Facial gender confirmation surgery—review of the literature and recommendations for Version 8 of the WPATH Standards of Care

Jens U. Berli, Luis Capitán, Daniel Simon, Rachel Bluebond-Langner, Eric Plemons, Shane D. Morrison

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

42 Scopus citations

Abstract

Facial gender confirmation surgery (FGCS), also popularly known and referred to in the scientific literature as facial feminization surgery (FFS), was previously treated as a collection of aesthetic procedures complementing other aspects of gender-confirming surgery. Recent literature on quality-of-life outcomes following FGCS has supported the substantial impact these procedures have on overall well-being and reduction of psychosocial sequelae in patients. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health Standards of Care, Version 7 (WPATH SOC 7), did not deem FGCS a medical necessity. Based on these new studies, increasing evidence points to the need to include FGCS among medically necessary gender-confirming surgeries, though more-prospective studies are needed. Updates to the WPATH SOC 8 are proposed based on available quality of life studies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)264-270
Number of pages7
JournalInternational Journal of Transgenderism
Volume18
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 3 2017

Keywords

  • Facial feminization
  • Standards of Care, Version 8
  • facial gender confirmation
  • gender confirmation surgery

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Gender Studies

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