Body Contouring
Welcome to Legacy Surgical Partners – we look forward to caring for you! Our priority is to make your surgery process and everything in between as pleasurable, empowering, and accessible as possible. Patients are expected to follow guidelines established by the WPATH Standards of care Version 8. We follow these standards—not as a gatekeeping hurdle—but as minimal guidelines that are useful guideposts that are protective. Though regret for gender affirming surgery is extremely rare, we are medical professionals who are here at your bequest. Surgery is irreversible, which puts the onus of responsibility on both patient and provider.
We're here to help you make essential decisions and know what to expect in surgery planning and recovery. Our team consists of:
- Surgeons
- A physician assistant
- Medical assistants
- Our surgery scheduler
- Office team
- And you
That’s right, you! We value your input, your perspective and all the work you are and will be doing to prepare for and recover from surgery. We look forward to getting to know you better and learning how we can help you.
We want to make your surgery and recovery as smooth as possible. We’ll answer any questions you have and make sure you have the best possible outcome.
I. Body Contouring Overview
We know this surgery is extremely important. It takes incredible trust to allow a surgeon to perform this operation. We want you to know we are humbled by that trust and take it very seriously.
The first step in this complex process is understanding your options and creating a plan that meets your needs. We’ve created this overview to help you make important decisions and know what to expect.
What is body contouring surgery?
Body Contouring surgery is a surgery to sculpt and contour the abdomen, flanks, back, and eremites to give a body shape more in line with your gender presentation. There are three main goals to body contouring surgery:
- Remove fat tissue and sculpt.
- Remove excess skin if needed.
- Add volume to areas that are desired to be more full.
Each patient’s surgery and results are different.
II. Before Surgery
Before your first consultation, we encourage you to:
- Consider your goals and priorities for surgery.
- Write down your questions and bring them with you to your visit.
- Ask a support person to come with you. Ideally, the same person who will care for you after surgery.
Your First Consultation
Your first consultation is an opportunity for us to learn about your hopes and goals. You will be given a questionnaire to help us meet your needs and measure the results. Your surgeon will review various surgical options and explain the process. Once we understand your goals, we will:
- Evaluate your anatomy.
- Pre operative pictures will be taken.
- Assess your overall health to see which surgeries can meet your goals. You may be asked to lose weight or make lifestyle changes to prepare your body for surgery.
A fair amount of time is spent during the consultation with your surgeon, but you may also meet the other members of your care team.
Body Contouring Options
There are many techniques that are available and the names may be different from office or office. We will cover the most common techniques for body contouring surgery.
Liposuction or Suction Assisted Lipectomy
Skin Excision: Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck), Brachioplasty (Arm reduction), Monsplasty
Fat Grafting, or Lipofilling
III. Preparing for Surgery
Body contouring is a surgery that will limit physical activity typically 4-6 weeks. A large part of its success depends on your preparedness. This means being in the best possible physical and mental health before the surgery.
Above all else, it is critical to have reasonable expectations about what is possible for your body and what your surgeon can realistically accomplish. We recommend you:
- Talk with a mental health professional with an understanding of gender care to help navigate this challenging and exciting period of your life.
- Connect with peers who have been through this surgery for support. Please keep in mind that each person’s surgical plan and experience is unique. Information shared on some forums may not be relevant to your surgery. Due to patient privacy laws, we never comment on another patient’s specific issues. We are happy to clarify anything related to your individual care.
This guide will help you meet all the pre-surgery requirements, prepare for surgery, and plan for your recovery. We are here to help make sure your surgery is successful.
Maximizing Healing
IV. Planning for Recovery
We understand the importance and urgency of this surgery. We also know your success hinges on being well-prepared. Remember this is a lifelong investment in your health. Optimal preparation can improve your chances of positive physical and mental health outcomes.
V. Surgical Results Gallery
Below are examples of body contouring surgeries performed by our team. These images are shared with full patient consent and are intended to help you understand what to expect. They include pre-op and post-op views, which may contain nudity and surgical results.
Frequently Asked Questions