WHAT IS IT ?
Transgender are people who have distress or unhappiness because of the mismatch between
their bodies and the gender assigned at birth. These are the people born with perfect male or
female anatomies but mentally they feel that they are into the “wrong body”.
Sex reassignment surgery is a set of surgical procedures by which a transgender person’s
physical appearance and function of their sexual characteristics are changed to that of their
identified gender.
Feminization surgeries are a set of surgeries that change the anatomy of a male to female.
These surgeries include vaginoplasty, augmentation mammoplasty, orchidectomy, facial
feminization surgery, tracheal shave, and voice feminization.
Masculinization Surgeries are a set of surgeries that changes the anatomy of a female to male.
The surgery includes chest masculinization, phalloplasty, scrotoplasty, and hysterectomy.
Moreover, hormone replacement therapy might be required lifelong.
HOW MUCH TIME SURGERY REQUIRES ?
The surgical duration of operation for a male to female is 2 to 3 hours and for a female to
male 8 to 10 hours. The duration of hospitalization varies from five to twelve days depending
on the complexity of the surgical procedure.
WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE ?
All sex change operations are performed under epidural or general anaesthesia. For a male to
female sex change, the penis skin is inverted after removing the erectile tissues to create the
labia. The urethra is shortened to fit the female anatomy. Orchidectomy is then performed
and the scrotal skin flaps are used to create the vagina. Alternatively, the penis skin along
with sigmoid colon graft may be used to create the vagina. Other procedures like breast
implants, facial feminization, buttock augmentation, laser hair removal, sometimes hair
transplant or other ancillary cosmetic procedures may be carried out at a later date as a part of
the transition process.
Female to male sex change surgery involves two main types of procedures phalloplasty and
metoidioplasty. Hysterectomy is performed in addition to the above-mentioned options.
Phalloplasty is done by using a composite free flap from the arm or abdomen. The labia
majora is joined to make the scrotal sac and the urethra is connected to the penis.
Metoidioplasty involves consumption of male hormones to increase the size of the clitoris
and thus construct a penis.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS ?
1. Dissatisfaction with the results cosmetically.
2. Difficulty in urination.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER PROCEDURES REQUIRED APART FROM SRS TO
BECOME COMPLETE FEMALE ?
The transition from one gender to the other is a multiple step procedure. After gender
reassignment surgery a gap of six months is given for the body to transform automatically in
the absence of male hormones. Changes are noticeable after four to six months when the fat
starts depositing in the face, chest, buttocks, abdomen, and hairs start to fall from face, chest,
and limbs to a varying degree. After this gap, even the muscles become less in volume giving
a more feminine appearance. At this time according to the desires of the transgender other
ancillary procedures are performed to give a more feminine appearance. The various
procedures are done are:
1. Augmentation Mammoplasty.
2. Face feminization Surgery
3. Hair removal by laser.
4. Hair transplant in a few patients.
5. Botox & Injectable fillers
6. Lip Augmentation/Reduction
7. Liposuction.
8. Fat grafts (Lipo Fill)
The whole idea of adding ancillary procedures to SRS is to make the transition from one
gender to the other as smooth as possible so that there are no tell-tale signs of the previous
gender and the social stigma attached to being a transgender is totally wiped out. This gives
them a new found confidence, mental stability and they become a part of social inclusion
rather than seclusion. This is the biggest reward of gender reassignment surgery when a
transgender is completely cured of gender dysphoria.
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