Gender affirming is a procedure that allows men and woman to alter their sexual orientation. This involves transforming the skin and penis of a male or a female to make them more feminine or vice versa. Some procedures include a orchiectomy or an hysterectomy. Inversion of the skin or penis can also be performed.
Hysterectomy
The surgical procedure of gender affirming surgery or hysterectomy (or gender changing surgery) is when a male is surgically transformed from a girl to a boy. About 0.4% of the world's population is transgender. Gender dysphoria can lead to emotional and physical pain. Surgery is an option for transgender men. Medical management is the most common treatment. Some common surgical procedures for transgender men include hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. According to the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement databases, only 3.3% of transgender patients had hysterectomy performed for a change of gender.
It is relatively recent and still in development to perform hysterectomy for gender affirmation. It has been done historically for pathological reasons. A coexisting diagnosis of gender dysphoria may have resulted in a hysterectomy. In recent years, however, insurance companies have begun to cover the procedure.
Orchiectomy
The first step in a transgender patient’s surgical transition is the orchiectomy. This is the removal of the testicular tissue. It reduces the testosterone level and eliminates the testicles. This surgery can reduce the risk of blood clots and simplify the patient's hormone regime.
The procedure can be done outpatient and is fairly straightforward. Recovery can take up to eight weeks depending on the surgeon and the technique used. The cost of the procedure in Australia is between $3000 and $10,000. It may also be covered by Medicare and private health insurance.
Inversion of skin and penis
The inversion skin-penis procedure is one of most popular transvaginal surgeries. It is also known as the "gold standard" of genital reconstructive surgery for transgender females. To create the appearance of a woman's natural vulvum, it involves inverting the penis. The recovery process can take up to three to five hour and may take several days. To protect the new skin position, a special dressing will be placed in the vagina after surgery.
A standardized protocol is followed during the procedure. Aftercare instructions will be provided by the doctor to the patient. You will be given a kit by the medical team to perform follow-up dilations at your home. You will also get follow-up emails from your surgeon and appointments to follow up with them.
Recovery time
Post-surgery recovery plays an important role in gender-affirming surgery. This involves changing a male penis into a female penis. Depending on which type of surgery was done, the recovery period can take between four and eight weeks. A mastectomy is most commonly performed, but it's also possible to have a breast augmentation or vaginoplasty. Both procedures need at least a week's rest and can take up to five- or six weeks.
Gender affirming surgery reduces testosterone production. This can help eliminate the need for hormone therapy or hormonal-suppressive medications. It can preserve the ability to have children naturally. The recovery time for gender affirming surgery male or female varies depending on the type of procedure and the patient's condition.