Top surgery 101
Let’s start with the basic terms you will encounter:
top surgery: the surgical removal of excess skin, adipose tissues (fat under the skin), and sometimes the relocation or complete removal of areola (skin around nipple) and nipple
chest masculinization: induce male physiological chest appearance, namely removal of breast tissue
plastic surgeon: the highly-trained medical doctor who will consult you and perform your top surgery procedure
gender identity: your personal sense of your own gender, not necessary that it is the gender assigned at birth
gender-affirming care: any medical, psychological, behavioral, and/or social intervention that helps an individual become more aligned to their gender identity
gender dysphoria: a sense of dissatisfaction or unease associated with an incongruence between your gender assigned at birth – can be the source of anxiety, depression, and/or emotional stress
transgender/non-binary: when someone’s gender assigned at birth (generally based on external genitalia) does not align with with their gender identity. For the purpose of being concise, we will use this term to encompass all gender identities with individuals seeking top surgery.
why top surgery?
When transgender individuals aim to have their external match their internal, generally a medical transition is a desired outcome. A medical transition can come in the form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and/or gender-affirming procedures, such as top surgery.
Who can get top surgery?
This is one of the most highly debated, and often politicized, topics in gender-affirming care. In a time where state legislation can influence an individuals access to medical care, there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
Generally, if you are over the age of 18 and live in a state where there are not restrictions on gender-affirming care, you are a candidate for top surgery.
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