Body Contouring Seattle

Body contouring is a series of medical procedures that a transgender person may undergo to reach inner and outer congruence. Male-to-female (MTF) patients undergo body contouring to minimize a masculine physique, while female-to-male (FTM) patients seek to downplay their feminine contours and create a more masculine appearance. Experienced plastic surgeons like Dr. Javad Sajan use liposuction to sculpt the masculine or feminine shape their transgender patients desire.

What Is Transgender Body Feminization?

Feminizing the body requires precision, skill and an artist's eye. To sculpt a feminine figure with liposuction, Dr. Sajan will primarily focus on the waist-to-hip ratio and the shape and size of the buttocks.

The hourglass figure is widely considered to be a universal sign of feminine beauty. For an MTF transgender patient to achieve this coveted look, Dr. Sajan will need to create the ideal waist-to-hip ratio. This ratio is determined by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement. The lower the ratio, the more feminine your curves, with a ratio of 0.7 considered to be the gold standard by most researchers. To create these contours, Dr. Sajan will perform trunk liposuction to remove fat from the midsection and achieve more feminine and shapely curves.

Once your waist has been addressed, Dr. Sajan will turn his focus to the buttocks. This is an important part of feminizing the body, because females possess round and curvy backsides, compared to the relatively flat male buttocks. To enhance this area, Dr. Sajan will inject your own body fat at strategic points throughout the buttocks, creating a more feminine contour.

Due to differences in their sex hormones, men and women store fat differently. Men tend to store less body fat than women, and when they do gain weight, it is in their upper body. Conversely, women tend to gain weight in their hips, legs and buttocks. When adding masculine contours to your body, Dr. Sajan will pay close attention to these differences to achieve your desired look.

For example, the masculine body features a v-shaped torso, or a broad upper torso and a narrow waist. Although this can be a challenging look to recreate, it is possible with a leading plastic surgeon, like Dr. Sajan. In most cases, he will perform liposuction to contour the pectoral muscles and remove fatty deposits in the area.

In addition, Dr. Sajan will often perform liposuction to contour additional areas of the body, including the flanks, inner and outer thighs, back and buttocks. By targeting these naturally curvy areas and removing feminine fatty tissue, he is able to create a classically masculine physique.

The benefits of liposuction for FTM patients are varied, and include:

• A very safe and effective procedure
• Sculpted and masculine contours
• Enhanced self-esteem and body confidence
• Long-lasting results
• Potentially reduced cellulite

You can expect your transgender body contouring procedure to take place on an outpatient basis in our state-licensed surgery center. To begin, an anesthesiologist will administer a general (deep sleep) anesthesia or intravenous sedation to ensure your comfort and safety.

If you are a FTM patient, liposuction will be performed to remove fat from your waist, hips, and thighs. Dr. Sajan will make a micro-incision at a treatment point and insert a suction device into the opening. He will use a high definition liposuction technique to remove excess fat at that site, repeating the process at every contouring point.

For MTF body contouring, Dr. Sajan will make a micro-incision at a fat donor site on your body, insert a fine tube called a cannula, and use high definition liposuction to extract fat grafts from that donor site. From there, the grafts will be placed in a centrifuge system to extract any excess fluids, before the fat is transferred to recipient points on your body. This two-step process will be repeated until your desired results are achieved.

Once your high definition liposuction and fat transfer procedures are complete, the micro-incisions will be closed with fine, dissolvable sutures. During the initial recovery period, you can expect to experience some discomfort, bruising and swelling, though it should be tolerable with the pain medication prescribed by Dr. Sajan.

You will be advised to spend the first few days of the recovery period primarily in bed, though you should begin walking around the house as soon as possible to promote healing. Most of our patients are able to return to work within one week, but should continue to avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for several weeks until the healing process is complete. Throughout the entire recovery period, you will be instructed to wear a compression garment for a period of time to reduce swelling and support the relocated fat tissue.

In terms of results, your new contours should be noticeable almost immediately and will continue to become increasingly evident over the following weeks as your swelling goes down and the healing process progresses. During your post-operative appointments, Dr. Sajan and his team will provide you with detailed instructions for your recovery, including appropriate activity levels, medications and more. Following these instructions carefully is vital to facilitating your healing process and ensuring your comfort.

Body contouring with high definition liposuction can help you match your physical appearance to your gender identity. Contact Dr. Sajan's Seattle office today for a consultation, and learn more about your transgender body contouring options.