Chest Surgery for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Individuals

Chest surgery can greatly facilitate the experience of living in a gender role. For transfeminine chest surgery, most surgeons recommend a 12-month period of feminizing hormone therapy prior to breast augmentation. For those who already have some breast volume due to hormone treatment, lipofilling can be a good option. Transmasculine chest surgery includes mastectomy and creation of a male chest. Preoperative parameters to be evaluated include breast volume, degree of excess skin, nipple-areola complex size and position, and skin elasticity. The algorithm the authors developed and modified can help choose from 5 techniques, resulting in an aesthetically pleasing male chest.