Transgender Teen Survival Guide

Asked by Anonymous

gendercube:

Absolutely. The question is a bit vague, so I’m not sure what all you want to know. It’s not unheard of for people to have surgery before they go on testosterone. Some people simply feel more dysphoric about their chests than about other aspects of their bodies, so getting that out of the way first becomes a priority. That was the experience of a close friend of mine, who started T about 3 months on top surgery. I know that Dr. Garramone and Dr. Crane don’t require their patients to be on testosterone to have surgery done, so if you’re looking for surgeons then those are two great places to start.

If you have specific questions regarding this then feel free to send them in.

Lee says:

The current WPATH guidelines say:

“Criteria for mastectomy and creation of a male chest in FtM patients: 

1. Persistent, well-documented gender dysphoria
2. Capacity to make a fully informed decision and to consent for treatment
3. Age of majority in a given country (if younger, follow the SOC for children and adolescents)
4. If significant medical or mental health concerns are present, they must be reasonably well controlled
5. Hormone therapy is not a prerequisite
   

Genital surgery should not be carried out until (i) patients reach the legal age of majority in a given country, and (ii) patients have lived continuously for at least 12 months in the gender role that is congruent with their gender identity. The age threshold should be seen as a minimum criterion and not an indication in and of itself for active intervention. 

Chest surgery in FtM patients could be carried out earlier, preferably after ample time of living in the desired gender role and after one year of testosterone treatment. The intent of this suggested sequence is to give adolescents sufficient opportunity to experience and socially adjust in a more masculine gender role, before undergoing irreversible surgery. However, different approaches may be more suitable, depending on an adolescent’s specific clinical situation and goals for gender identity expression.”

Followers say:

yourboiashketchum said: some insurances require you to be on T for a specific amount of time before getting top surgery; mine requires a year, but also allows for you to bypass that if you can prove it’s “medically necessary,” which i assume is a letter from a therapist that states it is in your specific case