Gender Affirmation Surgery Monterey
Top Surgery by Gallery Plastic Surgery
General affirmation top surgeries are some of our favorite to perform! Helping our patients become their true selves is such a privilege and joy for us. Whether you are a trans female who is looking for a beautiful breast enhancement or a trans male who is ready to liberate themselves from their breast tissue, we can help! We are a trans-safe clinic. At Gallery Plastic Surgery, you are in a safe place where our team genuinely want you to heal and thrive.
Trans female top surgeries:
To create beautiful breasts, breast implants or fat grafting can be options. We find that trans female patients do not necessarily want to have extremely large breasts, but really just want to feel feminine and amazing in their own skin. Some trans females are not starting out with a lot of breast tissue, despite being on hormone therapy. Should these patient want to be significantly large, your plastic surgeon may suggest placing an “internal bra” as additional support for the weight of a heavier implant. We want you to LOVE your results for years to come and want your breasts to withstand the test of time. Typically, we recommend that certain breast implants are replaced each decade.
Trans male top surgeries:
The techniques vary with trans male top surgeries depending on whether the patient has a lot of skin, gland, or fat. Surgeries can range from relatively straightforward liposuction to skin excision to areolar grafting or a combination of all three. We find it EXTREMELY important to make you look as masculine as possible by removing as much tissue as possible lateral to the pectoralis major (chest) muscle border. These surgeries are not mastectomies; as such, some residual breast tissue can remain. We advise that you continue to follow with your primary medical physician for recommendations on breast cancer screening. Mastectomies can lead to a very hollowed look on the chest, which is not ideal or considered attractive.
Am I a good candidate for top surgery?
Typically, a patient who is healthy, can undergo general anesthesia safely, and has no threatening medical problems is a candidate for surgery. You should also be near or at your goal weight. When transitioning, it is important that you have been on hormone therapy for more than one year to allow the therapy to optimize your body as much as possible. Once you have achieved your new anatomic baseline on hormone therapy, we then will surgically address what therapy could not. As with any surgery, it is important to have realistic expectations as to what we can achieve. In addition, it is ideal to have a strong support system and loved ones who can help take care of you after surgery for the first 2 to 6 weeks.
How much will top surgery cost?
In most cases, insurance companies can cover the cost of gender affirmation surgery. Often required are notes from two therapists, verifying that you are truly transitioning. We will need to document that you are on hormone therapy for more than a year. If insurance does not deem your case eligible for coverage, we have affordable financing options to help you on your journey! Our “cosmetic” prices typically based on the amount of work necessary, are tailored to your body type, and include everything you would need for surgery.
Do you perform “bottom surgery” also?
While we are confident in and love performing “top surgery,” we do not offer “bottom surgery.” We strongly believe that this group of surgeries should be done by plastic surgeons who specialize and perform this surgery “day in and day out.” Most patients would like to address their chests/breasts first as the potential risk and morbidity tend to be less than reconstructing the genital regions.
Call today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Wong or Dr. Wil! We can’t wait to meet you!