Facial masculinization surgeries are a collection of surgeries designated for people interested in a more masculine facial structure, usually by reshaping the bones and soft tissue in the area. It is possible to undergo some of the surgeries simultaneously, or each one on their own.

According to WPATH recommendations (the World Professional Association for Transgender Health), when medical transition includes taking male hormones, it is recommended to undergo facial masculinization surgeries after a certain amount of time of hormonal treatment, to allow for the initial changes to occur¹ in the body. Additionally, cosmetic surgeries significantly depend on the proportions of the different facial features, therefore not all surgeries are suitable for everyone, and it is best to consult with a specialist doctor before undergoing any procedures. The types of surgeries listed below are considered the most common types, but there may be additional types of surgeries at different clinics.

Cheek Augmentation

To give the cheeks an angular and chiseled look, there are various medical procedures available²:

Surgeries – enlargement of the cheeks with implants between the bone and skin, or reduction of the cheeks through removal of fatty tissue from the cheek. The incision is made on the inner part of the cheek, so the surgery does not leave visible scars.
Cheek fat implantation – in this procedure fat is removed from another part of the body and is injected into the cheek in a non-surgical fashion.

Forehead Augmentation / Frontal Cranioplasty

Enlarging the distance between the eyebrows to the hairline can give a more masculine appearance. In this surgery, incisions are created near the hairline to avoid visible scarring. Additionally, it is possible to expand the forehead with implants.³

Rhinoplasty

The male nose tends to be larger and more prominent, with a straighter and wider tip relative to the female nose⁴. Nose masculinization surgeries usually include enlargement and widening of the nose as well as changing the angle so that it is more prominent.

Chin Recontouring / Genioplasty / Mentoplasty

Many surgeons agree that the overall appearance of the chin and its shape is an important aspect of facial gender affirmation⁵⁶, and chin masculinization surgeries are considered particularly effective in creating a masculine look. In general, male chins are fuller, squarer, longer and with a flat base, while female chins are usually more rounded and pointier. During this procedure, an incision is made inside the mouth, and the chin bone is reshaped to achieve the desired result. Here as well it is possible to use implants to achieve the desired appearance. The surgery is done inside the mouth cavity to avoid visible scars.

Jaw Augmentation

Jaw reshaping can help create masculine facial proportions as it expands the general width of the face and creates a separation between the lower face and neck. One of the most common methods for this procedure is inserting an implant to the jaw and connecting it with screws. The surgery is done with an incision in the mouth, to avoid visible facial scarring. The implants can be alloplastic implants (implants made of synthetic materials), fat tissue or bone. Sometimes jaw surgery is done at the same time as chin surgery.

Adam’s Apple Creation

The Adam’s apple is a protrusion of cartilage existing in everyone but is more developed in people assigned male at birth (AMAB).

Male hormones can affect the development of the Adam’s apple, but in most people there will not be much of an effect, especially in those without a prominent Adam’s apple before medical transition.

To create a more prominent Adam’s apple, tissue is taken from elsewhere in the body, usually thoracic cartilage, and is shaped to match the existing Adam’s apple. The surgery itself includes an incision in the throat, separation of the vocal cords to expose the existing Adam’s apple, and then attaching the altered tissue in a position that makes it bulge outwards.⁷

Facial Masculinization Surgeries in Israel

In contrast with facial feminization, the available information about facial masculinization is limited, in the research aspect as well as the accessibility of information about relevant surgeons and clinics.

You can reach out to relevant departments in hospitals that have gender clinics or to private clinics to find out about facial masculinization procedures offered:

Ichilov – Gender Reassignment Clinic of the Face, led by Dr. Shimrit Arbel.
- Phone – 03-6973676
- Email – Dnt-c@tlvmc.gov.il
Wolfson – Keshet Gender Clinic.
- Phone (appointment scheduling) – 03-5028111
- Whatsapp (appointment scheduling) – 052-7241043
- Email (appointment scheduling) – zimuntorim@wmc.gov
- Plastic surgery appointment, Dr. Yaakov Frand – 03-5028111
- Mouth and jaw appointment, Dr. Yaniv Dagan – 03-5028610
Tel Hashomer – Gender Reassignment Clinic.
- Phone (appointment scheduling) – 03-5305000, or through the online service
- Email – gender.reassignment.committee@sheba.gov.il
- Online consultation also available
- The attending surgeon for mouth and jaw surgery for the trans population – Dr. Ran Yahalom.
Meir – the LGBT clinic at Meir Hospital offers plastic surgery as part of the healthcare basket for the LGBT community. Dr. Biader Bilal – specialist plastic surgeon, head of the facial feminization and top surgery team at Meir Medical Center.
- Appointment scheduling – 09-7471555
- Meir LGBT Medicine Facebook page

Facial Masculinization Surgeries

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