Why it's done

People who seek feminizing surgery experience discomfort or distress because their gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth or sex-related physical characteristics (gender dysphoria).

For some transgender women, feminizing surgery is a natural step — and important to their sense of self. However, many don't choose to have surgery. Transgender people relate to their bodies differently and need to make individual choices that best suit their needs..

Feminizing surgeries are typically deferred until adulthood. Options include:.

• Surgical removal of the testicles (orchiectomy) alone
• Vaginoplasty, a procedure that includes the following
  • Surgical removal of the penis (penectomy)
  • Surgical removal of the testicles (orchiectomy)
  • Surgical creation of a vagina using penile or colon tissue (vaginoplasty)
  • Surgical creation of a clitoris (clitoroplasty)
  • Surgical creation of labia (labioplasty)
• Surgery to increase breast size through implants, the placement of tissue expanders under breast tissue or the transplantation of fat from other parts of the body into the breast (top surgery for transgender women)
• Plastic surgery techniques in which the jaw, chin, cheeks, forehead, nose, and areas surrounding the eyes, ears or lips are altered to create a more feminine appearance (facial feminization surgery)
• Body-contouring procedures, such as a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), buttock lift (gluteal augmentation) and a surgical procedure that uses a suction technique to remove fat from specific areas of the body (liposuction)
• Therapy and surgery to raise the voice pitch (voice feminizing therapy and surgery)
• Surgery to reduce the thyroid cartilage or Adam's apple (tracheal shave)
• A procedure to remove hair follicles from the back and side of the head and transplant them to balding areas (scalp hair transplant)
• A procedure that uses a laser to remove unwanted hair (laser hair removal) or a procedure that involves inserting a tiny needle into each hair follicle, emitting a pulse of electric current to damage and eventually destroy the follicle (electrolysis)

Feminizing surgery isn't for all trans women. Your doctor might recommend against these surgeries if you have:

• Unmanaged behavioral health conditions
• Uncontrolled significant health conditions
• Any condition that limits your ability to give your informed consent