0811-1446-777 ![Female-to-Male Sex Change Surgery: Procedure and Cost [2024]](https://www.kavacare.id/assets/uploads/2023/03/Operasi-Ganti-Kelamin-Wanita-ke-Pria.jpg "Female-to-Male Sex Change Surgery: Procedure and Cost [2024] 7")
Even though they were born as women, some women believe that their true identity is male, and vice versa. One of the reasons for this is gender dysphoria, a psychological suffering due to a mismatch between gender identity and the sex they were born with. One solution to alleviate this distress is female-to-male sex change surgery. Are you interested in learning more about this procedure? Here is a comprehensive explanation.
What is Female to Male Sex Change Surgery?
Sex change surgery is a procedure to align an individual’s physical appearance with their gender identity.
This operation can be a method of treating gender dysphoria, which causes psychological distress in those affected.
The female-to-male sex change operation procedure usually consists of four stages, namely:
- Diagnostic evaluation
- Hormonal therapy
- Real-life experience as a man
- Sex change surgery
When can you perform female-to-male sex change surgery?
Not everyone can undergo female-to-male sex change surgery Here are the conditions required for someone to undergo a female-to-male sex change surgery:
- Be at least 20 years old. If under 20 years old, the patient must obtain consent from parents or legal guardians.
- Taking male hormone therapy for at least one year;
- Live as a man for at least one year;
- Complete a psychiatric evaluation and be declared mentally stable and healthy by a psychiatrist.
- Physically healthy;
- Undergo a mastectomy (removal of the breast) and hysterectomy-oophorectomy (removal of the uterus and ovaries) for at least six months before undergoing phalloplasty (creation of an artificial penis).
Preparation Before Sex Change Surgery
Sex change surgery is not a trivial matter because it involves a complete change in your life. Therefore, preparing yourself and your health before deciding to have this operation is very important.
The following are the preparations you need to take:
Mental Preparation
Sex change operations require not only physical preparation but also mental preparation. Gender transition involves major lifestyle changes and requires long-term adjustments.
Before deciding on surgery, you need to understand the challenges faced by transgender people. Consult with mental health specialist medical personnel who understand these challenges.
Consultation with a Specialist
Contact a specialist to review your medical history. Discuss the procedure and cost of surgery, and have your medical and insurance information ready for the consultation.
You may need medical documents such as pharmacy records, medical history, and letters of reference from psychiatrists or psychologists.
Appointment with the Surgeon
Once the administrative process is complete, schedule an appointment with your surgeon to evaluate your mental and physical preparations. Discuss gender appropriateness goals, risks, benefits, and post-operative recovery measures.
Preoperative Anesthesia and Medical Evaluation
Two to four weeks before surgery, undergo a medical evaluation to ensure you are in optimal health to undergo the sex change procedure.
For those planning a female-to-male sex change operation, you can consult with the KavaLink medical travel facilitator service for comprehensive information, including recommendations for the best hospitals and various other considerations.
Procedure for Female-to-Male Sex Change Surgery
Usually, the female-to-male sex change surgery procedure includes two procedures: the construction of the chest area and the construction of the genital region.
Chest Construction
Clinically, this operation is called a double mastectomy, the most common procedure in transgender men. The procedure involves having the breasts removed and the nipples on the chest shaped and repositioned to create a masculine-looking chest.
Genital Construction
In female-to-male sex change surgery, your reproductive organs will be changed by forming an artificial penis that uses tissue from the vagina to form the urethra and skin from other parts of the body, usually from the lower arm.
Female-to-male sex change surgery includes the following procedures:
- Hysterectomy, removal of the uterus;
- Oophorectomy, removal of the ovaries;
- Metoidioplasty, the creation of a new penis. This procedure begins by extending the clitoris (the small protrusion between the vaginal lips) from the labia (vaginal lips) to extend the new penis. The labia minora tissue (the vaginal lips, which are close to the vagina) is then removed and used as the skin on the shaft of the penis, which is located in the clitoris.
- Phalloplasty, namely penis formation. Penis formation consists of several stages:
- Vaginectomy. This procedure involves removing the vaginal walls, then the vagina and perineum (the muscles, skin and tissue between the genitals and the anus) are closed. Tissue from the vagina is used to form a new urethra in the lower skin layer, by using additional tissue from other parts of the body to close the existing penis layer.
- Urethroplasty is the formation of a urethral canal by cutting the muscle tissue in the new penis until it reaches the urethra.
- In the second stage of phalloplasty, there are several procedures performed:
- Free tissue transfer, a microvascular (small blood vessel) procedure in which arteries and veins are connected to keep blood flowing to the lower part of the new penis.
- Scrotoplasty, the formation of the scrotum, usually after phalloplasty and tissue transfer have been completed. This procedure is done by forming a scrotal sac from the labia majora (vaginal lips located on the outside).
- Glansplasty, which is a procedure to form the tip of a new penis.
Some patients also choose to perform facial masculinization and several other characteristics, such as the operations below:
- Cheek surgery, using implants that make the cheeks appear squarer;
- Chin or jaw surgery, using bone, implants, or fat grafts for a wider chin or sharper jawline;
- Forehead surgery can be done by flattening the eyebrow area and widening the distance between the eyebrows and the hairline;
- Hair transplantation, by taking hair from another area of the body and implanting it on the face;
- Nose surgery, with cartilage or bone grafts that make the nose bigger and wider;
- Throat surgery uses cartilage taken from another area of the body to make an artificial Adam’s apple.
- Vocal cord surgery thyroplasty (type III) to lower the sound frequency by reducing the tension of the vocal cords.
Post-operative female-to-male sex change surgery
The recovery period after sex change surgery depends on what procedure you have. Usually, after female-to-male sex change surgery, you will be asked to do the following:
- Limiting physical activities, such as exercise, work and household chores;
- Pass water through a thin tube inserted into the penis (Foley catheter) or through the skin of the lower abdomen (suprapubic catheter);
- Keeping the incision clean and dry;
- Changing the bandage on the surgical wound in the early stages of the healing period;
- Taking medication to relieve pain, prevent infection, and relieve constipation (difficulty defecating).
Generally, surgery carries its risks and depends on what procedure you have. However, you must immediately contact a doctor if you experience the following conditions:
- Bleeding more than a few days after surgery;
- Pain that lasts for several weeks;
- Signs of infection, such as wounds that do not change colour or do not heal for a long time.
Hormone therapy will also affect your life after carrying out female-to-male sex change surgery. Regular control of your hormone levels will be necessary throughout life.
You also still need contraception when having sex if you are still sexually active and have not had surgery to remove the reproductive organs.
In addition, you may need to inform your optician (eyeglass technician) and dentist if you are still taking hormone therapy, as this can affect eye and dental treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Female-to-Male Sex Change Surgery
Is this procedure safe?
As long as the operation is handled by professional medical personnel, this operation is safe to perform. Even though it is safe, you need to know the risks of hormone therapy, such as:
- Blood clotting;
- Kidney stones;
- Weight gain;
- Acne;
- Dyslipidemia (abnormal levels of fat in the blood);
- Increased liver enzymes;
- Polycythemia (high concentration of red blood cells);
- Hair loss or baldness (androgenic alopecia).
Where can female-to-male sex change surgery be performed?
One of the best countries to perform sex change surgery is Thailand. Some hospitals that could be your choice for performing female-to-male sex change surgery are:
How much does female-to-male sex change surgery cost?
The cost of female-to-male sex change surgery in Thailand varies widely, from THB 400,000 (equivalent to IDR 177,441,950) to THB 1 million (equivalent to IDR 443,604,900).
This price depends on the number and type of procedures you want in this sex change operation, for example, how much you change your appearance in addition to changing your genitals.
To find out a more accurate estimate of the cost of sex change surgery, you can contact the service medical travel facilitator KavaLinkon WhatsApp number 0811-1446-777.
You can also get teleconsultation or consultation services from a psychologist at home using the Kavacare homecare service. Contact Kavacare Support for a free consultation for medical care at your home.
Source:
- Female to Male Surgery.https://constructivesurgery.org/female-to-male-surgery/ accessed on January 19, 2023
- Gender Affirmation (Confirmation) or Sex Reassignment Surgery. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21526-gender-affirmation-confirmation-or-sex-reassignment-surgery accessed on January 19, 2023
- Gender Dysphoria.https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gender-dysphoria/treatment/ accessed on January 19, 2023
- Phalloplasty/Female to Male Surgery (FTM Bottom Surgery) in Bangkok, Thailand. https://www.kamolhospital.com/en/service/phalloplasty/ accessed on January 19, 2023
- Preparing for Gender Affirmation Surgery: Ask the Experts. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/preparing-for-gender-affirmation-surgery-ask-the-experts accessed on January 19, 2023
- Sex Reassignment Surgery in the Female-to-Male Transsexual. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3312187/ accessed on January 19, 2023
- Facial Masculinization Surgery. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21713-facial-masculinization-surgery accessed March 4, 2023
- Transgender Voice Therapy and Surgery. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/transgender-voice-therapy-and-surgery/about/pac-20470545 accessed March 4, 2023
