Cosmetic Surgery for an Androgynous Look?
People seeking cosmetic surgery these days are interested in “a more androgynous look,” asserts a plastic surgeon in a recent article on an online beauty website. We tend to agree, sort of.
When working with people who don’t fully identify as traditionally male or female, we prefer to use the term “non-binary.” We feel it really goes the distance in affirming true identity, whereas “androgynous,” while a valid term for many in this group of people, tends to focus just on outward looks.
Another thing we agree with, sort of, is the notion that there’s a trend toward more gender-neutral cosmetic surgery. Yes, we do have more New York cosmetic surgery patients ask us for a less extreme feminine or masculine look nowadays. But is it a trend or is it the result of societal acceptance of a broad spectrum of gender identities?
Time will tell. Meanwhile, here’s what’s happening in cosmetic surgery in New York.
FTM Top Surgery
We have performed top surgery on many transgender patients transitioning from female to male at this point. Perhaps due to the reputation and following we enjoy for our work with guys with man boobs, people are comfortable asking us to reduce unwanted breast tissue and create a masculine appearance for their torso.
Our technique differs from patient to patient depending on the size of breasts we start with. For smaller breasts, just a nick on the side of the chest and some tissue removal through the edge of the areola may be all that’s needed. Bigger breasts may require what amounts to a complete mastectomy with larger scars. You can read more details about these options, then visit our before and after FTM top surgery photos to see a variety of patients’ results.
MTF Top Surgery
We also work with people seeking male to female top surgery in New York. Most of our MTF patients elect small to medium sized breast implants, but fat transfer is also available. Having performed many thousands of breast surgeries for both men and women, we can make thoughtful recommendations about critical aspects of surgery such as implant filling, placement and size. We know how to create a surgical plan that will deliver results that harmonize with the rest of the body.
Find more information about MTF top surgery options here.
Non-Binary Patients
We see increasing numbers of patients in our New York cosmetic surgery practice who describe themselves as non-binary. The term can apply to people who don’t identify as either male or female, or it can mean a person considers themselves both male and female. According to Healthline, non-binary gender identification is not a new trend. The website cites references to non-binary people in India in Hindu texts going back 2,000 years and more.
People who don’t see themselves falling into a traditional male or female gender classification are the patients some cosmetic surgeons see as “androgynous,” but that may or may not be the case. While some patients indeed seek an appearance that’s in between the traditional male and female, some non-binary folks would like to look more like one gender than the other. The reality is that the physical gender expression people feel most comfortable with is quite a broad spectrum.
That’s why, along with top surgery for transgender and other patients, we also offer a variety of facial cosmetic surgeries and other procedures that can be instrumental in affirming identity. Liposuction, for instance, can help in defining a waistline that may lean too masculine. On the other hand, a chin implant can go a long way toward strengthening overly feminine jawline.
Cisgender Women and Men
We also see some general changes in the cosmetic surgeries cisgender people are interested in, particularly our traditional women patients. Fewer and fewer seek extreme expression of their femininity, meaning patients these days are less interested in huge breast implants and large volumes of fat injected into the buttocks. To us, that’s a good thing! When it comes to cosmetic surgery here in New York, we tell our patients that it’s usually healthiest not to go to extremes.
Changes in what our traditional male patients seek are less obvious. They still come to us for male breast reduction, liposuction, eyelid surgery and a few other relatively classic procedures. We do note that men are gradually becoming more comfortable with less invasive options too, so we do more Botox, fillers and lip enhancement procedures for guys than we used to.
It will be interesting to see what tomorrow’s trends in appearance turn out to be. Will the pendulum eventually swing back toward maximum femininity and masculinity? Yes, it’s likely that a segment of the population will want extreme curves and high definition again someday. But if and when that happens, we hope that from now on people will feel free to express their gender in the way that fits best, no matter what that may be.
If you would like to learn more about working with us here in Manhattan, drop us a line. Everyone is welcome in our practice.
