Transgender breast implants are designed and placed by experienced surgeons on an outpatient basis. This surgery is for transgender women who would like to have a more feminine breast size and shape. Breast augmentation can provide a more feminine breast contour when hormone therapy has not done so on its own. The procedure can improve confidence, alleviate gender dysphoria, and help a transwoman have a body that matches her gender identity.
Techniques
There are a handful of techniques when it comes to transgender breast implants. Your surgeon will help you choose the one that will work best in order to see the best results. The surgery is done under general anesthesia on an outpatient basis. There will be an incision made that is about an inch long. A pocket will also be made behind each breast where the implants will go. After installation of the implants, the incision will be closed. You can expect the surgery to take about an hour.
Timing Surgery
It doesn’t matter what point you are at in transition when it comes to receiving breast implants. In some cases, it can even be combined with other surgeries, such as facial feminization or body feminization. If you haven’t had much breast growth from hormones, it’s possible you will not have enough skin for the size of implants you want. In this case, expanders can be used to expand the skin for the surgery to take place at another date.
Implant Materials
Implants are made of an outer shell with a filling of saline or silicone. Silicone implants are considered to be firmer and provide a natural look while saline implants can be rounder and less firm. This implant type is often less expensive, but it does come with a higher risk of ripping and tearing.
Eligibility for Implants
A patient who wishes to have breast augmentation done must be healthy and have realistic expectations regarding the outcome of surgery. In many cases, you will need to be over 18 and provide a letter of recommendation from your physician for the surgery. Many surgeons will also ask that you quit smoking before the surgery and not take the habit back up after the surgery is complete.
If you have additional questions about transgender breast implant procedures, The International Center for Transgender Care can help. You can find resources and information on our website at www.TheTransCenter.com.
