Gender affirmation surgery, also known as gender confirmation surgery or transgender surgery, is offered in London by specialist UK plastic surgeons experienced in gender surgery.

PROCEDURE GUIDE: Gender Affirmation Surgery

What is gender dysphoria?

Gender dysphoria describes where individuals feel their emotional and psychological identity does not match their birth gender. Although gender dysphoria can be associated with significant emotional distress, anxiety and depression, it is important to bear in mind that gender dysphoria is not a mental health condition.

The condition can significantly affect one’s mental health, with many people reporting feeling stressed due to a sense of feeling different. Certain attitudes can contribute to feeling distressed, including homophobic or transphobic insults. Sufferers can feel alienated from family and friends, which can have a significant and lasting impact on one’s mental health.

Gender confirmation surgery can help people to feel better connected with their preferred gender by surgically altering certain aspects of physical appearance which may be associated with their biological sex. Gender affirmation surgery is often chosen by transgender females, males and non-binary individuals for effective treatment of gender dysphoria.

There is a wide range of different surgical procedures that are encompassed by gender affirmation surgery. Top surgery, as its name suggests, refers to surgical procedures carried out on the upper part of the body, i.e. breasts or chest.

• MTF (Male to Female) top surgery is a type of breast reconstruction procedure that involves the insertion of breast implants or fat transfer for the enhancement of the size and shape of a person’s breasts for a more feminine appearance.
• FTM (Female to Male) top surgery involves the surgical removal of breast tissue, fat and skin from the chest to help achieve a more masculine-looking chest profile.