Tracy Said:

Can Female to Male surgery shorten your life?

We Answered:

The thing to understand about lifespan statistics is that there are very, very few things that one person can do that will directly cause that person to live a shorter life. In a sampling of a large population, one can see trends of correlation and causation, such as (for an easy to research example) people who smoke tend to develop lung cancer alarmingly faster than people who do not smoke. But just because a person smokes, it doesn't automatically mean that single person is destined to get lung cancer and die.

There are some statistics that say that men tend to live shorter lives than women on average. However, keep in mind that men tend to also be more like to work physically dangerous jobs and are more likely to act in ways that are foolhardy compared to how women generally act. I think you're not likely to affected by these particular statistics, given your situation.

FtM surgery is not any more likely to shorten your life than any other kind of surgery. You're going to be anesthetized for probably a pretty good length of time. Your body is going to be undergoing some pretty unfamiliar physical stresses. These all put you at risk for injury, damage and even the possibility of death during the actual surgery. You have probably undergone a great deal of stress relating to dealing with other people and you have possibly suffered injustices and bigotry based on your gender identity. These stresses can be correlated to a shorter life span.

However, you will be having a surgery to better align your body with your already extant gender identity. This could very well make you feel more at ease with yourself and the world around you and may alleviate much of the stress that you might have faced while going through your sexual transition. This could increase your life span, since happier and well-adjusted people tend to live longer lives than people who are constantly stressed and feel "wrong" somehow.

I think your life span is going to be what it is depending more on your habits, your state of mind, and your family's genetic history than a sexual transition.

P.S. Good luck on your journey! I have a few trans friends and am always excited for other people when they take bold steps toward integrating what's on the inside with what's on the outside.

Angel Said:

What is the process of female to male surgery?

We Answered:

Men don't "become" women or vice-versa.

A transsexual woman is a woman who was born into a male body, but she was never a man.

A transsexual man is a man who was born into a female body, but he was never a woman.



Surgical options for transsexual men aren't very good at present, so many transsexual men don't get it.

Other factors are it can take multiple operations, it's very expensive and insurance does not cover it. As a result most trans men don't get bottom sugery. If they do it's usually a lesser procedure called a metoidioplasty. It releases the clitoris from it's restraining ligament and, because of the influence of testosterone, the result is a small micropenis. They can also have the urethra re-routed through their new penis so they can stand to urinate. This can also be combined with a scrotoplasty, where the labia and implants are used to create a scrotum.

If the person does opt for a phalloplasty (the big, expensive op), the result can be normal sized, but the appearance leaves a lot to be desired. In addition it requires an implanted pump & rod system to create an erection.

Nellie Said:

Is their pain after transsexuals go through male to female surgery.?

We Answered:

Yes there is some pain after SRS but the pain medication they give is pretty good.

Kristina Said:

I need all the details possible on male/female surgery to prevent impregnation, please.?

We Answered:

There is a newer type of outpatient surgery for women, and I think most insurances are covering it. It's is basically a spring they put in both ovaries. I think it only takes a short period of time to get it done and then you can leave. Most woman only have mild cramping and then it is completely done. I'm not sure what the cost on this is though. I'm talking to my doc about this one when I am ready.
You can also have your tubes tied, but this is much more invasive and more time consuming and has more risks. I imagine the price is higher too, but not positive on this.
For a guy, the only thing they can do is to get cut, and while it is fast I have heard can be pretty painful for a few days. I'm betting this would be the cheapest way to go, but again, I have no idea on pricing. I would go to your OB and talk with them about all of it.
Good luck!

Alexander Said:

Male to female surgery does it look realistic?

We Answered:

Let me dispel some of the rumors here. I know of several happily married transwomen, as well as transmen (which by the way is the polite way of referring to transgendered people- "trannie" is a derogatory term, so I implore you not to use it). Surgery for MtF is very convincing. Unfortunately, for FtM the results aren't nearly as good, but it does allow one to live out the life that they were meant to live.

Yes, the new genitals are very realistic and function just like any other woman's. Doctors can't usually even tell-- I can speak from personal experience. Transwomen are essentially the same as cis-women who have had a hysterectomy.

As far as if people can tell if you are an MtF- actually a lot depends on attitude. If you act as though you have something to hide, then people look harder for things about you. Most features which denote gender are usually quite subtle and there is a large overlap of what is considered normal for males and females when it comes to features.

Before you can even consider transitioning, talk with a gender therapist. This is the first step in the long process of transitioning.

Best of luck.