The Deschamps-Braly clinic offers several plastic surgery procedures to create a more masculine appearance in both the face and body for transmen and transmasculine transgender patients. These may include craniofacial procedures, soft tissue surgeries, and non-surgical procedures.
Our team includes experts in cosmetic and gender-affirming surgeries. As world leaders in gender-affirming procedures, each of our surgeons understands the unique needs of trans patients as well as the smallest details that make up a truly masculine facial anatomy.
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) wanting 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
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 anesthetic 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 of 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.
