Gender-Affirming Surgeries

The compassionate plastic surgeons at Weill Cornell Medicine are here to help you live in a more confident and embodied way. Our team provides the full range of procedures to enhance your body to align with your gender identity.

We understand that every person’s journey around transition is unique and begins long before any surgical procedure. Surgery is not necessary to affirm your identity, but our team is here to help support you while you navigate the surgical and medical portions of your transition. We will help you create a transition plan as well as guide you throughout the process.

We personalize the most advanced plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures available to meet your unique goals and expectations. We follow the World Professional Association for Transgender Health standards for your care.

Learn more about the full spectrum of services and resources available at Weill Cornell Medicine for our LGBTQ+ patients.

Why Choose Weill Cornell Medicine for Your Gender-Affirming Surgery?

Exemplary surgeons: Our patients select Weill Cornell Medicine because our surgeons are leaders in plastic and reconstructive surgery and our care team is equipped to promote comfort throughout the process. Our compassionate surgeons are highly skilled in performing the most advanced surgical options, as well as deeply committed to supporting our transgender patients.

Weill Cornell Medicine partners with NewYork-Presbyterian, one of the top hospital systems in New York City and the U.S.

Personalized care: All surgical treatments are designed to meet your individual needs and aesthetic wishes. Our plastic and reconstructive surgeons are highly skilled and able to help you achieve the appearance you want to live fully.

Our team helps patients of all races, ethnicities, genders and gender identities live confidently and vibrantly with gender-affirming surgeries.

Focus on your comfort: Our team prioritizes your comfort at every step in the process. Before your surgery, you will have time to ask your doctor questions so that you feel confident that the surgery is the right choice for you. In state-of-the-art surgical suites, our surgeons use the latest anesthetics and medications that help you recover more quickly and heal faster.

After the surgery, our care team will manage your pain with medication and teach you how to care for yourself as you heal and recover.

Multidisciplinary care from leading experts: When you choose Weill Cornell Medicine, you have access to a network of doctors and specialists. Your team will help you achieve optimal health and well-being so that you can enjoy the life you want.

Gender-Affirming Procedures

Our compassionate, highly skilled surgeons provide our patients with the full range of gender-affirming surgeries, including:

Body contouring and facial rejuvenation: Our team also provides a wide variety of procedures to help you achieve the appearance you want. This may include reshaping the nose, jaw, brow, earlobes or hairline.

Chest reinnervation for transgender patients: This reconstruction technique helps to preserve nerves and reinnervation of the chest skin and nipple. Reinnervation allows for fast sensory recovery with good nipple and skin sensation and return of erogenous sensation. As part of gender affirming mastectomy, the nerves that supply the chest, skin and nipple are removed with the breast tissue resulting in diminished recognition of light touch, pressure and temperature (such as water under the shower)

·      Done as part of transgender mastectomy during the same procedures

·      Patients undergoing any type of gender mastectomy including double incision mastectomy with free nipple grafting are eligible

·      Outpatient procedure

Top surgery: A variety of top surgery procedures can help develop the chest shape you want. Mastectomy is the removal of the chest or breast tissues with refinement of the nipples and areolas. Breast augmentation enlarges the breasts with breast implants.

Tracheal shave: This procedure reduces the size of the Adam’s apple by removing the cartilage from the front larynx. This procedure is also called a “chondrolaryngoplasty” or “thyroid cartilage reduction.”

Vaginoplasty (construction of a vagina): This process involves several steps and can be personalized to suit your goals. Tissues from the penis are used to construct the vagina, clitoris (clitoroplasty) and labia (labiaplasty).

Penile construction (construction of a penis): This process involves several steps and can be personalized according to your goals. This procedure can include removing the vagina (vaginectomy) and reconstructing the urethra (duct that removes urine from the body). Your surgeon will use either vaginal tissue or tissue from another part of the body to construct the penis (phalloplasty).

Revision surgery: If you are unsatisfied with a past surgery, our highly skilled plastic and reconstructive surgeons can help correct it to help you achieve your goals.

Recovering from your surgery: Our plastic and reconstructive surgeons will discuss what to expect as you recover from your specific surgery. Our entire care team is dedicated to helping you feel as comfortable as possible after your surgery, as well as teaching you how to care for yourself as you recover at home.

Make an Appointment

If you are interested in learning more about gender-affirming surgical procedures, we encourage you to make an appointment.

We know that you want the highest level of care and safety for your surgery. Our expanded Digital Health Services and commitment to cleanliness help ensure that you can continue your care to achieve optimum health.