Facial and Cosmetic Surgery Process

In the genetic male, the eyebrows are usually positioned lower and the brow bone is more prominent. An eyebrow lift and contouring of the forehead bone give a more feminine and softer appearance.

Our transgender institute specializes in many types of minimally invasive brow lifts. The most common type is the endoscopic brow lift that uses small incisions above the hairline. A small camera is used to reposition the brow with small surgical instruments.

The brow bones and forehead bone can also be surgically contoured to soften the look of the upper face.

There are many types of lower face and neck lifts that can help contour and reshape the neck and jawline to give a more feminine look. These procedures are usually performed through incisions around the ears and a small incision just below the chin. This allows us to elevate the deeper tissue in the lower face, which gives a more “heart” shaped face with a slimmer and more feminine jawline. Recovery time is typically 2-3 weeks.

A feminine nose tends to be slightly smaller with a little curvature along the profile of the nose. This look can be easily achieved with many of our rhinoplasty surgical techniques. We can reshape bones, soften bumps along the bridge of the nose and soften the angles around the tip of the nose to give it that feminine look. Recovery time is typically 1-2 weeks.

Upper blepharoplasty (upper eyelid surgery) can be used to feminize the eye area. A feminine eyelid tends to have less heaviness. We can make an incision along the crease of the upper eyelid to remove a crescent moon shaped section of skin. Through this incision, we can also remove any excess fat and tighten muscles in the eyelid to give a more open and feminine look to the eyelid. This will allow more of the eyelid skin to show above the eyelashes and give room for application of eyeliner or mascara, etc.

Fractional laser resurfacing is a newer technology that allows us to dramatically improve the quality and texture of the skin. We use a computer-guided software to deliver small columns of energy into the skin, which forces a new layer of skin to grow with brand new collagen and elastin fibers.

This treatment can soften wrinkles, firm the skin, brighten the complexion, diminish pore size and remove sun damage. Downtime is usually 1-2 weeks.

The female lip tends to have more volume and definition than a thinner male lip. We have several dermal fillers that can enhance, augment and reshape the lips to give them a softer look. These fillers have a longevity of approximately 10-12 months.

The male neck tends to have a prominent protrusion of the tracheal cartilage. Chondrolaryngoplasty (commonly called tracheal shave) is a surgical procedure in which the thyroid cartilage is reduced in size by shaving down the cartilage through an incision in the throat, generally to aid those who are uncomfortable with the girth of their Adam’s apple. A small incision along the natural crease lines in the neck can be made to access and reshape this cartilage to give it a more feminine appearance. This is a short outpatient procedure that has about 1-2 weeks recovery time and tends to be one of the most common cosmetic transgender surgeries performed.

The female face tends to have more lateral (outer) cheek prominence verses the central prominence of the male cheek. Cheek implants placed in the outer portion of the cheek through small incisions inside the mouth can give improved feminization.

We can use newer liposuction techniques to reshape and tighten stubborn fat bulges and loose skin. Females tend to have an hourglass shape versus the square masculine waistline. Our liposuction and laser liposuction techniques can bring in the waistline to give that curvy hourglass appearance. The laser liposuction has the added benefit of heating and contracting the skin along the inner surface to improve the skin laxity and give the liposuction results a smoother appearance. Compression garments are worn for 6-8 weeks for best results and the majority of patients can resume work or light physical activity after one week.

We can utilize the fat harvested from any liposuction procedure to transfer to the buttocks. This gives the buttocks a rounder and more feminine appearance particularly if there is any flatness in the central portion of the buttocks. The amount of augmentation can be tailored to your desired look. Recovery usually requires 3 weeks of avoiding hard surfaces when sitting.

There are 2 main types of facial implants used to give the face a more masculine appearance. A prominent chin and an angular jawline give the face a more masculine look. Chin implants and mandible (jawline) implants can be inserted through small incisions inside the mouth and most of the time there is no visible scar. These implants come in various sizes and the appropriate size and shape of the implant will be determined during your consultation.

Some facial contouring can also be achieved using dermal fillers. These fillers can last from 1-2 years and are simple office visit procedures. This is a great option if you want to “test drive” the look of a facial implant or simply want to reshape your face with no downtime.

A masculine nose is usually slightly more prominent, has no slope and is more angular. We can perform nose surgery to achieve this masculine look.

You will be seen in our clinic several times in the first few weeks for post-operative appointments to make sure you are healing well.

Prior to your surgery, you will have a pre-operative appointment with one of our surgery coordinators to go over all the post-operative instructions for your specific type of surgery.

You usually need to remain in Los Angeles for at least a week after breast augmentation, facial surgery, and other procedures. Our Transgender Institute believes it is important that you do not leave town unless we are reasonably sure that no complications will occur.

The price for the different cosmetic procedures is determined by the operation necessary. Patients from outside the area are encouraged to send us photos, preferably on email as jpegs. Once these photos are obtained, our transgender surgeons will phone you for a consultation.

It is our goal to make sure you receive the best results and have a great experience at our Transgender Institute as you go through this exciting transition in your life. We are looking forward to welcoming you to our transgender family.

If you have any questions about Facial and Cosmetic Surgery, please feel free to contact our Transgender Institute so we can set up a consultation with our Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, and craniofacial specialist Dr. Youssef.