Top Surgery & Chest Masculinization

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.

Watch Video →

I. Chest Masculinization Overview

We understand 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 chest masculinization surgery?

Chest masculinization surgery is done to sculpt and contour the chest with the objective of giving it a more masculine appearance, as well as to change the size, shape, and location of the nipple.There are three main goals to chest masculinization surgery:

Remove chest tissue and sculpt the chest.
Remove excess skin if needed.
Remove, reposition, reshape nipple if desired.

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. 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.

Chest Masculinizing Options

There are many techniques that are available and the names may be different from practice to practice. We will cover the most common techniques for chest masculinization surgery, but if you do not see an option that aligns with your goals, please ask.

III. Preparing for Surgery

Chest masculinization 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:

Speak with a mental health professional who has an understanding of gender care to help navigate this complex process 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 and result is unique. Information shared on some online forums may not be relevant to your surgery. Due to patient privacy laws, we never comment on another patient’s specific issues or experiences. 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

We like to think about surgery like running a marathon. You will be stressing your body and will have to do significant healing. In the months and weeks leading up to surgery, maximizing your health—both mental and physical—will aid in having a swift recovery. To maximize healing, we recommend:

Getting roughly 0.5 gram of protein per weight in lbs a day to maximize healing (eg:150lb x 0.5=75g of protein per day).
Reducing sugar intake and processed foods.
Remaining active before having surgery. Keeping up with or adding a workout plan will benefit your overall health and support a speedy recovery. Examples can include adding daily walking, home yoga, or simple home workouts with body weight to your weekly routines.

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 chest masculinization 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.