Transgender women and men who want to obtain the appearance they identify with will find great benefit from transgender facial surgery. Dr. Arslanian offers his patients with both facial feminization and facial masculinization procedures. This is a transformational procedure that can change the lives of patients who feel they are in the wrong body.
Arslanian Plastic Surgery in Atlanta and Jonesboro, Georgia can help patients trulybe who they are meant to be. Those who are ready to begin the journey are encouraged to contact one of our offices and schedule a private, one-on-one meeting with Dr. Arslanian. His transgender surgery expertise and years of experience working in the plastic surgery industry help his patients to feel at ease, knowing they are receiving the best care possible.
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What is Transgender Facial Surgery?
In the past, transgender patients could only take certain medications to produce facial changes. Dr. Brian Arslanian has developed procedures that allows patients to obtain a look that matches who they truly are. Transgender facial surgery gives patients the opportunity to have their outside appearance match the inside.
This surgery can either feminize or masculinize a person’s appearance depending on what they are looking to achieve.
Types of Transgender Facial Surgery
Each one of these transformational surgeries has a particular set of procedures to pick and choose from. A major benefit of this procedure is that there are many different procedure options that patients can choose from to create a completely individualized transgender facial surgery. Because the facial structure of a man is very different from that of a woman, the procedures that make up each comprehensive surgery are very different. The procedure options for each surgery, facial feminization or facial masculinization, are listed in detail below:
Male To Female Facial Surgery (MTF)
Forehead Contouring
Male to female forehead contouring consists of a series of steps to reshape and contour the forehead to appear more feminine. An incision along the hairline is made to access the browline. In most cases, the bone above the brow line is shaved down to look less prominent. The eyebrows will be lifted into a more feminine arch which will also help to feminize the eyes. When found appropriate, Dr. Arslanian will shorten the appearance of the forehead by performing a scalp advancement. This technique can also aid in a more round, feminine hairline.
Lip Augmentation
Women’s lips tend to be fuller than men’s, especially the upper lip. Obtaining fuller, more feminine lips can be achieved through fat grafting or the use of dermal fillers. The distance between a woman’s nose to their lips is often shorter than that of men. If this is a concern that the patient would like to address, a lip lift may be beneficial as well.
Rhinoplasty
Nose reconstructive surgery is very individualistic. The doctor will make a small incision at the base of the nose between the nostrils to obtain full surgical access. The bridge of the nose will be narrowed using a series of controlled fractures; a hump reduction is often performed too. Lastly, the tip of the nose will be refined and contoured.
Cheek Augmentation
Male cheeks are often broad and flat. A cheek augmentation is sometimes necessary to create a fuller, more feminine cheek contour. Adding volume to the cheeks can be done through fat grafting or cheek implants. For this procedure, any necessary incisions will be done inside the mouth, leaving no visible scarring.
Chin Surgery
An incision in the mouth is used to access the chin. Often times, a small portion of the bone will be removed to reduce the height and width of the chin. After the removal of bone, small plates are placed around the chin to hold and maintain its new feminine shape.
Mandible Reduction/Contouring
A prominent jawline is a hallmark feature in men. The jaw often is broad, tall, and protruding. Through an incision in the mouth, Dr. Arslanian will contour the jaw by cutting away any bony angles and rounding out the bone at the back of the jaw.
Thyroid Cartilage Reduction
This procedure addresses the Adam’s apple, which is made up of thyroid cartilage. A small incision on the neck is made to shave down the upper part of the cartilage that protrudes to create a more feminine neck contour.
Female To Male Facial Surgery (FTM)
Rhinoplasty
The male nose is often larger and more angular than that of a female nose. The shape and size of the nose can be enhanced through dermal fillers, fat grafting, or cartilage grafting. The tip of the nose, the bridge, and the nostrils can also be contoured during this procedure.
Chin Augmentation
Men have larger, more dominant chins. In order to obtain this, chin implants are utilized to redefine the patient’s profile. Because the incisions are made inside the mouth, the scarring is imperceptible.
Jaw Enhancement
A strong, defined jawline is a prominent male feature. A female jaw can be made larger and more square in shape through the use of dermal fillers, fat grafting, or in some cases, implants can be used to strengthen the jaw’s appearance.
Cheek Augmentation
Cheek augmentation can be used to obtain the male profile and redefine bone structure. Women’s cheeks are more soft and oval, whereas men’s are more angular and chiseled. Dermal fillers or fat grafting can be used to obtain this look, or in some cases, cheek implants may be inserted. Any incisions needed for the procedure are made inside the mouth for no visible scarring.
Forehead Augmentation
The male forehead is denser with more bone mass compared to women. A more masculine forehead can be obtained through dermal fillers or the use of implants. The incisions for this procedure are made in the hairline to camouflage any scarring.
Adam’s Apple Surgery
For this procedure, Dr. Arslanian will create an Adam’s apple implant made from the patient’s own cartilage. A small incision on the neck will be made in which the implant will be inserted into the throat for a more masculine appearance. Often times, the patients that opt for this procedure have been unsuccessful in obtaining the results they desire through hormone therapy.
Ideal Candidates
Candidates for transgender facial reconstructive surgery are looking to obtain an appearance that matches the gender in which they identify with. Good candidates should be in good health and maintain a healthy diet and exercise regime. Patients who are considering this transformational procedure should be looking to alter their external features to help match their internal sense of self. We ask our patients to have realistic expectations of the procedure outcome. The process of feminization or masculinization may take a series of treatments to obtain the desired results.
There is no reason for you to continue feeling uncomfortable in your own skin. Regardless of the type of transgender facial surgery being looked into, we encourage patients to contact our office and schedule a private consultation with Dr. Arslanian today.
Transgender Facial Surgery Consultation
During the initial consultation with Dr. Arslanian, he will ask the patient what their exact concerns are and what they are looking to achieve through transgender facial surgery. Once this has been discussed, the doctor will then ask the patients about their medical history, reviewing in detail any current health conditions, routine medications, and any previous procedures the patient has undergone.
This information will help to doctor to ensure that this procedure is a safe option to achieve their aesthetic goals. Dr. Arslanian will then perform a physical examination to identify the particular concerns that were discussed, as well as make the final determination of the patient’s candidacy.
If considered an ideal candidate, the doctor and the patient will work together to build a customized treatment plan to obtain the patient’s desired results. Depending on if patients are looking for a facial feminization or masculinization surgery, there are a variety of procedure options to choose from. The doctor will go into each procedure in depth during the consultation. Because there are multiple procedures that may be included in the facial surgery, we ask all patients to be open and honest when discussing their aesthetic desires and choosing a set of procedures.
The Procedure
The length of the operation generally lasts 2-4 hours and is performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia majority of the time. The extent and details of the surgery will vary depending on which facial surgery is performed and the particular procedures that have been chosen. The set of procedures will be chosen by both Dr. Arslanian and the patient during the initial consultation. Before beginning the procedure, our certified anesthesiologist will administer the general anesthetic to ensure the patient experiences no discomfort during the surgery. Once the patient is asleep, the doctor will make the necessary incisions and begin the transformation. After Dr. Arslanian has obtained the patient’s desired look, he will close any incisions with sutures and wrap the face in a compression garment.
Recovery and Results
Once the surgery is completed, the patient will be taken into the recovery room to be monitored by our nursing staff before being released to go home. While at the office, the patient will be provided with a list of recovery instructions that they are advised to follow in order to help speed up the healing process and to obtain optimal results. Dr. Arslanian recommends his patients walk a minimal amount the evening after surgery to help improve circulation and reduce the risk of any blood clots from forming. During the recovery stage, patients should wear the compression garment at all times to reduce swelling and any bruising that may occur.
If patients have any questions during this time, they should contact our office. Our helpful and knowledgeable staff is here to help!
Depending on the particular procedures that were chosen for the facial surgery, recovery time may vary. On average, patients should refrain from daily activities for 1-2 weeks immediately following surgery. We ask our patient to avoid more strenuous activities for 4-6 weeks. The results of this procedure can be seen after the swelling and bruising has subsided, about 4 weeks in total. The full, long-term results can be enjoyed about 4 to 6 months after the transgender facial surgery. Patients that are considering transgender facial surgery and are located in the Jonesboro or Atlanta, Georgia region should contact our office and let Dr. Arslanian help them obtain the look they have been striving for!