What Transgender Men Can Expect When Getting Top Surgery
As of posting this piece, I am four weeks after having male chest reconstruction, also known as FTM (female-to-male) top surgery. There are a number of different types of top surgery options available for transgender men. Because of the size of my breasts and the lack of elasticity of my skin, I had a double incision with free nipple graft procedure performed. This is the most common type of top surgery and the only one I have had experience with, so all the details are based specifically on that type of surgery.
The purpose of my writing this piece is to give other transgender men who are planning on having top surgery an idea of what to expect, as this is often the first surgery many transgender men have. This article assumes you have had your initial consultation and have a scheduled surgery date.
This account is based on my personal experience, after having gone through several surgeries in 2018 and 2019, including top surgery. All of my surgeries had a lot in common when it came to pre-op instructions and surgery day preparation. They were performed at three different surgical facilities, so I try to note differences in protocols where I can. Keep in mind that where you go for your surgery may have slightly different protocols than I experienced.
