At Larson Plastic Surgery, our expert team will support you through every stage of your top surgery near Phoenix, helping you achieve a physical appearance that better reflects your true self. This is a transformative journey, and we do not take that lightly. We promise to make every effort to respect your pronouns and your name throughout the process.
Each person’s body and goals are different. We provide individualized treatment with a process that incorporates patient education from start to finish. Our team guides you through the procedure and your options, whether you are looking for chest masculinization, chest feminization, non-binary chest surgery, or something custom.
Although this can be a difficult surgery that many doctors don’t attempt, our board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Ethan Larson, specializes in gender affirming surgery and performs over 100 of these procedures annually. A nationally known expert in transgender health, he partners with the University of Arizona on research to improve patient mental health and long-term results.
If you’re interested in gender affirming top surgery, read on to learn how our office partners with you to help you meet your aesthetic goals and set realistic expectations for this procedure.
Finding Inspiration
Just as you take a reference image for your haircut, bring photos of desired chest results for your top surgery near Phoenix. Find someone with a similar physique who has the chest you desire. This helps give us an idea of how to move forward with the procedure. We strongly encourage you to look through our before and after photos for additional inspiration. This also gives you more of an idea of how your chest could look post-procedure.
Consultation: Setting Realistic Goals
This process starts with an in-depth and highly individualized consultation where we get to know each other. We recommend bringing a family member or friend for support. We talk about your transition history, and whether you’ve been on or are interested in hormone medications. Although this is not a factor in your procedure, we highly recommend staying on your medications for a full year before your top surgery. However, we understand that gender dysphoria may make your procedure more urgent.
Based on your desired chest contour, we will ask about your lifestyle and future plans, as those details could impact your results. Top surgery sometimes requires maintenance, so we will provide you with advice on how to keep your chest looking as closely aligned with your gender identity as possible.
Before proceeding, we may also run a few health screenings or lab work to make sure nothing can prevent you from receiving the best possible surgery.
Risks
We’ll thoroughly cover potential risks like hematoma, lost nipple sensation, bleeding, implant leakage, infection, and incision healing problems. Thanks to Dr. Larson’s experience, his numerous procedures boast low complication rates and high patient satisfaction.
This is also your opportunity to ask us any questions you may have, whether that’s regarding our expertise or the procedure itself. We prioritize open communication to maintain understanding among everyone involved. This is also when we can provide a quote for the surgery and discuss flexible financing options with you.
After all the discussion, we can finally start the planning process.
Chest Masculinization
If you’re undergoing female-to-male top surgery near Phoenix, we can help you achieve your desired chest by removing the breast fat and tissue with liposuction and then reshaping the tissue to create a more masculine contour. During your consultation, we can discuss the different techniques and options, some of which include:
- Double-incision top surgery with nipple grafts
- Periareolar top surgery
- Keyhole top surgery
Dr. Larson often may use liposuction, which allows him to be gentle and precise when removing and sculpting the fat on the chest. Masculinization often involves removing armpit bulges or sculpting the chest. These little details really matter in crafting the ideal chest! He may then pair it with VASER, and Renuvion, a skin tightening technology that encourages collagen production.
Sometimes, men may need their nipples and areolas removed, reshaped, resized, and replaced as a graft. Before your surgery, Dr. Larson will go over your options for male nipples, which include:
- Projection
- Size
- Location
- Incision placements
During the procedure, Dr. Larson uses the ASSI Oval Areola Marker he designed for the purpose of creating a more masculine chest for female-to-male top surgery and gynecomastia surgery.
To make sure that you understand what your results will look like from your gender affirming mastectomy, Dr. Larson will draw pictures to help you visualize your chest post-procedure and recovery.
Chest Feminization
If you’re undergoing male-to-female top surgery or breast augmentation and are seeking a fuller chest, Dr. Larson focuses on aesthetics and functionality, helping you achieve natural-looking results. This procedure involves using implants to create a more feminine shape for your breast. During your consultation, you can expect to discuss the following options for your chest feminization:
- Size
- Cleavage
- Silicone vs. Saline
- Type of implant
- Implant Manufacturer
- Incision location
- Pocket location
- Potential for fat grafting
If you’re interested in learning more about each of these options, read our blog where we break down every decision you make when receiving breast augmentation.
For male-to-female top surgery near Phoenix, Dr. Larson uses the Vectra H2 3D Imaging System to help you visualize the results of your procedure before it happens and accurately determine what appearance will suit you best.
Non-Binary Chest Surgery
Your non-binary chest surgery may use the techniques listed under chest masculinization or feminization, depending on your desired outcome and what aligns with your gender identity. We can customize and tailor the procedure to you, and we’ll discuss all of your options during the consultation.
Try to visualize what sort of breast mound, if any, you want, and consider the size, shape, and location. Any pictures you can bring of your desired chest (either on cis or trans people) will be very helpful.
Our office also performs nipple surgeries as a standalone service to patients looking to refine or reshape their nipples and improve symmetry or size.
Ready to start your transformation? You can start from the comfort of your home with our online treatment planner tool.
Secondary Consultation
During the first consultation, we set you up with a patient portal where you can access all the educational material discussed during your visit, as well as the pictures of your expected results.
Before your procedure, we ask that you come in one more time for a secondary consultation after you’ve had time to thoroughly review the information given to you and think about your options. We want you to be confident in your decision while we stay on the same page.
Before Your Procedure
We require that you abstain from nicotine for 6 weeks, and alcohol and drugs for at least 2 weeks prior to surgery. This is because carbon monoxide, such as that present in cigarette smoke, binds to your hemoglobin and damages its ability to carry oxygen to a healing wound. Nicotine in any form also constricts your blood vessels and greatly inhibits wound healing and nipple survival.
If you are on any hormones such as estrogen or testosterone, we ask that you stay off of them for 2 weeks prior to your procedure as well. We can discuss more pre-procedure guidelines during your consultation. You can resume them shortly following your procedure.
Procedure
For your comfort, we will put you under general anesthesia. Depending on the type of top surgery and your preferences, it could take anywhere from 1.5 to 4 hours. We ask that you bring someone for support who can also drive you home after surgery. Usually, you should be able to go home or to a hotel the same day after receiving top surgery near Phoenix.
At Larson Plastic Surgery, our team prioritizes your comfort during this process. From making sure you’re confident in your decisions, to helping you stay at ease and relaxed during the procedure, we always approach your transformation with compassion, understanding, and openmindedness.
What about scarring?
Because Dr. Larson is a top-tier plastic surgeon, he has a variety of techniques to minimize scarring. However, some surgeries will still leave scars that vary in size depending on the extent of the procedure. For chest masculinization, you can expect scars based on the incision site and how much excess skin or breast tissue we had to remove.
Fortunately, because we focus on giving you remarkable results, we invest in the best technology and continue to educate and train ourselves on the newest techniques. Currently, we often use Renuvion to help tighten skin and reduce the risk of scarring. To promote scar healing, we use BRIJITT, a noninvasive closure technology that secures the wound better than glue or staples.
Dr. Larson will thoroughly explain scarring to you, giving you realistic expectations to avoid surprises after your surgery.
Recovery
Your recovery will vary depending on your unique treatment. We ask that you remain off nicotine for 6 more weeks after surgery, or just stop using it all together. We also ask that you restrict certain activities, like heavy lifting, for up to 6 weeks after surgery.
Chest Masculinization
Chest masculinization recovery varies depending on the procedure. This can take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. You can expect to wear compression garments, which we will order for you and teach you how to wear. We may ask you to purchase Aquaphor if your treatment involves nipple grafting.
If your surgery requires drains, we will ask you to come back so we can remove them with minimal pain. Drains draw out fluid that collects under your incisions and reduces the risk of hematoma or blood clots forming. Watch this video of Dr. Larson performed a drain removal on a patient who received top surgery near Phoenix.
Still Worried? Please note that drainless surgery is also possible! If that interests you, ask about it during your consultation.
Chest Feminization
We ask that you avoid strenuous activity for 6 weeks. After 2 to 3 weeks, light exercise should be fine. We will discuss specific guidelines with you after your procedure. During your recovery, we strongly encourage questions and communication.
Start Your Journey
Our experienced staff can help you feel comfortable taking the transformative journey to revealing your true self with gender affirming top surgery near Phoenix. We have experience working with the transgender community and encourage you to take this step in investing in yourself. You won’t have to do it alone. We offer guidance, education, and support from your consultation and beyond.
If you’re ready to enhance your confidence in your gender identity, contact us to schedule your first appointment.
