Cisgender or Transgender? Is top surgery possible without transitioning completely?

Excellent question and I understand your concerns.  
In my practice, we understand that transgender patients are on a journey to aligning their physical body with their gender identity, and that the journey can be a long and sometimes difficult one. Some transgender clients or non-binary clients may consider a top surgery as a stand-alone procedure to help them feel more like their authentic selves. FTM top surgery (breast reduction) can provide you with the masculine looking chest that better represents your gender identity, reduce body dysmorphia, and result in better overall body confidence. But ultimately the decision will be yours. 

During your initial consultation, we determine based on your individual goals and desired body shape how to tailor your top surgery specifically to you. The excess breast tissue can be removed with a traditional breast reduction or by using liposuction to sculpt a more masculine looking chest. In addition, the areola complex can be resized and made smaller and more oval for a more masculine appearance. 

The two major methods I use for FTM top surgery are double incision mastectomy with nipple grafting and keyhole. Keyhole (also known as peri-areolar) is ideal for small chested transgender men, up to a b-sized chest, with good skin elasticity. Double incision mastectomy procedure is ideal for medium to large chested transgender men. During this procedure, the skin on the chest is opened along two horizontal incisions, at the top and bottom of the pectoral muscle. (The muscle itself is not touched.) The skin is pulled back and the breast tissue is then removed. In both techniques, additional liposuction may be performed to adjust the contour of the chest. 

Which method we choose for your top surgery will depend on the size of your breasts. But, rest assured, no matter how much breast tissue you would like to remove, there is a surgery for you. Our goal is to help you feel comfortable, happy, and confident in your own skin. 

The best way to assess and give true advice would be an in-person exam. Please see a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic and restorative breast surgery. best of luck!

Dr. Schwartz

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

#RealSelf100Surgeon

#RealSelfCORESurgeon

Hormone therapy for top surgery is not required for Top Surgery; unless you’re seeking coverage through #insurance. Many insurance companies will require one year of HRT (Hormone replacement therapy). The #benefits of HRT for every patient, however, do include heavier #chest #muscles and more chest #hair; which can cover some incisions while you are healing. #HRT may be a strong consideration for most patients. WPATH (World Professional Association for Transgender Health) provides the best current standards of care for physicians to assist in the care of #transgender, #transsexual and #nonconforming patients.

Hi,Thanks for the post. You certainly can undergo TOP surgery without transitioning. I have operated on many cis-females who for one reason or another wanted surgery to remove their breasts. These reasons ranged from wanting a more masculine chest to breast cancer risk reduction. Also, for my trans-male patients, it is not required to be on testosterone in order to undergo TOP surgery. Of course the other things you mention, deeper voice, etc, would need testosterone to achieve.Sincerely,Dr. Dadvand

Breast removal is a solution that can be chosen for many different purposes.We are all aware of the use of breast removal to cure cancer. Where also well aware of the use of breast removal for gender transition. What is less commonly recognized is breast removal for fear of developing breast cancer, breast removal due to reasons involving pain or discomfort, male breast removal to avoid bullying or embarrassment, and cis gender breast removal. Although some of these options relate to medical necessity, other options are equally as important for lifestyle choices.

The short answer is yes -- there are many possible surgical procedures -- all of which can be determined according to individual necessity.  Best to speak to a surgeon who is well versed in these procedures.  For more information, please visit my website captioned below.Elliot W. Jacobs, MD, FACSNew York City