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Stanford Health Care

Gender-Affirming Facial Plastic Surgery

Our Approach to Gender-Affirming Facial Plastic Surgery

Facial plastic surgery can help transgender and gender-diverse individuals affirm and express their unique identity. Our board-certified surgeons are skilled in leading-edge procedures that can reshape facial features to more closely align with each patient's gender.

What We Offer for Gender-Affirming Facial Plastic Surgery

  • Compassion, dignity, and celebration for who you are as an individual. We want you to feel safe and respected while you're in our care.
  • Specialized expertise in many types of gender-affirming facial plastic surgery. Our advanced techniques use the latest technology for maximum safety and effectiveness.
  • Individualized care with a treatment plan that's tailored to you. Our providers get to know you and understand your goals. Together, we develop a plan to help you achieve your desired results.
  • Full-service destination for quality LGBTQ+ care with access to our award-winning LGBTQ+ Health Program. We can help you navigate care, prepare for scheduled surgeries, and connect to resources.
  • Adherence to international LGBTQ+ standards, as Stanford Health Care strives to meet or exceed the recommendations outlined in the WPATH Standards of Care.
  • Ease of access with prompt scheduling and virtual visits for some appointments. Go to Our Clinics
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN
Healthcare Equality Index Leader
We have proudly received perfect scores from the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which recognizes our LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices.

What Is Gender-Affirming Facial Plastic Surgery?

About Gender-Affirming Facial Plastic Surgery

Gender-affirming facial plastic surgery transforms your facial features to create a more feminine, masculine, or nonbinary appearance. You may need one or more surgical procedures, depending on your goals.

Many of our surgical procedures are minimally invasive, leading to a faster recovery time. We offer a wide range of facial plastic surgery options, including:

Types of facial feminization surgery

Facial feminization surgery generally makes facial features smaller and less angular. Procedures may include:

Brow lift
A brow lift elevates the eyebrows to a more feminine position and appearance.

Cheek implants and augmentation
Cheek implants or fat from elsewhere in your body (fat grafting) may be used to plump your cheeks, making them appear more feminine.

Eyelid lift (blepharoplasty)
Removing excess eyelid tissue, known as blepharoplasty, can help feminize the eyes.

Forehead contouring (frontal cranioplasty)
Forehead contouring reduces the prominent, bony ridge of a masculine forehead to create a smoother appearance. Doctors often perform forehead contouring and hairline repositioning in the same procedure.

Genioplasty (chin recontouring)
Genioplasty recontours your chin to make it shorter, narrower, and rounder.

Hairline repositioning  
An incision is made along the hairline and excess skin is removed to move the hairline lower on your head. Some people have forehead contouring and hairline repositioning procedures at the same time.

Hair transplantation
Hair follicles from areas with thick hair are relocated to bald or thinning areas. This procedure creates a more feminine hairline.

Jaw contouring surgery (mandible angle contouring)
Mandible angle contouring narrows and softens the lower jaw (mandible) by sculpting or removing its outer layers.

Lip lift and augmentation
A lip lift surgically reduces the space between the upper lip and nose. Doctors can enlarge your lips with implants, fillers, or fat grafts.

Rhinoplasty (nose contouring)
Rhinoplasty can reduce the nose's width and reshape masculine angles for a softer look.

Tracheal shave
A tracheal shave removes the front part of the thyroid cartilage (Adam's apple) to reduce its prominence. Some people have tracheal shave and gender-affirming voice procedures at the same time.

Types of facial masculinization surgery

Facial masculinization surgery generally makes facial features larger and more square. Procedures may include:

Adam's apple creation
Your surgeon attaches cartilage from elsewhere in your body to the thyroid cartilage in your throat, creating an Adam's apple (laryngeal prominence).

Cheek implants
Implants can make your cheeks more angular for a masculine appearance.

Forehead contouring (frontal cranioplasty)
Forehead contouring reshapes your forehead to make it wider, taller, and more angular.

Genioplasty
Your surgeon adds implants, bone, or fat grafts to your chin to enlarge it and give it sharper angles.

Hair transplantation
Your surgeon moves hair follicles from areas of your body to your face, providing a fuller mustache, goatee, or sideburns.

Jawline implants (mandibular augmentation)
Implants can be added to the lower jawbone to increase height and width for a more squared off appearance. 

Rhinoplasty (nose contouring)
Your surgeon uses bone or cartilage grafts to make your nose broader and larger.

What to Expect

  • Before

  • During

  • After

Before the Procedure

Patients will typically meet with their surgeon several times before proceeding with surgery. This helps you to form a relationship with our surgeons based on trust and mutual understanding.

During these visits, you will collaborate with your surgeon to create a plan that aligns with your goals. This commonly involves digitally assembling detailed photos of your face to demonstrate what might be accomplished with surgery.

A skilled team of coding and billing experts will work to make sure that insurance authorization is pre-approved prior to surgery if you are seeking insurance coverage for part or all your procedure.

During the Procedure

Most surgeries are performed under general anesthesia, meaning that you are asleep the entire time. Your surgeon will work to accomplish the goals that were established for your facial appearance, using your photos as a template. When you wake up once surgery is complete, you will likely have several bandages in place along each operative site.

Depending on how long your surgery takes, you may spend the night in the hospital or be able to go home the same day. Written instructions are provided that explain medications, wound care, and activity restrictions. A phone number with 24/7 access to a nurse or physician is provided in case of questions or concerns.

After the Procedure

Recovery may take several weeks, depending on the amount of surgery that was done. Specific expectations and restrictions will be discussed with you prior to surgery, so that you can be adequately prepared to take time off from work or school and have the appropriate help available if needed.

Your results may not be finalized until one year after surgery or longer, depending on what was done. Many patients feel comfortable and confident enough to return to their regular daily life as soon as 1-2 weeks after surgery, however. You will meet with your surgeon in regular intervals after surgery to track your recovery and monitor the subtle changes that occur as your body completes the healing process.

Before

Before the Procedure

Patients will typically meet with their surgeon several times before proceeding with surgery. This helps you to form a relationship with our surgeons based on trust and mutual understanding.

During these visits, you will collaborate with your surgeon to create a plan that aligns with your goals. This commonly involves digitally assembling detailed photos of your face to demonstrate what might be accomplished with surgery.

A skilled team of coding and billing experts will work to make sure that insurance authorization is pre-approved prior to surgery if you are seeking insurance coverage for part or all your procedure.


close Before
During

During the Procedure

Most surgeries are performed under general anesthesia, meaning that you are asleep the entire time. Your surgeon will work to accomplish the goals that were established for your facial appearance, using your photos as a template. When you wake up once surgery is complete, you will likely have several bandages in place along each operative site.

Depending on how long your surgery takes, you may spend the night in the hospital or be able to go home the same day. Written instructions are provided that explain medications, wound care, and activity restrictions. A phone number with 24/7 access to a nurse or physician is provided in case of questions or concerns.


close During
After

After the Procedure

Recovery may take several weeks, depending on the amount of surgery that was done. Specific expectations and restrictions will be discussed with you prior to surgery, so that you can be adequately prepared to take time off from work or school and have the appropriate help available if needed.

Your results may not be finalized until one year after surgery or longer, depending on what was done. Many patients feel comfortable and confident enough to return to their regular daily life as soon as 1-2 weeks after surgery, however. You will meet with your surgeon in regular intervals after surgery to track your recovery and monitor the subtle changes that occur as your body completes the healing process.


close After

Our Clinics

Gender-Affirming Facial Plastic Surgery in Palo Alto

Our board-certified surgeons are skilled in leading-edge procedures that can reshape your facial features to more closely align with each patient's gender.

801 Welch Road
 Palo Alto, CA 94304
Phone: 650-736-3223 Getting Here »
Make An Appointment

To make an appointment with a gender-affirming facial plastic surgery specialist, call 650-736-FACE (3223).