For men and women who wish to change their sexual orientation, gender affirming surgery can be done. It is a procedure to alter the penis or skin color of a male, female, or vice versa. Some procedures include an orchiectomy or hysterectomy. Some procedures include the inversion or removal of the skin.
Hysterectomy
A surgical procedure that alters a male's gender from a woman to a man, called hysterectomy or gender affirming surgery. 1.4% of the population are transgender. This condition can cause symptoms of gender dysphoria such as physical and emotional 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. A hysterectomy for gender affirmation has traditionally been performed for medical reasons. In some cases, coexisting symptoms such as gender dysphoria or pathological reasons have also led to 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 removes the testicles and reduces the production testosterone, the male hormone. This surgery can lower blood clot risk and simplify the patient's hormonal regimen.
The procedure can be done outpatient and is fairly straightforward. Depending on the type of surgery used, recovery can take between two to eight weeks. It costs between $3000 and $10,000 in Australia and may be covered by Medicare or private health insurance.
Inversion of skin and penis
The inversion of skin and penis is one of the most popular methods of transvaginal surgery and is considered the gold standard of genital reconstruction for transgender women. 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 newly placed skin, a special dressing must be applied to the inside of the vagina.
A standardized protocol is followed during the procedure. Aftercare instructions will also be given by the doctor. The medical team will provide a kit for you to use at home for follow-up dilations. You will also receive follow-up emails and follow-up appointments with your surgeon.
Time for recovery
Post-surgery recuperation is a crucial component of gender affirming surgery. It involves the conversion from a male to a woman's penis. Depending on the type of surgery, recovery can take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Most common is a mastectomy. However, a vaginoplasty (or breast augmentation) can be performed. Both procedures require at least a week of rest, but can take up to five or six weeks.
Gender-affirming surgeries aim to lower testosterone levels in the body. It can also eliminate the need of hormone-suppressive medicines and estrogen therapy. This procedure may allow you to have a natural child. The time taken to recover from gender affirming surgery male/female varies depending on how the procedure was performed and how well the patient is doing.