What happens during sex change surgery? & bull; hello healthy

d Sex change surgery aka genital reconstruction is a medical procedure that changes the genital organs from one gender to another. There are many reasons behind a person's decision to undergo sex change surgery. So, what is the procedure like?

Why would someone want to change gender?

There are two main reasons why most doctors give the green light to their patients undergoing sex change surgery. First, for newborns diagnosed with a penis and vagina, aka intersexual. Multiple sex is a birth defect that can affect future growth and development, so babies who are multiple sexes should be “given” one of the sexes as soon as possible.

However, the statement issued by the UN in 2013 at Special Rapporteur on Torture stated that the implementation Sex change surgery without the consent of the body owner is illegal. So in babies born with two different sexes, sex surgery must and can only be done after he is 18 years old. At that age, children already have the freedom and responsibility to be able to choose their own gender according to their beliefs.

Sex change surgery can also be done as part of therapy for gender dysphoria which is common among transgender people. This operation aims to change the physical appearance and function of sexual characteristics in a person's body in order to adjust the anatomical characteristics of the body to resemble the gender they believe.

What are the stages of starting sex change surgery?

Reporting from The Washington Post, the very first step before carrying out sex change surgery is usually a consultation session with a professional mental health counselor to conduct a diagnosis and psychotherapy. A diagnosis of gender identity disorder or gender dysphoria and a formal letter of recommendation from the therapist in question allows the individual to start hormone therapy under the supervision of a doctor.

Androgens are given to transgender men (from women to men) to help them develop secondary male sex characteristics, such as beards and body hair, as well as a deeper voice. In contrast, estrogen and anti-androgen hormones are given to transgender women (from men to women) to help them change the voice of muscle mass, skin, body fat distribution, and widening of the hips. A number of these things will make their physical appearance more feminine. Typical male body hair will also be lost.

Hormone therapy will then be followed by a life adjustment test for the patient to do his or her normal activities in the real world, no longer with his 'old' gender but as a person with the gender he believes in, for approximately one year - school, work, monthly shopping, and replacement. their first name. This is done to prove to the surgeon that other people around him, apart from the therapist, admit that he has successfully lived life as a "new" person.

After that, the doctor will carry out a number of procedures to change the genitalia and other parts of the body.

What is the procedure for sex change surgery?

From man to woman

Male-to-female sex reassignment surgery involves removing the penis and testicles, and cutting the urethra into a shorter length. A portion of the remaining skin will be used to graft the vaginal support tissue and form a functional, intact vagina. A "neoclitoris" that allows transgender women to feel the sensation of orgasm can be created from the part of the penis. Transgender women will retain their prostate.

After the procedure, the patient will continue to use hormones to reshape body contours and stimulate breast growth or perform breast enlargement. Plastic surgery to “beautify” the face, such as changing the shape of the eyes, cheekbones, nose, eyebrows, chin, hair, and removing the Adam's apple can also be done.

From woman to man

In female to male sex change surgery is divided into three stages. First, a subcutaneous mastectomy will be performed. Then, the uterus and ovaries are removed, in two separate procedures. The final procedure involves genital transformation, scrotoplasty, and the creation of the penis using tissue from the clitoris or vulva or other body tissue that allows sexual sensations.

Women who wish to change their identity to a boy may also undergo vaginal removal as well as urethral lengthening (vaginectomy) to allow her to urinate standing up. Urethra lengthening is the most difficult procedure of the whole process. After one year, the penis (erection) and artificial testicles can be transplanted when sexual sensations have returned to the tip of the penis.

In addition to a genital procedure, plastic surgery will be performed to make the chest look more masculine - it no longer looks like a breast.

Even so, the success rate of sex change surgery from woman to man is low. The reason is, the procedure for making a new, optimally functioning penis is quite difficult when it is only built from much less clitoral tissue.

Are there any risks and side effects of sex change surgery?

Like any medical procedure, sex change surgery carries the risk of infection, bleeding, and possibly other medical tests to repair the damage. Sex change surgery is permanent and irreversible. Then you must be absolutely sure before undergoing this operation. Even so, many people are satisfied with the results they have gotten.

The most common complication of male to female sex reassignment surgery is narrowing of the new vaginal canal. However, this can be treated by dilating (widening) or using a portion of the colon tissue to create the vagina. Meanwhile, a complication of the female to male procedure is penile dysfunction. Artificial penis grafts are a difficult procedure and will not produce a uniform appearance.

Sex reassignment surgery is prone to causing psychological and social problems

What should be noted, apart from the physical complications, sex change surgery can also affect the new quality of life of the person. Transgender people with new identities often lose their partners, family, friends, and even jobs. They may even find it difficult if forced to move and start a new life.

A 2011 journal PLOS ONE of a follow-up study of 324 Swedes who had undergone sex change surgery showed that they had a higher risk of death, suicidal behavior, and psychiatric disorders than the general population.

The conclusions of the study suggest that although sex change surgery can relieve symptoms of gender dysphoria, it may not be effective enough as an overall therapy. That is why therapy sessions with a psychologist are mandatory before and after undergoing this procedure to prevent recurrence of symptoms of gender dysphoria, even after changing identities.