involved in body reorganization: - liposuction; - gluteoplasty, - mentoplasty; - and others.
Photos before and after intimate plastic surgery
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How can you tell from before and after pictures that you are a suitable candidate for surgery? Your labia minora (or inner) are about the same length as your outer (major) labia. The best way to truly determine the length of your lips is to assess their visually noticeable area while you stand in front of a mirror. If your labia minora protrude beyond your labia majora, labiaplasty surgery may make sense. In the examples below, photos taken before and after plastic surgery of intimate areas confirm the positive effect of this aesthetic intervention.
| Photoshoot No. 1. Patient Irina K., 29 years old. | ||
| before surgery | after 3 weeks | |
| I had intimate plastic surgery done for aesthetic reasons (I didn’t like the thick edges of the labia minora, pronounced skin folds on the sides of the clitoris, as well as excess preputial tissue above the clitoral head). A combined operation was performed (plasty of the lips and clitoral area, excision of excess skin at the entrance to the vagina). | ||
| Photoshoot No. 2. Patient Nadezhda U., 45 years old. | ||
| before surgery | in 3.5 weeks | |
| The woman’s indications for intervention were the following (she did not like the labia minora, which were elongated by 5 cm and noticeably hung down in a vertical position - photo on the left; they also rubbed together with the paraclitoral folds when wearing tight-fitting clothes and playing sports). A comprehensive correction was performed (resection of the lips and skin folds of the clitoris - photo on the right) | ||
| Photoshoot No. 3. Patient Polina I., 39 years old. | ||
| before | after | |
| The girl was prompted to have the operation by the appearance of her external genitalia (fleshy lips protruding 4.5 cm from the genital slit, with wrinkled, blackened edges - photo on the left; the inability to wear her favorite swimsuit with tango swimming trunks due to the constant desire of one of lips come out). Intimate plastic surgery was done and in the photo on the right (4 weeks after the operation) you can see that the labia have become noticeably smaller, the sideways spread of the halves has disappeared, and the skin folds near the clitoris have also been corrected. | ||
| Photo set No. 4. Patient Yuliana M., 20 years old. | ||
| before | after | |
| Intimate plastic surgery, the photo after which we see above, is a clear example of how a girl was prompted to undergo surgery by the appearance of her external genitalia. Fleshy lips protruding 4.5 cm from the genital slit, with wrinkled, blackened edges - photo on the left; the inability to wear your favorite swimsuit with tango swimming trunks due to the constant desire of one of the lips to come out. Intimate plastic surgery was done and in the photo on the right (4 weeks after the operation) you can see that the labia have become noticeably smaller, the sideways spread of the halves has disappeared, and the skin folds near the clitoris have also been corrected. | ||
Thus, by looking at the photos before and after intimate plastic surgery, you can understand the reason for your concern. For example, you experience aesthetic dissatisfaction with the appearance of your external genitalia, or you feel that it interferes with sexual activity, exercise, hygiene, daily life or self-confidence. Conclusion - you may be a candidate for intimate surgery. This is an extremely popular procedure in our practice, and patient satisfaction with the results, judging by the reviews, is very high.
Often women, especially from regions neighboring Moscow, are interested in the possible cost of the service. For such cases, we have the opportunity to make an approximate calculation based on the photographs sent (click the “How much does it cost” link below). Almost all of the above interventions were performed by the clinic’s chief specialist.
Reviews about intimate plastic surgery
How much does plastic cost?
Conditions for the operation
In order to plan gender reassignment surgery, it is necessary to go through several stages of preparation: • Hormone therapy for a period of one year; • Psychiatric examination; • The operation can be performed from the age of 21; • The patient must have a diagnosis of transsexualism.
Before taking such a serious step, the patient must clearly understand what action he is committing and what awaits him in the future. People who changed their gender knew what they were agreeing to; they thought it through carefully first. Rehabilitation after plastic surgery for gender reassignment takes a very long time and is under the supervision of a doctor. The patient needs to adapt to his new appearance. The procedure for gender reassignment is very lengthy and expensive. Its approximate cost is about $16,000 and includes a large number of procedures.
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Lana Wachowski
Former man Larry Wachowski, who together with his brother Andy created the famous film trilogy “The Matrix”. He began to appear in the world as a woman named Lana right in 2003, when the last part was released.
Photo on the right © Shutterstock
Before my sex change I was married. The press, which previously called the directors “the Wachowski brothers,” now ironically called them “sister brothers.”
© Shutterstock
Psychological risks
Despite the fact that changing gender from man to woman or changing back is a desired event in the life of a person who has decided to take this step, often the period of adaptation to a new gender role leads a person to an emotional crisis. There are cases when a person turned to the doctor again with a request to return him to his previous gender. There are also cases of suicide.
How to reduce the risk of adverse consequences of psychological adaptation? To do this, you need to contact a specialist who will help you deal with the problems as quickly as possible. You can talk to people who have gone through a similar operation, or try to share your experience with a larger audience by starting your own blog or writing a book.
“Parents did not believe that all this was happening”
Yulia, 42 years old. Born male, she never made a full transition as a transgender woman. Yulia has male documents, but she identifies herself as a woman.
In Soviet times, people gave away things and bought them for growth. Therefore, as a six-year-old boy, I tried on my younger sister’s sundresses, which did not yet fit her. When I did this, I realized that this is exactly how I wanted to look. As a child, according to my mother, I nursed my younger sister like a sister and fed her. From the very beginning I understood that I was a girl. And this sundress became one of the bright spots of my childhood.
Another bright spot was the feeling of guilt - for the fact that I was not like the boys, that I was not interested in men's activities, that I did not want to fight, that I was a bad student, and for many reasons. My parents were at work almost all the time, and I stayed with my grandmother. Every day all my guilt poured out into spanking. My grandmother had an iron hand, and it hit me hard. And since after school I had nowhere to go, I returned home, and she spanked me as much as she could. My parents did not believe that all this was happening and did not protect me.
At first I was naive, like all children, and tried to tell adults about myself. One day I asked to tie bows for me. In response, I was whipped. Another time I tied bows, and they tore them out along with my hair. After that they cut my hair very short
The age of six or seven was a turning point. You could say this was my first detransition. I realized that I had to be strong and learn to pretend to be a boy in order to survive. So I learned not to cry and control myself. I found something I liked - I went with my fishing rod for the whole day away from home to be alone. I hid all the memories of myself as a girl for many years.
Puberty began for me earlier than for other children - at 11 years old. Testosterone had a strong effect on my body, hair began to grow on my body, and my voice began to break. I experienced this very hard. Meanwhile, school passed and I was bored. Afraid of giving myself away, I stayed away from everyone and earned myself the nickname Blue.
By the age of 22-23, I began to come closer to realizing and accepting myself as a girl. At the age of 24 or 25, I first tried to pass a commission to get permission for hormone therapy. However, from the outside I looked like a well-socialized guy. Besides, I understood that I loved girls, and I didn’t want to lie about it.
Photo: Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images
The commission refused me with the wording that I have transvestism - the desire to dress up as a woman, and not be one all the time. Then I found information on hormone therapy on the Internet and doctors who were ready to advise me, and began taking hormones at my own peril and risk.
I've read a lot of transition stories. Usually a person gets the desired appearance in six months, but due to the characteristics of my body this did not happen. Experience has shown that testosterone blockers have virtually no effect on me. Even with hormone therapy, my hair continued to fall out, my bald patches increased, and my beard and mustache were actively growing. And still I wore long hair, earrings, high heels and women's clothes. At the same time, I have never encountered direct aggression directed at me. Perhaps because she was confident in herself and always looked people straight in the eyes.
In addition, I wanted to have my own children, to give them maternal warmth and care. For this reason, I did not seriously think about operations. When I was 28 years old and had been taking hormones for four years, I met a girl at work. It was love at first sight. And she wanted to see me as a man...
This was my second detransition. For her sake, I changed everything I could. The male role was familiar to me, but it took on new colors. Even so, playing the role of a man, I could take care of the family like a woman. Conceiving my first child was a surprise for me, because I continued hormone therapy. The birth of my daughter pushed me to understand what exactly could give me a feeling of fullness of life. I spent the next few years finding ways to feed my baby. Six years later, by the time my second child was born—also a girl—I was able to breastfeed.
Of course, I would really like to carry and give birth to a child myself. But science is not ready for this yet, and I am already happy with what I have achieved.
Photo: Juliane Liebermann / Unsplash
I've been married for 11 years. I have a reputation as a wonderful husband and family man. I am respected by my family, friends and colleagues. Without a higher education, I made a very successful career in IT. But time passes, the children grow up, and I understand that life is passing me by and I can no longer see a man in the mirror and play a role that is alien to me.
The turning point happened a little over a year ago, when I turned 41. I went to a psychiatrist just to sort myself out. The psychiatrist was brief: “Until the age of 41, you were not able to get rid of the desire to be a woman, you just have to accept this situation.” According to him, all thoughts and desires undergo natural selection. If this desire had no weight, it would have disappeared long ago.
A year has passed since that conversation. During this year, I invested more than a million rubles in cosmetology, laser hair removal, and permanent makeup. It seemed to me that there was a chance to get what I had always dreamed of. But over time, I become more and more aware that being a woman is not as important to me as being a mother.
After 18 years of hormone therapy and dozens of cosmetic procedures, I still spend about two hours on hair removal, makeup, and a wig. Someone will say that there is surgical cosmetology, but it is contraindicated for me, as is electrolysis. And I ask myself the question: will I be a good mother, taking a few hours from my family every day to become a woman in the eyes of others? Despite having natural size 4 breasts, I was never able to get the figure I wanted. Most women's clothing doesn't fit me. In the mirror in the morning I still see a man.
Photo: Kyle/Unsplash
Voice training never allowed me to achieve a completely feminine sound. All this together leads to the fact that full female socialization becomes too expensive for me and my family. Dear in every sense. Not long ago I decided to go for detransition for the third time in order to preserve everything that I have - first of all, my family and children. Although the children just accept me anyway.
Children know and notice everything. My daughters are well acquainted with Yulia - my feminine self - and call her “mama”. With children everything is very simple. It is important to them that they are loved
I can't say that I'm happy now. I threw away all feminine things and position myself in society as a man, but I continue therapy because the consequences of hormone withdrawal are unpredictable. I don’t know when I will try to complete the transition again and how it will end. But I really hope that society can accept people like me.
Note from Lenta.ru:
Now Yulia (according to documents - Ilya) has decided to return to the male gender again for the sake of her family. She may return to the idea of becoming a woman in the future.
Valentina Sampaio
Looking at the fragile beauty Valentina Sampaio, it is difficult to imagine that she was born a boy. However, instead of football, he was interested in dolls. At the age of 8, her mother took her to a psychologist who helped Valentina accept herself. The model does not say what her name was before, but she recalls that at the age of 12 she heard the name Valentina and began to call herself that.
Valentina has made a stunning career. In 2022, she appeared on the cover of French Vogue. And recently she became the first transgender model of the Victoria's Secret brand.
Andrea Pejic
Andrej Pejic always wanted to be a girl. At the age of 17 he got into the modeling business. His unconventional appearance allowed him to show both men's and women's clothing. He even walked in a wedding dress at the Gautier show! Five years ago, Andrei finally decided to undergo gender reassignment and became a girl. Now Andrea is a famous and sought-after model. The girl does not advertise her personal life, but does not hide the fact that she dreams of becoming a mother.
Model Carmen Carrera
Today's popular model Carmen Carrera was born in a male body and received the name Christopher.
After he took part in an American reality show, the guy decided to have surgery. Currently, Carmen is actively filming for famous fashion magazines and modeling agencies.
In a man's body
