Male to Female Breast Augmentation
A male to female (MTF) breast augmentation is a surgical breast procedure designed to help patients feel more comfortable in their skin and to help them align who they are on the inside with their outer selves that they show to the world. MTF breast augmentation provides patients with a more feminine appearance through the placement of silicone or saline implants, or in some cases, a fat transfer to enhance the shape and size of the breasts.
Houston-area plastic surgeon Dr. Rukmini Rednam is a specialist in breast augmentation and breast reconstruction who understands that gender affirming surgery is about so much more than a physical change. MTF breast augmentation is a medically necessary
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Chest and facial surgery for the transgender patient
Van Boerum MS, Salibian AA, Bluebond-Langner R, Agarwal C
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treatment
for gender dysphoria, and is essential for many women to improve their mental health, sexual confidence, and overall quality of life. Dr. Rednam and our team are honored by each woman who entrusts her body affirming surgery to us, and proud to have helped so many women achieve an outer appearance that matches their true identities.
MTF Breast Augmentation Procedures
MTF breast augmentation is typically performed under total IV sedation or general anesthesia. The technique and procedure used by Dr. Rednam are customized according to the patient’s anatomy and her cosmetic goals, but the outcome is the same: a more feminine and contoured appearance.
Breast augmentation for transgender women is the same in principle as breast augmentation for cis women. However, MTF patients often have a broader chest, thicker chest muscles, and different nipple positioning which needs to be taken into consideration . To achieve the most natural looking breasts, it is important to work with a plastic surgeon who specializes in both cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery and excels in both the technical and artistic aspects of the procedure, like Dr. Rukmini Rednam. Additionally, though hormone therapy is not required of patients undergoing MTF breast augmentation, it can, along with the surgery, provide the most natural looking
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Breast and chest surgery for transgender patients
Ferrando CA
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results.
MTF Breast Augmentation with Implants
Dr. Rednam performs male to female breast augmentation surgery with either silicone or saline implants. To begin the procedure, she creates a carefully hidden incision in the patient’s natural inframammary fold. She will then place the implants and close the incision, checking meticulously to ensure that the implants look symmetrical and natural.
MTF Breast Augmentation after Tissue Expanders
If a patient desires a large breast size but has an overall small natural breast size with minimal distance between the nipple and inframammary (IMF), a preliminary expansion procedure will be performed before the augmentation. Tissue expanders are placed at the future site of each implant, then incrementally filled with fluid during a series of simple office visits. This gradually stretches the skin between the nipple and IMF so that once the implants are placed, they will create a full and natural breast appearance. Once the tissue is expanded, the augmentation is performed as a separate, second procedure, where the tissue expander is replaced with the implant.
Fat Transfer for MTF Breast Augmentation
A patient requesting only a modest augmentation may be a good candidate for fat transfer augmentation. During a fat transfer, Dr. Rednam will remove fat from other areas on the body (the location varies by patient), and place it inside the tissue below and surrounding the natural breasts to augment their shape and size. Though a fat transfer is a less predictable augmentation technique, it can be a good option for select
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candidates.
"Take Up the Space I Deserve" | Emma's Gender Affirming Surgery
MTF Breast Augmentation Recovery
After surgery, a compression dressing is placed around the bust for 5-7 days (except in the case of fat transfer) to help reduce swelling and bruising, and to improve patient comfort during recovery. Dr. Rednam will change a patient’s dressings at her first postoperative appointment and will also discuss scar care and healing.
Patients recovering from a breast augmentation will use a front-zip sports bra from their first postoperative appointment until 6 weeks after surgery. Drainage tubes are placed in very rare cases when necessary.
Patients can expect to see a significant decrease in swelling around 3-4 weeks post-surgery, and total swelling elimination by around 6-9 months after surgery. Typical total recovery—including swelling, scar, and bruise healing, etc.—is usually seen after about one year. Patients undergoing a two-stage implant procedure (tissue expander and implant), typically experience recovery from the implant exchange more quickly and with less pain than the initial expansion procedure.
Pain from the procedure is different for every patient, but most see significant pain decrease after the first 1-2 weeks, requiring no pain medication after this period. During recovery, patients working office jobs can return to work 2-3 weeks after surgery, whereas those in a heavy labor/active position typically must wait around 4-6 weeks. Lower body exercise may be resumed at 2 weeks recovery, and impact exercise, such as running or weights, can be resumed at 6 weeks.
Male to Female Breast Augmentation in Houston: Explore Your Options
For many women, male to female breast augmentation is a crucial step in the journey to achieving an outer appearance that aligns with their authentic selves. As a Board-Certified Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon specializing in cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery, Dr. Rednam has seen firsthand the way nearly every aspect of a woman’s life can improve when she is proud of the way she looks. To that end, she and our team have created an environment designed to help all patients feel comfortable about discussing their cosmetic goals and the best way to achieve them.
Contact Us
If you are ready to learn more about your MTF breast augmentation options, please contact us to schedule a confidential consultation with Dr. Rednam.
1 Van Boerum MS, Salibian AA, Bluebond-Langner R, Agarwal C. Chest and facial surgery for the transgender patient. Transl Androl Urol. 2019;8(3):219–227. doi:10.21037/tau.2019.06.18. Accessed April 15, 2020.
2 Ferrando CA. Breast and chest surgery for transgender patients. In: Comprehensive Care of the Transgender Patient. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed April 15, 2020.
3 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation. Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/fat-transfer-breast-augmentation. Accessed April 14, 2020.
Dr. Rukmini Rednam has either authored or reviewed and approved this content.
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