Facial feminization surgeries are a group of surgeries usually done by reshaping the bones and soft tissues of the face with the goal of giving the face a more feminine appearance. You can do all of the surgeries at once or do them separately.

While facial masculinization is a field that’s still developing, facial feminization is a developed field and has been in use since the 80s.¹ Various studies have shown that facial feminization procedures often lead to satisfaction and an improved quality of life for trans women.² ³

That said, gender affirming procedures are personal and vary from person to person, and keep in mind that cosmetic surgeries depend a lot on the proportions of your facial features. So it’s possible that not all surgeries will be the right fit for every person, and you should consult with an expert surgeon.

The types of surgery presented here are considered very common, but there may be other types of surgeries offered at certain clinics. Also, it’s possible that some clinics use different methods from the ones described here.

Forehead shaping (foreheadplasty)

The forehead makes up between 35-40% of the face’s surface area, and aesthetically balances out the rest of the facial features. Forehead feminization is considered one of the main surgeries of facial feminization. There are a few methods for forehead feminization which depend on the facial structure, but common techniques include altering the brow ridge under the eyebrows to change the size of the forehead, and reshaping the bone between the eyebrows. Also, many times forehead surgery is combined with an eyebrow lift, where the forehead skin is raised in order to set the eyebrows higher. When forehead surgeries are combined with hairline lowering, the initial cut is made along the hairline to avoid noticeable scarring.

Hairline shaping

The two most common surgeries in this category are hairline lowering and hair implants. The male hairline is usually straight, high on the skull and creates a larger and more prominent forehead. In comparison, a female hairline tends to be lower on the forehead and more rounded.
There are several methods for hairline lowering, but the most common is to make a cut along the natural hairline and then pull down the tissue that the hair grows out of. After stitching up the cut, the surgery can be combined with implantation of individual hair follicles to create a more natural looking hairline. ⁴

Nose shaping (rhinoplasty)

Nose feminization can include several procedures, depending on the facial structure and nose structure. The most common procedures include lowering the nasal ridge, narrowing the nose, creating a shallower angle, reshaping the nose cartilage, shortening the nose, and raising the tip of the nose. ⁵

Cheek augmentation

Usually cheek feminization is meant to create rounder, smoother and more prominent cheeks. To prevent noticeable scarring, the surgery is usually done with a cut to the inner cheek and scalp. During the surgery, implants are inserted into the area between the skin and bone. Another common method is taking fat from another part of the body (like the stomach or inner thighs) and injecting it into the cheeks. Unlike cosmetic surgeries like hyaluronic acid injections, fat injection is permanent and usually doesn’t require repeated treatments.

Chin shaping (genioplasty/mentoplasty)

In chin feminization, to reduce the size of the chin and achieve a round and smooth shape, the chin bone is shaved down, and this is done through an initial cut inside the mouth to avoid visible scarring. Another option is cutting off a part of the bone and fusing the remaining parts together.

Jaw contouring

The purpose of jaw feminization is to create a rounder and narrower jaw. The jaw can be made smaller and narrower by sculpting or removing outer layers of the lower jaw. .⁶ Jaw contouring is done through a cut inside the mouth to avoid visible scars.

Adam’s apple shave (tracheal shave)

The purpose of this procedure is to reduce the size of the adam’s apple. During the surgery a small cut is made under the chin, in the inner curve of the neck or in a fold of skin, to hide scarring. Afterwards the cartilage will be reduced and reshaped. Since the adam’s apple protects the vocal cords, it’s very important to pick experienced surgeons who will make sure to avoid harming the structure protecting the cords.⁷

Facial feminization in Israel

Facial feminization surgeries are covered by your Kupat Holim (HMO) through the healthcare basket (Sal Habriut סל הבריאות) if performed at a public hospital. You can get a Tofes 17 from your Kupat Holim to fund the surgeries if you have an approval from the Gender Reassignment Committee along with a referral to the requested surgery from a doctor or plastic surgeon. The surgeries can also be done without the Committee’s approval, by paying for them yourself or getting coverage from private health insurance.
It’s best to ask for advice in trans community spaces to get an impression of the hospitals, surgeons and surgeries available in Israel as well as the waiting times in the public healthcare system.

Hospitals which offer facial feminization surgery as of today:

Wolfson hospital – Keshet gender reassignment clinic.
- Phone number for appointments -‭03-5028111
- Whatsapp number for appointments – 0527241043
- Email for appointments – zimuntorim@wmc.gov
- For an appointment with Dr. Yaakov Frend, plastic surgeon – 03-5028111
- For an appointment with Dr. Yaniv Dagan, mouth and jaw expert – ‭‭03-5028610
  ‬
Sheba (Tel Hashomer) hospital – gender reassignment clinic.
- Phone number for appointments – 03-5305000 (or through the online appointment system)
- Email – Gender.Reassignment.Committee@sheba.gov.il
- Get online consultation
- The surgeon in charge of mouth and jaw surgeries for the trans community – Dr. Ran Yahalom.
Meir hospital – LGBTQ clinic.
- Dr. Biader Bilal – expert plastic surgeon, head of the team for facial feminization surgery and top surgery at Meir hospital.
- Phone for appointments – 09-7471555
- Facebook page – “LGBTQ Healthcare at Meir”
Ichilov hospital – facial gender reassignment clinic. Clinic director – Dr. Shimrit Arbel.
- Phone – 03-6973676
- Email – Dnt-c@tlvmc.gov.il

מרפאת “עוגן” לקהילה הלהט”בית ולהתאמה מגדרית
- Phone – 03-6974000
- online appointment system – https://wlappoint-tasmc.health.gov.il/wlzimon/home
- Email – ehudfl@tlvmc.gov.il

בילינסון – שירות להתאמה מגדרית תחת המחלקה לכירורגיה פלסטית
- Phone – 03-9376366
- Email – ‎bl200159@clalit.org.il

For further reading

Ministry of Health – complementary surgeries to gender reassignment
On facial feminization surgeries, with Dr. Shimrit Arbel and Dr. Shlomo Dedia of Ichilov Promotional content, Haaretz, June 2022
“השטחת גרוגרת והתאמה מגדרית: ראיון עם פרופ’ אבי חפץ” 20/6/2024 ד”ר ליאור ברוך, לבריאותה.
https://deschamps-braly.com/facial-feminization-surgery/
https://facifem.com/
https://www.tasmc.org.il/Surgery/Maxillo-Facial/Pages/gender-ad.aspx
https://www.infomed.co.il/treatments/facial-feminization-surgery/
https://www.drfante.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Fante-gender-v3.jpg.webp

Facial Feminization Surgery

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