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5. Effective Jan.1, 2023, UnitedHealthcare to expand gender dysphoria benefits

To support transgender health, self-funded plan members will have access to expanded coverage beginning Jan.1, 2023, as customers renew. Nov.1, 2022

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In developing medical policies supporting transgender health, UnitedHealthcare takes a broad medical view and approach. Beginning on and after Jan.1, 2023, self-funded customers with UnitedHealthcare standard gender dysphoria benefits will have coverage expanded to include breast augmentation, tracheal shave, voice modification surgery and voice modification lessons/therapy.

These procedures will be included in standard benefit plans beginning Jan.1, 2023, as customers renew. In addition, a discretionary gap travel benefit is available locally to support the member when a provider or facility is not reasonably available for certain covered services for the treatment of gender dysphoria.

These expanded gender dysphoria benefits support the voluntary Corporate Equality Index 2023 survey developed and distributed annually by the Human Rights Campaign. No action is needed for customers who have standard UnitedHealthcare benefits and wish to include these services consistent with standard UnitedHealthcare benefits.

For other options, customers should contact their UnitedHealthcare representative. This change does not apply to self-funded customers who have non-standard gender dysphoria coverage or to UMR, Surest® or Level Funded groups. UnitedHealthcare will file Certificates of Coverage to expand the gender dysphoria benefit for large fully insured groups beginning on and after July 1, 2023, and for small fully insured groups renewing on and after Jan.1, 2024.

For questions or support, please contact your broker or UnitedHealthcare representative.

How much does FTM bottom surgery cost?

If you have any medical questions or concerns, please talk to your healthcare provider. The articles on Health Guide are underpinned by peer-reviewed research and information drawn from medical societies and governmental agencies. However, they are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

• It is estimated that roughly one and a half million Americans identify as transgender, experiencing conflict between the bodies they were born with and the gender with which they identify ( Cohen, 2019 ).
• Fortunately, there are many different ways to manage this condition, including social, medical, and surgical changes.

Transgender individuals may choose none, some, or all of these options to achieve an external look that aligns with how they feel inside ( El-Hadi, 2018 ). One treatment that can help transgender individuals improve their quality of life is gender reassignment surgery, sometimes called bottom surgery.

Bottom surgery refers to the plastic surgical procedures performed on the genitals to give the look—and in some cases, functionality—that matches their gender identity. Not every transgender person wants to undergo bottom surgery, but it can significantly improve self-esteem and quality of life for those who do.

You may also hear bottom surgery called:

• Gender affirmation surgery
• Genital reconstructive surgery
• Gender confirmation surgery

Having genitalia that matches your gender identity can help relieve feelings of gender dysphoria, After gender reassignment surgery, transgender people often report feeling more comfortable with their sex partners, in healthcare settings, swimming pools, or the gym ( WPATH, 2012 ).

1. Persistent, well-documented gender dysphoria
2. Capacity to make a fully informed decision and to consent for treatment
3. Age of adulthood in their location
4. If significant medical or mental health concerns are present, they must be well-controlled.
5. 12 continuous months of hormone therapy as appropriate to the patient’s gender goals (unless hormones aren’t appropriate for that individual)
6. 12 continuous months of living in a gender role congruent with their gender identity

Although not a requirement, it is recommended that anyone considering bottom surgery also have regular visits with a mental health professional (WPATH, 2012). If you have been taking hormones, living in your desired gender role, and feeling emotionally prepared, you may choose to undergo bottom surgery as your final step in transitioning ( Hohman, 2021 ; Garg, 2021 ).

• There are several types of bottom surgery available.
• You and your plastic surgeon will choose the right procedures based on your needs, preferences, and goals (Hohman, 2021; Garg, 2021).
• Bottom surgery for trans men involves a hysterectomy to remove the uterus (and often the ovaries).
• Then there are two main choices for genital reconstruction: metoidioplasty or phalloplasty,

Metoidioplasty is when the surgeon releases the clitoris from the ligaments that attach it inside the body. They then add tissue to increase the length and girth. Your surgeon may also lengthen the urethra to allow you to urinate while standing. This is the more common procedure chosen by FTM people since it is less expensive and can be completed in a single surgery (Garg, 2021; Schechter, 2016 ).

Phalloplasty represents the most complete genital transformation for FTM individuals. This surgery takes place over multiple stages and uses skin grafts from other sites on the body, plus an implanted penile prosthesis to create an aesthetically pleasing and functional penis. Since it is so complex, there is an increased risk of complications, including scarring and trouble passing urine, but most people who undergo this procedure are satisfied with the results (Schechter, 2016).

Several surgical procedures are available to transgender women, including removal of the penis, scrotum, and testicles (orchiectomy). The latter removes the primary source of testosterone from the body (Garg, 2021; Schechter, 2016). Depending on your individual goals, a surgeon then creates new structures (such as a new mons pubis, labia, clitoris, and possibly a vaginal canal) through a ” vaginoplasty ” procedure.

These new structures will be feminine appearing, have sensation, and be functional for sexual intercourse if desired (Schechter, 2016). People who don’t want vaginal penetration or have medical issues may opt for a zero-depth vaginoplasty, also known as a vulvoplasty. This would give the outward appearance of a vulva but without an internal vaginal canal ( Li, 2021 ).

The exact cost of your bottom surgery will depend on factors such as your location, the procedures performed, and your insurance plan coverage. You may need to document special criteria before your insurance covers your surgery. Your healthcare provider can help you estimate these charges and navigate insurance coverage.

The total cost for your bottom surgery will include charges for the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, and the hospital stay. You may also have to pay for medications and supplies to care for your surgical wounds while you recover. In general, you can expect total costs of $6,400 to $24,900 for FTM bottom surgery and around $25,000 for MTF bottom surgery ( Leis, 2022-a ; Leis, 2022-b ).

Bottom surgical procedures are considered major surgery, and it will take some time for your body to heal afterward. The amount of recovery time you need depends on the type of surgery you had. For transgender men, you will typically stay in the hospital for 1–2 days following your surgery.

Your new vagina will be packed with gauze, then covered with a larger dressing over the genitals to prevent swelling and bruising. You will be on bed rest and have a urinary catheter before you’re able to go home. When you go home from the hospital, you’ll take certain medications to prevent infection and relieve pain.

You’ll likely follow up with your surgeon about a week after surgery (Schechter, 2016; Li, 2021). Once your provider removes the gauze packing, they’ll show you how to begin to dilate your neovagina daily to widen the canal and allow for penetration (if so desired).

• You’ll continue to visit your surgeon regularly to track your progress.
• Vaginal intercourse may begin 6–8 weeks after surgery (Schechter, 2016; Li, 2021).
• For trans women, your postoperative care will depend on the surgical procedures performed.
• Some procedures are performed in multiple stages, so you may have more than one surgery.

You will likely be on antibiotics to prevent infection after each stage. You’ll also have a stent placed to keep your new urethra open while it heals and a separate tube for urine to leave your body during this time ( Djordjevic, 2018 ). You may have a wound on your arm or thigh where tissue was taken for a skin graft.

Your provider will give you directions on keeping this area clean and dry while it heals (Schechter, 2016). After about 10 days, the stent will be removed. The urine tube will remain in for another three weeks and then be removed as well. After that, your provider will give you directions on using a vacuum device and using a class of medication called phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitors ( PDE5 inhibitors ), such as Viagra (generic name sildenafil ; see Important Safety Information ) or Cialis (generic name tadalafil ; see Important Safety Information ), for at least six months to prevent your new penis from retracting back into the body (Djordjevic, 2018).

Bottom surgeries are typically complex and require the services of a specialized plastic surgeon. This type of care isn’t usually available outside major cities in many regions. You can ask friends for recommendations or search online to find the closest surgery center near you that performs bottom surgeries (Hohman, 2021).

• Your goals for surgery
• Reasonable expectations for results
• What to expect before, during, and after surgery
• The risks of general anesthesia and the planned procedure(s)
• How to avoid surgical complications

Having bottom surgery will affect your ability to have biological children. Your care team can help you explore possibilities to preserve your fertility by freezing sperm or freezing eggs before surgery if that’s something you desire (Garg, 2021). Bottom surgery can help you move forward in life with a body aligned with your self-image.

1. Cohen, W.A., Sangalang, A.M., Dalena, M.M., Ayyala, H.S., & Keith, J.D. (2019). Navigating insurance policies in the United States for gender-affirming surgery. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Global Open, 7 (12), e2564. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000002564. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7288898/
2. Djordjevic, M.L. (2018). Novel surgical techniques in female to male gender confirming surgery. Translational Andrology and Urology, 7 (4), 628–638. doi: 10.21037/tau.2018.03.17. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6127556/
3. El-Hadi, H., Stone, J., Temple-Oberle, C., & Harrop, A.R. (2018). Gender-affirming surgery for transgender individuals: perceived satisfaction and barriers to care. Plastic Surgery (Oakville, Ont.), 26 (4), 263–268. doi: 10.1177/2292550318767437. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6236505/
4. Garg, G., Elshimy, G., & Marwaha, R. (2021). Gender dysphoria., In: StatPearls, Retrieved on Jan.31, 2022 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532313/
5. Hohman, M.H. & Teixeira, J. (2021). Transgender surgery of the head and neck., In: StatPearls, Retrieved on Jan.31, 2022 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568729/
6. Leis, S.-a. (2022). Male to female price list. The Philadelphia Center for Transgender Surgery, Retrieved on Jan.31, 2022 from http://www.thetransgendercenter.com/index.php/maletofemale1/mtf-price-list.html
7. Leis, S.-b. (2022). Female to male price list. The Philadelphia Center for Transgender Surgery, Retrieved on Jan.31, 2022 from http://www.thetransgendercenter.com/index.php/femaletomale1/ftm-price-list.html
8. Li, J.S., Crane, C.N., & Santucci, R.A. (2021). Vaginoplasty tips and tricks. International Brazilian Journal of Urology: Official Journal of the Brazilian Society of Urology, 47 (2), 263–273. doi: 10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2020.0338. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7857744/
9. Schechter, L.S. (2016). Gender Confirmation surgery: an update for the primary care provider. Transgender Health, 1 (1), 32–40. doi: 10.1089/trgh.2015.0006. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5685250/
10. WPATH. (2012). Standards of care for the health of transsexual, transgender, and gender- nonconforming people, version 7. World Professional Association for Transgender Health, Retrieved from https://www.wpath.org/publications/soc

Dr. Steve Silvestro is a board-certified pediatrician and Senior Manager, Medical Content & Education at Ro.

What is the billing code for gender dysphoria?

Mental disorder, not otherwise specified –

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Billable/Specific Code

Applicable To

Mental illness NOS

Type 1 Excludes

unspecified mental disorder due to known physiological condition ( F09 )

• associated with
  • uncertainty about gender identity F64.9

Dysphoria

gender F64.9

Identity disorder (child) F64.9

ICD-10-CM Codes Adjacent To F64.9 F63.3 Trichotillomania F63.8 Other impulse disorders F63.81 Intermittent explosive disorder F63.89 Other impulse disorders F63.9 Impulse disorder, unspecified F64 Gender identity disorders F64.1 Dual role transvestism F64.2 Gender identity disorder of childhood F64.8 Other gender identity disorders F64.9 Gender identity disorder, unspecified F65 Paraphilias F65.1 Transvestic fetishism Reimbursement claims with a date of service on or after October 1, 2015 require the use of ICD-10-CM codes.

What is CPT code for gender reassignment?

Group 2

Code	Description
55180	SCROTOPLASTY; COMPLICATED
55980	INTERSEX SURGERY; FEMALE TO MALE
56625	VULVECTOMY SIMPLE; COMPLETE
57106	VAGINECTOMY, PARTIAL REMOVAL OF VAGINAL WALL ;

Can you feel MTF bottom surgery?

MTF BOTTOM SURGERY FAQ – Insurance providers that cover SRS will require mental health documentation to verify a history of gender dysphoria if the surgery is not purely cosmetic in nature. Before MTF bottom surgery Connecticut patients must also start estrogen therapy at least one year in advance.

This helps align the body with your true gender identity. We take great care to reduce surgical risks using modern techniques in a sterile environment. However, all surgery carries risks. Poor wound healing, decreased sensation, fistula, and infection have been reported in medical studies. A vaginal stricture may also occur.

This is a narrowing of the vaginal wall caused by fibrous tissue buildup. Serious or life-threatening complications are rare. It is possible to experience both feeling and sexual arousal after MTF bottom surgery. When the penile core and fascia are removed, the sensory arousal nerves may be placed in the neoclitoris and clitoral hood.

What are the cons of male to female bottom surgery?

Transfeminine Bottom Surgery Risks and Safety The decision to have transfeminine bottom surgery is extremely personal. You’ll have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable. Many individuals view this procedure as a necessary step toward alleviating their gender dysphoria.

Your plastic surgeon and/or staff will explain in detail the risks associated with surgery. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedures you will undergo and any risks or potential complications. The possible risks of transfeminine bottom surgery include, but are not limited to, bleeding, infection, poor healing of incisions, hematoma, nerve injury, stenosis of the vagina, inadequate depth of the vagina, injury to the urinary tract, abnormal connections between the urethra and the skin, painful intercourse and anesthesia risks.

: Transfeminine Bottom Surgery Risks and Safety

How do you code for Hormone replacement therapy?

ICD-10 Code for Hormone replacement therapy- Z79.890 – Codify by AAPC.

What is the diagnosis code for Hormone check?

ICD-10 Code for Encounter for screening for other suspected endocrine disorder- Z13.29 – Codify by AAPC.

Do you need a gender dysphoria diagnosis?

A s people around the world come to acknowledge that gender is something defined along a spectrum rather than a binary concept, the necessity of a “gender dysphoria” diagnosis needs to be revisited. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which is used by mental health practitioners around the world, defines gender dysphoria as psychological distress that results from an incongruence between the gender an individual was assigned at birth and one’s gender identity.

• As an advocate, provider, and CEO at a gender-affirming health care center, I have a problem with that term, as do a growing number of people in the transgender and gender-diverse communities, especially those who have early access to affirming support structures and care.
• Dysphoria is not the experience of all trans people.

With appropriate care and affirmation, in fact, many may go on to experience “gender euphoria ” because they are not stigmatized and seen as “other” but instead are welcomed and personal experience is not questioned. Under this model, gender diversity is seen as part of the human experience.

1. The U.S. is experiencing increases in gender diversity, greater acceptance of gender diversity, and majority opposition to anti-transgender laws,
2. In short, more trans people are finding acceptance and culturally competent health care which allows them to thrive.
3. To be sure, many trans people do experience gender dysphoria, which is to be expected in a community that is not monolithic.

But its practical application is problematic. The “diagnosis” of gender dysphoria has become a requirement for receiving medically necessary gender-affirming care for patients, even though the diagnosis doesn’t apply to all trans people. As with all forms of health care, a diagnosis is required for an insurer to pay for medically necessary care.

Gender-affirming care is medically necessary, and pigeonholing it into one form of experience is not the lived reality of all trans individuals. Some have called for the American Psychiatric Association, which created and is updating the DSM-5, to remove this diagnosis entirely, as it conflates a social identity with a mental disorder and propagates stigma.

Others have argued that the diagnosis is necessary to cover medically necessary treatment — and it does guarantee that certain populations, such as incarcerated people or members of the armed forces, have access to care deemed medically necessary under the law and accepted by major medical organizations such as the American Medical Association,

1. My colleagues and I at Transhealth Northampton, a groundbreaking trans-led gender-affirming health care center, see patients who report experiencing gender dysphoria.
2. Eliminating this diagnosis would invalidate their experiences.
3. On the other hand, not all patients seeking affirmation receive a gender dysphoria diagnosis.

And many patients report euphoria — or something akin to normalcy — when their gender identity is embraced and affirmed, whether they are receiving affirming health care services or not. Affirmation is the process of being seen by others and oneself, and being accepted for who one is and being able to live one’s life without others saying their trans experience is wrong.

1. This affirmation may require clinical intervention, or it may not.
2. In the end, it’s up to the person.
3. Instead of eliminating the diagnosis of gender dysphoria, insurers could solve the problem by simply not requiring that as a condition for accessing gender-affirming care.
4. When health care providers require a specific diagnosis, we also require individuals to present a certain way and tell a specific story (which can be clinically inaccurate), and we limit access to care overall.

Medical necessity is defined by accepted standards of medicine and determines whether a certain treatment should be reimbursed by insurers. Insurers use more than diagnoses to determine medical necessity. Some treatments are deemed necessary based on your age or gender, such as a colonoscopy or mammography.

To better serve all patients, insurers should decide medical necessity not by a diagnosis but by reported identity. Expanding access to gender-affirming care will save even more lives, Providing gender-affirming care to trans people because they are trans, not because they have a specious diagnosis, would have four important outcomes: One would be to help reduce stigma.

The second would be to stop conflating mental illness with an identity, This approach would remove the requirement of having a mental health clinician assess an individual for a mental “disorder” which, given the paucity of clinically competent and gender-affirming mental health clinicians in the U.S., would improve access to gender-affirming care, a third important outcome.

1. Finally, abandoning the dysphoria diagnosis for insurance reimbursement would also recognize the reality of the trans experience: There is no single way to be trans, just as there is no one way to transition or access medically necessary care.
2. Some may worry that removing this requirement would put vulnerable trans people, such as those who are incarcerated, at risk of losing access to care by making it seem as if this care is not medically necessary.

Instead, having insurers no longer require a diagnosis of gender dysphoria in order to cover gender-affirming care, moves the country’s system closer to a path of health promotion, one goes beyond treating pathology and fosters wellness. Being trans is not a disorder.

What is the new diagnosis for gender dysphoria?

Sign up for Scientific American ’s free newsletters. ” data-newsletterpromo_article-image=”https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/4641809D-B8F1-41A3-9E5A87C21ADB2FD8_source.png” data-newsletterpromo_article-button-text=”Sign Up” data-newsletterpromo_article-button-link=”https://www.scientificamerican.com/page/newsletter-sign-up/?origincode=2018_sciam_ArticlePromo_NewsletterSignUp” name=”articleBody” itemprop=”articleBody”> At the dawn of 2017 the Danish parliament struck a blow for transgender rights and became the first country to remove trans people’s classification as “mentally ill.” In this New Year’s Day move the government took official action to destigmatize transgender individuals, separating them from any association with words such as “problem,” “disorder” or dysphoria. Words matter, says Linda Thor Pedersen of rights organization LGBT Denmark. “It was very important,” she says, “that terms like “incongruence,” “disturbance” and “problem” were left out of the code title used by the country’s medical community to track care. The change, she says, “makes it a code instead of a diagnosis.” The old system made indirect discrimination possible, she explains; job applications were sometimes rejected because of a “diagnosis.” The change, although currently limited to Denmark, represents a new phase in the evolution of views on being transgender. An earlier change occurred in 2013, when “gender identity disorder” was dropped from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition ( DSM -5), U.S. psychiatry’s bible for diagnosing mental illness. A new condition called “gender dysphoria” was added to diagnose and treat those transgender individuals who felt distress at the mismatch between their identities and their bodies. The new diagnosis recognized that a mismatch between one’s birth gender and identity was not necessarily pathological, notes pediatric endocrinologist Norman Spack, a founder of the gender clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital. It shifted the emphasis in treatment from fixing a disorder to resolving distress over the mismatch.* Spack compares the DSM -5’s new definition as similar in effect to its 1973 declassification of homosexuality as a mental illness. University of San Francisco human rights scholar Richard Johnson agrees. Although gay people certainly knew they were not sick, he says, the move did have an effect. “It has allowed the gay population in the U.S. an opportunity to pursue life on their own terms,” he says. “This will also be the same situation for the transgender population living in Denmark.” As the brand-new measure takes effect, experts are speculating about its political, medical and financial ramifications in Denmark and around the world. Danish politicians had announced last year that they hoped to spur the World Health Organization (WHO) to remove transgender from a category of mental illnesses in its globally used International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision ( ICD -10), whose codes are used to mark health records, track epidemiological trends and inform insurance reimbursement. If WHO did not act by January 1, 2017, Denmark had promised to act unilaterally. As of January 5, WHO had made no comment on the Danish move. In the past the organization had told questioners the transgender redefinition will be part of the ICD -11, an immense and time-consuming project that is expected to be released this year or next. The Danish action clearly aims to destigmatize being transgender. Removing any association with a problem or syndrome, however, has some experts wondering how it will be possible to label the person’s distress and guide treatment when trans people seek medical interventions such as hormone treatment or sex-change surgery. Psychologist Laura Edwards-Leeper of Pacific University in Oregon notes Denmark will still require that psychological evaluation be conducted before any medical intervention. “I’m wondering if Denmark plans to make the diagnosis a medical one,” she says. “Perhaps they are approaching it similarly to what I recommend, which is to involve health care providers in offering support through the process and with readiness assessments, much like we do for patients seeking other life-changing, body-altering surgeries, such as bariatric surgery or organ transplants.” “We expect,” LBGT Denmark’s Pedersen says, “that transgender health care will move more toward informed consent instead of psychiatric evaluations. In Denmark it can take from a couple of years to more than a decade to get permission for genital reassignment surgery.” A major difference between Denmark and the U.S. is in how medical treatment is financed. What conditions are called can affect that process. “The difference,” Spack says, “is only they have a national health system, and they wanted to make a statement that could not be made here by those who insure the care of transgender people. Because it’s conceivable, pending litigation, that insurance companies could persist in not covering the medical and surgical care needed because they don’t buy into the necessity of these treatments. But that is all changing,” he says, “more bit by bit because we are a hodgepodge of care providers and insurers. Different states have different policies.” Whatever the practical effect of Denmark’s move, Edwards-Leeper says, “it is sending the message that an increasing number of people across the globe do not perceive transgender people as ‘crazy,’ but as valuable members of society worthy of respect and human rights like everyone else.” *Editor’s Note (1/11/17): This paragraph was edited after posting. The original stated ” gender identity disorder ” in the DSM-5 was renamed ” gender dysphoria. ” In actuality, DSM-5 dropped the former term describing a pathology, and replaced it with the latter classification, which could be used to diagnose distress caused by gender mismatch.

How long does it take to transition from male to female?

Take your time, transitioning can take a long time. On average it takes 2-3 years. Talk to people in your trans support group if you want help with your appearance. For example your clothes and hair.

What is the success rate of female to male surgery?

What is the outlook for people who have gender affirmation surgery? – Most people who choose these surgeries experience an improvement in their quality of life. Depending on the procedure, 94% to 100% of people report being satisfied with their surgery results.

What is the CPT code for male hormone replacement therapy?

Article – Billing and Coding: Treatment of Males with Low Testosterone ( A57615 )

Can your body reject phalloplasty?

– Vaginoplasty may result in loss of sensation in part or all of the neoclitoris due to nerve damage. Some people may experience a rectovaginal fistula, a serious problem that opens the intestines into the vagina. Vaginal prolapse may also occur. However, all of these are relatively rare complications.

More commonly, people who get a vaginoplasty may experience minor urinary incontinence, similar to what one experiences after giving birth. In many cases, such incontinence subsides after some time. Full metoidioplasty and phalloplasty carry the risk of urethral fistula (a hole or opening in the urethra) or a urethral stricture (a blockage).

Both can be repaired via minor follow-up surgery. Phalloplasty also carries the risk of rejection of the donor skin, or infection at the donor site. With scrotoplasty, the body may reject the testicular implants. Vaginoplasty, metoidioplasty, and phalloplasty all carry a risk of the person being displeased with the aesthetic result.

What is the recovery time for FTM bottom surgery?

– You should be able to go back to work about four to six weeks after your phalloplasty, unless your job requires strenuous activity. Then you should wait six to eight weeks. Avoid exercise and lifting during the first few weeks, although taking a brisk walk is fine.

You will have a catheter in place for the first few weeks. After two to three weeks you can start to urinate through the phallus. Your phalloplasty may be broken into stages, or you may have the scrotoplasty, urethral reconstruction, and glansplasty simultaneously. If you separate them, you should wait at least three months between the first and second stages.

For the final stage, which is the penile implant, you should wait for about one year. It is important that you have full feeling in your new penis before getting your implant. Depending on which type of surgery you had, you may never have erotic sensation in your phallus (but you can still have clitoral orgasms).

How old do you have to be to get female to male bottom surgery?

Age You must be between 18 and 35 years of age at the time of surgery. Hormones You are required to have at least 12 months of affirming hormone treatment. Lived experience You are expected to have been living for at least 12 months in your affirmed gender prior to undergoing genital surgery.

Can a female transition to a male?

For individuals transitioning from female to male (transgender men), medical treatment includes hormonal therapy with testosterone. Gender-affirming surgery includes ‘chest’ surgery, such as mastectomy, and ‘genital’ or ‘bottom’ surgery, such as hysterectomy, oophorectomy, vaginectomy, metoidioplasty, and phalloplasty.

Is bottom surgery risky?

Transmasculine Bottom Surgery Risks and Safety The decision to have bottom surgery is extremely personal. You’ll have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable. Many individuals view this procedure as a necessary step toward alleviating their gender dysphoria.

Your plastic surgeon and/or staff will explain in detail the risks associated with surgery. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedures you will undergo and any risks or potential complications. The possible risks of transmasculine bottom surgery include, but are not limited to, bleeding, infection, poor healing of incisions, hematoma, nerve injury, failure of the transplanted tissues to survive, unsightly scars, exposure of the prosthesis, injury to the urinary tract, abnormal connections between the urethra and the skin, painful intercourse and anesthesia risks.

: Transmasculine Bottom Surgery Risks and Safety

How much does FTM top and bottom surgery cost?

In general, the cost of FTM Top Surgery ranges from $6000–$10,000 USD. This may or may not include consultation fees, hidden fees and medical supplies. – If you plan to pay out-of-pocket for Top Surgery, knowing about the cost of the procedure and related fees will help you plan accordingly and schedule your surgery date.

• The cost of Top Surgery will depend on several factors including the Surgeon you choose.
• Don’t assume that a Surgeon who charges the highest fee is the best.
• Geographic location greatly influences a surgeon’s fee.
• For example, Surgeons located in big cities where practice expenses are higher tend to charge more for their services.

The type of Top Surgery also influences cost. Typically, but not always, the Keyhole and Peri-areolar procedures are less expensive than the Double Incision method, by as much as $2000 USD. A down payment is usually required to secure a surgery date. The amount of this down payment varies by Surgeon but usually ranges between $500–2000 and up to 50% of the total Top Surgery cost.

Top Surgery Payment Plans How to Pay for Top Surgery – Grants and Financing Top Surgery Insurance Coverage: What You Need To Know

What About Hidden Fees? Surgeons who charge a consultation fee often credit that expense to the final cost of your surgery. In addition to the Surgeon’s fee, you’ll also be paying the Anesthesiologist’s fee, facility fees and potentially pathology and other medical test fees.

How long does bottom surgery take to heal FTM?

– Three to six days of hospitalization is required, followed by another 7-10 days of close outpatient supervision. After your procedure, expect to refrain from work or strenuous activity for roughly six weeks. Vaginoplasty requires a catheter for about one week.

Full metoidioplasty and phalloplasty require a catheter for up to three weeks, until the point at which you can purge the bulk of your urine through your urethra on your own. After vaginoplasty, most people generally need to dilate regularly for the first year or two, by using a graduated series of hard plastic stents.

After that, penetrative sexual activity is normally enough for upkeep. The neovagina develops microflora similar to a typical vagina, although the pH level leans much more alkaline. Scars tend to either be hidden in the pubic hair, along the folds of the labia majora, or simply heal so well as to not be noticeable.

Is it safe to get bottom surgery?

What are the risks or complications of gender affirmation surgery? – Different procedures carry different risks. For example, individuals who have bottom surgery may have changes to their sexual sensation, or trouble with bladder emptying. In general, significant complications are rare, as long as an experienced surgeon is performing the procedure.

Bleeding. Infection. Side effects of anesthesia,

How big can a phalloplasty be?

Top 5 Things to Prepare for Phalloplasty By Richard A. Santucci MD, FACS, HON FC Urol(SA) Senior Surgeon, Crane Center for Transgender Surgery (Cranects.com) Phalloplasty is a big operation! It requires careful planning in order for you to do well. Here are 5 things to keep in mind when you are planning/preparing to have a phalloplasty: 1.

Decide what surgery you want. It’s important to do your research to figure out which operation is best for you: Arm (RFF) or leg (ALT) phalloplasty. Your surgeon can help you decide if you are not sure! 2. Decide how long is the dong? Deciding how long the phallus will be is an important early step. If you choose RFF (arm) phalloplasty, the skin and the all-important artery that feeds the tissue is only so long,

So, these phalluses tend to be a maximum 5.5 inches long (that’s the average length of a phallus in North America). If you choose an ALT (leg) phalloplasty, there’s more skin and a longer artery, so a longer phallus can be constructed, up to 8.5 inches.3.

Decide what other surgeries you want: Vaginectomy? Urethral lengthening? Scrotoplasty? While it’s common to do all three at the time of phalloplasty, it’s not required. A good surgeon will build what you want. For instance, it is completely up to you whether you want to do a vaginectomy at the time of phalloplasty.

This surgery removes the vagina completely and leaves a flat “male type” perineum afterwards, but some patients decide to leave the vagina in place below the phallus. Your surgeon can also make a scrotum out of the labia majora (the “outer lips” of the vagina), but again, this is optional and determined by patient preference.

1. Finally, your surgeon can create a new urethra (peeing tube) so that you can pee standing up.
2. While this is desired by many patients, it’s not mandatory.
3. If urethral lengthening is not desired, then this simplifies the surgery a lot, and you may have less risk for complications.
4. The result still leaves a flat “male type” perineum afterwards, but with a small “pee hole” between the scrotum and anus.4.

Start your hair removal It’s suggested that you have some type of long-lasting hair removal on the donor site. It can be laser or electrolysis. It’s most important portion to remove hair from portion of skin that will be used to make the urethra, to avoid hair from regrowing in the urethra tube after the surgery. 5. Get a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) if you plan to have a vaginectomy. If you plan to have a vaginal removal (vaginectomy), it’s important that you have your uterus removed at least 3 months before any planned phalloplasty. This give you time to recover completely before you have your next surgical step. Dr. Richard Santucci spent the last 18 years as one of the nation’s premier academic reconstructive urologist and now devotes his surgical talents full-time to transgender surgery at the Crane Center in Austin, Texas. Dr. Santucci offers Metoidioplasty, Phalloplasty, Orchiectomy, Vaginoplasty and Vulvoplasty. : Top 5 Things to Prepare for Phalloplasty