My binder was never tight enough for me.
I tugged and fussed, checking myself from the side in the mirror.
No matter what I did, my breasts were still there.
Photographer: Sire Leo Lamar
I was aware ofgender dysphoria, but the constant, nagging irritation of my breasts was unbearable.
I felt guilty for wanting what they had or, rather, what they didn’t have.
Life withouta bindersounded like a dream come true.
Photographer: Sire Leo Lamar
But because I wasn’t a cancer patient, a mastectomy wasn’t in my future.
In the Venn diagram of chest reshaping procedures, the overlap between the two surgeries is significant.
For me, top surgery meant life in a body that felt right, at last.
Photographer: Christine Hahn
Mastectomy vs. Top Surgery: What’s the Difference?
But this isn’t necessarily the procedure that will help you attain the look you want.
Bowers believes that aesthetics are an intrinsic part of every procedure, from phalloplasty to episiotomy.
Photographer: Sire Leo Lamar
“When you do things beautifully, the body agrees.
It [is less likely to] form scar tissue.
Sensation returns more easily.
Photographer: Christine Hahn
There are a lot of good things that go with it, aside from the visual outcome.”
“We dont have to attach gender to everything.
Anatomy doesnt have a gender and tissue isn’t gendered.”
Photographer: Sire Leo Lamar
“We dont have to attach gender to everything.
Anatomydoesnt have a genderand tissue isn’t gendered,” says Berli.
“We treat what we have.
We all have breast tissue.
I tell patients that words like ‘nipple’ and ‘areola’ are normal, everyone has them.
Focusing on anatomy is universal.”
Jenq says the best possible surgical outcome is based on finding aesthetic and functional congruence in the patients preferences.
“Some people who identify as nonbinary dont necessarily want a mastectomy and a masculinized chest.
Bowers recommends that any prospective patient looks for a surgeon who has made a point of being affirming.
“Sometimes, it’s a fine line to walk.”
One of the most common routes through which trans people find their providers is simply word of mouth.
Similarly, if you have a therapist or general practitioner you trust, ask them for referrals.
Getting direct support to find the right doctor may make the process less stressful.
It is critical to find a trans-affirming surgeon who understands the aesthetic challenges of top surgery.
(This is a great step to take regardless of how you find them.)
In addition to trans-affirming care, it is critical to find asurgeon who understandsthe aesthetic challenges of top surgery.
“He woke up without nipples!”
“He had to have tattoos done.
From person to person, a post-op chest mayappearsimilar but is unlikely to feel or look identical.
Each person has a different chest, so their skin reacts differently and their chest wall size is different.
There are slight variations,” she explains.
Dispelling unrealistic ideas about scar-free surgery, especially with anchor-hook or double-incision procedures, can help prevent disappointment.
Nerves and skin are cut in surgery and healing time can vary from patient to patient.
“In my experience, not all transgender people need or want surgery.
“The state of the science says that we should be expanding access, not limiting it.
[Top surgery] is truly a life-saving intervention.
It’s a no-brainer, but looking and feeling like yourself is vital for mental health and general wellness.
For many, supportive medical care is part of that experience.
The result isn’t just binder-free living.
