26 de March de 2024

Full gender-affirming surgery: a comprehensive solution to get the life you want as soon as possible

In the quest to align the body with gender identity, full gender-affirming surgery emerges as a complete process that involves multiple surgical interventions. Through procedures such as vaginoplasty, body and facial feminisation and glottoplasty, among others, we seek to provide transgender people with the opportunity to live authentically and satisfyingly. However, before embarking on this transformative journey, it is crucial to understand both the benefits and risks associated with this decision, as well as to seek the appropriate places to carry out these interventions.

INTERVENTIONS AND PROCESS OF TOTAL GENDER-AFFIRMING SURGERY

Total gender-affirming surgery involves a series of surgical interventions designed to adjust the body to a person’s gender identity. From vaginoplasty, through body and facial feminisation surgery, to glottoplasty, these interventions seek to offer aesthetic coherence and greater satisfaction with body image.

The process can vary depending on the patient’s individual needs, but typically involves a series of interventions performed in a relatively short period of time. For example, a patient may first undergo vaginoplasty, followed by additional body feminisation procedures, then facial feminisation, and finally voice surgery.

BENEFITS AND RISKS OF TOTAL GENDER-AFFIRMING SURGERY

Conducting all interventions in a concentrated time period can have significant benefits. From solidifying the transition process to reducing wait time and emotional stress, full gender-affirming surgery offers a more efficient route to gender authenticity. However, it also carries risks, such as a prolonged recovery, increased risk of complications, and financial pressure. Let’s look in more detail at what we’re talking about and why performing total gender-affirming surgery is a good idea…

«Performing all interventions in a concentrated period of time can have significant benefits for the patient. From consolidating the transition process and offering a better aesthetic result, to reducing waiting time and emotional stress. However, it also carries risks that the patient should be aware of…»

Dr. Mauricio Raigosa

6 benefits of total gender-affirming surgery

1. Everything in the same centre, with the same equipment

   Total gender-affirming surgery provides the opportunity to carry out all the interventions in a short time, in the same centre. Normally, to follow the complete gender-affirming process, you have to visit more than one centre, put yourself in the hands of several teams, travel and wait a long time. Full gender-affirming surgery at barnaclínic+ allows all interventions to be carried out in a short time, coordinated by the same multidisciplinary team of professionals, without having to travel or manage admissions to different centres.

2. Consolidation of the process

   Performing all interventions in a concentrated period of time can allow the person to complete their gender transition more quickly and efficiently, which can be emotionally rewarding.

3. Shorter waiting time

   The person can reduce the total time spent waiting and preparing for each procedure individually.

4. Reduction of emotional stress

   For some people, the ability to complete all interventions in a relatively short time may reduce the emotional stress associated with the gender transition process.

5. Aesthetic coherence

   By performing multiple interventions in a short period of time, it is possible to achieve a more coherent and harmonious facial and body appearance, as the changes are integrated more effectively.

6. Cost and time reduction

   By bundling multiple interventions into a single surgical period, it is possible to reduce the costs and time associated with multiple separate surgical procedures.

4 risks associated with total gender-affirming surgery

1. Long recovery

   Performing multiple interventions in a short time can result in a prolonged recovery period during the concentrated process. This can increase the risk of postoperative complications and affect quality of life during the recovery period. However, performing all transgender interventions at barnaclínic+ will allow more effective communication between teams and between the patient and professionals, in addition to reducing travel.

2. Higher risk of complications

   The accumulation of multiple surgical procedures can increase the risk of intraoperative and postoperative complications, such as infections, hematomas, poor healing, among others. On the other hand, if full gender-affirming surgery is performed in a single centre, the management of these complications will be easier, with professionals from different specialties involved, and they can be addressed sooner and better.

3. Physical and emotional fatigue

   Performing multiple transgender surgeries in a short period of time can be physically exhausting and emotionally challenging for the person. Cumulative fatigue and stress can negatively impact recovery and overall well-being. However, it must also be taken into account that travel will be reduced, the total cost will be reduced and the desired objective will be achieved much sooner, with the resulting positive impact in terms of the patient’s peace of mind.

4. Financial pressure

   Performing multiple interventions in a short time can be financially demanding, as the costs associated with surgery, hospitalisation, and recovery can quickly add up. Even if savings are achieved in the total cost of all interventions, doing them all at once can put financial pressure on the person and their support systems. In this sense, it is important to take into account how much transgender surgery costs, we will tell you HERE.

WHERE TO CARRY OUT TOTAL GENDER-AFFIRMING SURGERY?

Not all medical centres are equipped to offer full gender affirmation surgery. It is essential to look for centres with experience and specialisation in gender-affirming surgery, that have a multidisciplinary approach and gender-sensitive care protocols.

Here are the conditions that a centre must meet to perform this type of surgery:

• Experience and specialisation: The centre must have a medical team highly trained and experienced in gender-affirming surgery, including plastic surgeons, otorhinolaryngologists, maxillofacial surgeons, urologists, gynaecologists and other specialists necessary to perform a wide range of procedures.
• Multidisciplinary approach:It is recommended that the centre have a multidisciplinary approach, with a team that includes not only surgeons, but also psychologists, endocrinologists, social workers and other mental and physical health professionals who can provide comprehensive support before, during and after of surgical interventions.
• Adequate medical facilities and equipment:The centre must have adequate medical facilities and cutting-edge surgical equipment to perform complex procedures with the highest standards of safety and quality.
• Gender-sensitive care protocols:It is essential that the centre has gender-sensitive care protocols that respect the gender identity of the patients. This includes using preferred pronouns and names, as well as creating a welcoming and respectful environment for transgender people.
• Thorough counselling and evaluation:Before performing any surgical intervention, the facility must provide thorough counselling and evaluation to patients, including psychological, medical, and social evaluations to ensure they are physically and emotionally prepared for the procedure.
• Post-operative follow-up: After surgery, the facility must offer ongoing post-operative follow-up and quality medical care to ensure a successful recovery and address any problems or complications that may arise.
• Commitment to education and research:Centres that perform gender-affirming surgery must be committed to continuing medical education and research in this field, to constantly improve surgical techniques and care for transgender people.

WHY CHOOSE TO CARRY OUT ALL GENDER-AFFIRMING INTERVENTIONS IN A SHORT TIME?

The decision to perform all interventions in a relatively short period of time is personal and may vary depending on the individual needs of the patient. However, there are several reasons why a patient might consider full gender-affirming surgery:

• Relief from emotional distress: Many transgender people experience gender dysphoria, which is emotional distress caused by the discrepancy between the sex assigned at birth and their experienced gender identity. Full gender-affirming surgery can cause specific stress, as all the emotional burden of facing numerous interventions is concentrated in a short time. However, people who undergo several surgeries at the same time feel great relief because, after years of suffering from dysphoria, the achievement of their desire and the mental change that it entails are magnified, obtaining immediate relief and a definitive satisfaction.
• Immediate improvement in quality of life: Full gender-affirming surgery can help transgender people feel more aligned with their gender identity and reduce, in less time, the incongruence between their gender identity and their physical appearance. In this sense, carrying out all the interventions in less time will avoid prolonging the transition process, offering a definitive result much sooner. Recovery may be prolonged, since there are more surgeries at once, but, once all the interventions are carried out, it will significantly improve the quality of life of the patients by allowing them to live in a more authentic and satisfactory way, forgetting to think about «the next surgery».
• Better results, with greater control of complications: Another reason for carrying out all gender-affirming surgeries at once is that the aesthetic and functional result can be more harmonious and coherent. The joint work of a multidisciplinary team allows for unified criteria and fluid communication between specialists responsible for the different surgeries. Furthermore, although there is a greater risk of complications, due to the proximity of interventions and the shorter recovery time between them, performing all surgeries in the same centre facilitates control, communication and effective and timely intervention to control them.
• Long-term economic savings:Although carrying out all the interventions in a short time can entail significant economic pressure, the fact of concentrating them and carrying them out in the same centre, by the same team of professionals, will mean savings in the total price of gender-affirming surgery.