“Transgender” is a term that is applied to people who identify with a gender identity that is different from the one they were assigned at birth. There are now a host of treatments like hormone-replacement therapy and surgeries like gender-confirmation surgery that help a transgender person change their body to conform with the gender identity they identify with.

“Transsexual,” on the other hand, refers to people who do not identify with the genitalia they were born with. They might have treatment or surgery to change the appearance of their birth genitalia.

Transgender and transsexual people have been around in all cultures since the early dawn of civilization. Now, technology has finally advanced to the degree where it is possible for people to safely achieve the identity that they aspire to instead of being trapped in the physical parameters of a gender they are not comfortable with.

The difference between the gender that you are born with and the one you identify with leads to major emotional upheavals and psychological trauma. Counseling, hormone therapy, and gender-reassignment surgery (GRS) have become a prominent way for this people to feel comfortable with their gender identity.

GRS has helped a lot of people transition to the gender they feel comfortable with. It’s important to know that there is a process that a person seeking GRS must go through before they can be cleared for the surgery.

There must be a mental health evaluation process assessing if the person wanting this surgery is ready for the changes that it will bring. This is necessary to determine that they are emotionally stable enough to go through this surgery and are emotionally equipped to handle the stress that it entails.

Requirements for the GRS Procedure

There should first be a detailed and clear documentation of the gender dysphoria that a patient is experiencing. Gender dysphoria is the crisis that a person goes through when they identify with a gender that was not assigned to them at birth.

Hormone therapy, or hormone replacement therapy, will be another step in the process. This requires a person transitioning from male to female to take estrogen, while a person transitioning from female to male takes testosterone.

Hormone supplements can induce both physical and behavioral changes. Testosterone supplements may induce mustache and hormone growth, enlargement of the clitoris, a deeper voice, and increases in muscle mass and red blood corpuscles. Behavioral changes include a heightened sex drive and aggressive behavior.

Similarly, estrogen supplements may make the body more feminine, inducing reduction in the size of the testicles, decreased facial and body hair growth, and development of breasts. The psychological changes may include mood swings and a decreased sex drive. All these steps are essential before the gender-reassignment surgery takes place.

Find Out More About the GRS Process

With the help of plastic surgeon Mr. Chris Inglefield, you can take the first step towards finally feeling comfortable in your body. If you would like to learn more about the GRS process, contact our office today and set up an informative consultation.