Many heterosexual and transgender patients find themselves feeling extremely self-conscious about the fact that their tracheas or “Adams apples” are extremely prominent. This often results in them seeking a solution when they have facial feminization surgery performed, usually in the form of a trachea shave procedure.
A Closer Look
Also referred to as a chondrolaryngoplasty procedure, a trachea shave consists of having the tracheal or thyroid cartilage shaved by an FFS surgeon to provide the patient with a more feminine appearance. The surgeon will make a small incision in the neck area – usually in one of the existing creases in order to minimize scarring. Before any cutting or shaving takes place, a surgical camera will be inserted in order to locate the patient’s vocal cords, as this will prevent them from being damaged during the procedure. Once the vocal cords have been located, the surgery will take place and upon completion, the incision will be stitched up again.
Recovery Time
When having this procedure performed, patients will be pleased to know that the recovery time is normally relatively quick – usually a week or two at the very most (depending on whether other procedures are being performed at the same time or not). In most cases, the patient is discharged from the hospital within 12 hours and may experience a little discomfort in the form of a sore throat, bruising, swelling and a weak voice for the first few days afterwards. Although pain medication will be prescribed to help patients get through the first few days after the surgery, they can use ice packs to help reduce swelling as well.
Enjoying the End Results
As with other forms of facial feminization surgery, the effects of a trachea shave procedure are extremely noticeable afterwards. Patients will be able to show off a much smoother neckline, while their ‘Adams apple’ will be a lot less prominent. An added advantage of this procedure is that the end results are permanent, which results in most patients being extremely happy that they have had it performed. The entire procedure usually takes no longer than about an hour to perform, making it one of the quicker forms of FFS surgery that are available.
Booking a Surgeon
Very few plastic surgeons specialize in facial feminization procedures, which is why it is crucial for patients to find one that does before going under the knife. It is imperative to locate a surgeon who is highly trained and who has performed a number of these procedures already, as this will ensure that it is performed according to the highest possible industry standards. Patients should also base their choice of surgeon on his or her reputation instead of looking for one who can do the job for the lowest price.
Anyone who is considering the option of having a tracheal shave procedure performed should not hesitate to schedule an appointment at our practice today. Our surgeons will be more than willing to discuss the option with them as well as answer any questions they may have pertaining to the procedure.