At the Deschamps-Braly Clinic, we offer a comprehensive range of procedures designed to create a more masculine appearance for trans men and transmasculine individuals. These may include craniofacial procedures, soft tissue surgeries, and non-surgical enhancements to refine and strengthen masculine facial features and proportions. Each facial masculinization surgery is personally performed by Dr. Jordan Deschamps-Braly, a board-certified plastic and craniofacial surgeon with extensive expertise in cosmetic and gender-affirming facial procedures. As a world leader in gender-affirming surgery, Dr. Deschamps-Braly understands the unique needs of trans patients and the subtle anatomical details that define a truly masculine facial structure.
“When I meet people, they implicitly gender me female. I never imagined I would get there.”
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FTM Facial Gender Confirmation: Masculinizing the Face
For some FTM transmen, testosterone hormone therapy on its own may not be enough to masculinize the face to correspond to a person’s gender identity. Depending on the existing proportions of your facial features, facial masculinization surgery may be an effective complement to hormonal testosterone therapy.
Masculinization surgery is comprised of a set of aesthetic and reconstructive surgical procedures that work to reshape female facial features to be more masculine. There are two types of individuals for whom masculinization surgery may be an ideal solution:
- Transgender individuals (trans men) undergoing female-to-male (FTM) transition
- Cisgender males (assigned male at birth) want to appear more masculine. For example, a male who is born with a “weak chin” and wants a more chiseled and defined chin and jawline.
Background on Facial Masculinization Surgery
In 2015, Dr. Deschamps-Braly performed the world’s first-ever complete female-to-male (FTM) facial masculinization surgery, which included inventing and pioneering a new surgical technique for augmenting an Adam’s apple to give it a more masculine profile and appearance.
Typically, FTM facial confirmation surgery is performed solely by plastic surgeons. However, for this surgery to be optimal, your surgeon should have a deeper understanding of not only the aesthetic qualities of the male face but also the underlying craniofacial structures that define what it is to be “masculine.” For this reason, we recommend that your plastic surgeon is also a qualified craniofacial (maxillofacial) and jaw surgeon to achieve the most successful result.
How Is Facial Gender Confirmation Surgery Performed?
When an individual is seeking to undertake facial gender-affirming surgery, there are several categories of procedures that may be recommended depending on existing facial structures and aesthetic goals. These procedures fall under the categories of:
- Plastic surgery (soft tissues)
- Craniofacial surgery (the underlying facial skeleton)
- Jaw surgery (orthognathic)
Typically, facial gender confirmation surgery is performed under general anesthesia as a long-format surgical operative session during which several procedures are performed either simultaneously or sequentially.
What to Expect from Facial Masculinization Surgery
The facial gender confirmation surgery process consists of preparing for surgery, undergoing the procedure, and recovering. As it is often a multi-surgery procedure, facial masculinization comes with unique recovery instructions considering the specific surgical plan.
In general, after undergoing multiple procedures, patients will need about a week off from work, school, or their normal routine to rest and heal. Patients can expect to experience discomfort and swelling that will peak at the day to two-day mark after surgery, and residual swelling will persist for weeks or even months, which can mask the full results of the procedure.
Depending on the unique treatment plan, there may be one or two visible scars that will be present for up to three months, but should fade with time after this point. The surgical team at Deschamps-Braly Clinic will provide specific instructions for your recovery process based on the procedures you have had performed.
Results of Facial Masculinization
The results of facial masculinization are tailored to your unique goals, but always achieve more masculine facial features, including Dr. Deschamps-Braly’s pioneering Adam’s apple surgery to augment the thyroid cartilage. Patients can expect a more masculine face with a contoured jaw, defined cheekbones, and a nose that is harmonious with the rest of the facial features.
Facial Feminization Surgery: The Journey to Gender Affirmation
Dr. Deschamps-Braly’s book “Facial Feminization Surgery: The Journey to Gender Affirmation” is back and available now. This second edition covers advances in facial feminization, as well as helpful patient stories, and is a great resource for FFS patients and their loved ones.
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