Transsexualism occurs when a person identifies with a gender other than the one they were born with. They may also feel dissatisfied with their sexual identities, gender roles, and physical characteristics. Although it might feel like quite a big step to have your sex altered, some transsexuals choose to do so by undergoing sexual reassignment procedures.
Gender Reassignment Surgery
A gender reassignment surgery is a type of medical procedure where the genital organ is altered from one gender to another. Physical alterations and large dosages of hormones are used to turn males to females, and vice versa.
Male to female surgeries require the removal of the penis and the reshaping of the genital area into a vagina. The latter part is usually performed by using an isolated part of the intestine, and extensive muscle and skin grafts. Large doses of estrogen, which is the female hormone, are regularly administered before the procedure to stimulate the growth of breasts in the chest area and to cause the formation of contours on the hips and the legs.
Female to male surgeries involve two surgical phases: one to remove the female sexual organs, and another to construct a penis using the clitoral tissues. A year-long hiatus between the two surgeries are usually required.
Reasons for Undergoing Sex Reassignment Surgeries
There are two main reasons why gender reassignment surgeries are performed.
The first one is to correct intersex deformities caused by a hormone imbalance or a malformation during the fetal stage. This case usually involves problems with the primordial female genital cause by stimulation of the male hormone. Babies who are born with signs of this problem must be reassigned to a sex in order to prevent complications in the future.
The second reason applies to men and women who feel like they are not physically, emotionally, and mentally comfortable with the gender that they are born with. For cases like this, an intensive psychological examination and evaluation is performed prior to the procedure.
Pre-Surgery Preparations
Like other types of medical procedures, a pre-surgery screening is performed prior to a gender reassignment surgery to ensure that the patient is healthy enough to undergo the procedure.
The surgeon and the patient will discuss and set the realistic goals that they will be targeting. The steps of the surgical process, including the possible complications that the patient may experience, are fully explained as well. In order to help the patient decide whether he really wants a sex reassignment surgery, several alternatives that will help the patient achieve similar results are offered.
Once the patient makes the final decision of undergoing the treatment, the surgeon gets his formal consent and initiates the next step of the process.
Surgical Process
As stated before, female to male gender reassignment surgeries include two phases: the removal of the female reproductive organs and the construction of a functional penis. These phases may be further divided into four main stages.
The first stage involves the removal of the urethral skin, abdominal tube, and the breasts. This phase usually requires seven to nine days’ worth of rest before the next one.
The second stage is the construction of the penis. This is done by taking a part of the abdominal skin and using it to cover a silicone shaft. Six moths after this, the patient will undergo the third stage, which involves forming the urethra and the testicles. The testicles are commonly made from silicone, much like the ones used for testicular implant procedures.
Finally, the silicon penis will be inserted and the necessary glands will be sculpted. This stage also includes the final corrections needed to make the penis function normally.
Male to female sex reassignment surgeries, on the other hand, only take around four to eight hours to complete.
First, a vaginal cavity is made by creating a canal between the urethra and the rectum. The pelvic floor muscles are cut to make way for the neo-vagina. After cutting the penis, the urethra is shortened and directed to the new vaginal opening. The testicles are also removed through a cut in the scrotal skin.
The excess scrotal skin is then shaped to formed the new external genitalia and to make the crotch area look more like that of a female. After this, the clitoris is constructed using a small section of the glans penis. The blood supply and the nerves are left intact, and positioned above the urethra. The labia minora is then constructed using the remaining part of the penis and the prepuce skin.
Recovery
Patients who have undergone sex reassignment surgery need physical rest and psychological support to get through the recovery process. Patients are advised not to engage in any sexual activity for months after the procedure. Any movement in the crotch area should also be kept in the bare minimum to facilitate faster healing.
Patients are also advised to take part in social support groups to help them get acclimated to their new genders faster.