Facial masculinization surgery

Abstract

Gender-affirming facial surgery (GFS) describes approaches and strategies to surgically feminize or masculinize the face. Although techniques for performing facial feminization surgery are widely described, surgical masculinization techniques are underreported. While hormone treatments typically accomplish adequate masculinization in most cases, nonsurgical therapy is not universally effective. Surgical masculinization may be undertaken after lack of efficacy of nonsurgical therapy. With a deep understanding of the volumetric differences of the male facial skeleton, facial masculinization surgery essentially follows an augmentative paradigm for the upper, middle, and lower thirds of the face. Herein, we describe operative techniques used for facial masculinization.