Men and women can undergo gender affirming surgeries to alter their sexual orientation. It involves performing procedures to change the penis and skin of a male or female to a female 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. Approximately 0.4% of the population is transgender. Gender dysphoria can lead to emotional and physical pain. Although medical management is the most common type of treatment, transgender males have another option: surgery. Some common surgical procedures for transgender men include hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. According to the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement data, only 3.3% of transgender people had hysterectomy in order to undergo a gender shift.
It is relatively recent and still in development to perform hysterectomy for gender affirmation. The majority of hysterectomy performed in the past was for medical reasons. Coexisting gender dysphoria might have also prompted a decision to hysterectomy. This procedure is now covered by insurance.
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, which in turn decreases testosterone production. This surgery reduces blood clot dangers and simplifies a patient’s hormone regimen.
The procedure is simple and can be carried out on an outpatient base. Depending on the type of surgery used, recovery can take between two to eight weeks. It is possible to be covered by Medicare or private medical insurance.
Inversion of skin, 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. It involves placing the penis inverted in a vagina to create the look of a woman's natural vagina. It takes approximately three to five hours, and can take several days for recovery. To protect the newly placed skin, a special dressing must be applied to the inside of the vagina.
During the procedure a standard protocol must be followed. Aftercare instructions will also be given by the doctor. The medical team will also give you a kit for home follow-up dilations. You will also receive follow up emails and follow-up appointments from your surgeon.
Time for recovery
Post-surgery recovery plays an important role in gender-affirming surgery. This involves changing a male penis into a female penis. The time taken to recover depends on what type of surgery was performed. The most common surgery is a mastectomy, but a vaginoplasty or a breast augmentation can also be done. Both procedures need at least a week's rest and can take up to five- or six weeks.
Gender-affirming surgeries aim to lower testosterone levels in the body. This can help eliminate the need for hormone therapy or hormonal-suppressive medications. It may also preserve the ability to have a child naturally. It is possible to have gender affirming surgery, male or female, within a short time frame. This depends on the nature of the procedure and the patient.