The tracheal shave, commonly known as Adam's apple reduction surgery, is one of the most frequent procedures included in facial feminization surgery treatment plans.  Medically, a tracheal shave is also one of the simplest operations many people will undergo as part of their transition since it can be done as an outpatient surgery using only local anaesthesia. 

tracheal surgery

If the trachea shave is the only surgery that will be performed, it can be done under local anaesthesia as an outpatient procedure, or in an operating room under general anaesthesia, depending on your doctors' recommendations.

However, many times Adam's apple reduction is done at the same time as other facial feminization surgical procedures (e.g. jaw reduction, forehead reduction, rhinoplasty, etc.). In this case, you will be put under general anaesthesia for the tracheal shaving operation.

In practice, trachea shaving is an effective, safe and permanent procedure to reduce the importance of the Adam apple. Voice surgery is the last step in the feminisation sequence to protect the delicate work that can be compromised if the operation is performed too early in the same anatomical area. In case of a trachea shave or chondrolaryngoplasty, you must modify your vocal cord or other parts of the body to protect your trachea,.

Techniques vary quite a lot between surgeons, which is why it is very important to find a cosmetic surgeon who has specialization in tracheal shaves and FFS in general. The finest trachea shave method is to make a tiny, horizontal incision hidden in a skin crease under the chin or jaw. There are ways to get around having an unsightly incision just above the bump. The surgeon will fold back the muscles in front of the thyroid cartilage so that they can reduce the size of the most prominent parts. Finally, the whole thing is stitched back up over the now smaller Adam's apple.  A leader in this field is Dr Bart de Ven who is based in Belgium – we have curated his video on this topic.

Dr Bart de Ven explains how tracheal surgery works.

Tracheal Shaving

 

The Israeli Medical Center says it has developed a new procedure that can remove or shrink the size of an apple without leaving a scar – a major step forward for transgender patients considering such surgery. This would certainly be quite an important step forward.  Scars can be unsightly and spoil an otherwise flawless transformation.

Plastic surgery to reduce the male appearance of Adam's apple has a high patient satisfaction. Dr. Dean Davis, for example,  is a dual certified facial, plastic and reconstructive surgeon specializing in Israel and the surrounding area, as well as in the United States. As a member of the Israeli Medical Center Board of Surgeons, he has surgical privileges and can perform a wide range of cosmetic surgery including hair removal, liposuction and facial reconstruction.

The surgeon knows which thyroid cartilage points are safe for shaving and which are not. An incision directly on the cartilage is easy, but always leaves a sign that the operation was performed there. Whether or not a prominent scar remains after depends on whether scar tissue forms and how the scars are cared for after the removal of the stitches. 

Tracheal

If you carefully select a specialist and follow the instructions of the post-op programme, the risk of a tracheal shave can be significantly reduced. The likelihood of vocal cords being damaged during surgery is very low if one receives treatment.

It is crucial that a qualified and experienced plastic surgeon performs the trachea shaving to ensure that the structural support of the vocal cords is not damaged and that the results look natural.

Since a trachea shave is an outpatient operation that uses only local anaesthesia, it is a simple operation that many people will perform as part of their transition. Most surgeons who specialise in transsexual surgery will perform them, as will general plastic surgeons, but the procedure is performed by a throat surgeon, not a plastic surgeon. Since the shaving of the trachea is the only operation that is performed, they can be performed in different ways, depending on the recommendation of the doctor. 

You should avoid shaving for at least four weeks to allow the skin around the incision to heal. Also, avoid electrolysis (hair removal) near the area for 2 weeks. 

 Tracheal shaving can be a simple, safe, long-lasting, non-invasive solution to the problem of hair loss in both men and women. 1

Although it ought to not be the key consideration used to choose a doctor for your tracheal shaving procedure, we recognize that cost is relevant for many patients. Regrettably, it is hard to give an exact cost for a tracheal shave due to the fact that a lot of elements affect the rate. As an approximation, we might state that the expense can vary from a couple of hundred dollars to several thousand.

 Some  of the most crucial factors influencing the expense of the surgical treatment are:

The specialist's degree of qualifications and also their experience

Highly specialized doctors with credibility for quality work are in greater demand, and also as a result their costs are normally higher than less knowledgeable specialists. It is essential, nevertheless, to think about the possible expenses that can occur from any kind of post-op complication that might occur with a less qualified surgeon.  Check our listings carefully and research before you decide.

The type of anaesthetic used.

When performed on its own, a throat cut can be done utilizing only local anaesthesia. Many cosmetic surgeons still strongly advise basic anaesthesia for this procedure, nevertheless, which needs the involvement of an anesthesiologist. This can increase the cost of the tracheal cut rather dramatically, but if there is no medical contraindication for it, basic anesthetic is generally comfier for the individual.” Bundling” with other face feminization surgical treatments.

Some medical professionals will certainly reduce the cost of an Adam's apple reduction when it is done at the same time as various other procedures, such as a jaw decrease or forehead reconstruction.

Location, Location, Location

 Medical care costs as a whole differ commonly from country to country, and this will certainly additionally influence tracheal shave expense. Surgeons in the US, UK and Australia normally charge the most, while rates in Spain, Turkey and Thailand are commonly cheaper. It is important to evaluate these lowered costs against the standard of care in that country.; although it may be feasible to get an extremely inexpensive surgery in Thailand, a lot of clients really feel more secure paying extra to have the quality control that includes medical care in a European city.  Here is a selection of clinics specialising in gender assignment surgery.

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    • Chettawut Plastic Surgery Center, Bangkok Thailand (approved)
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      • Sava Perovic Foundation Surgery Belgrade Serbia (approved)
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        • Cosmetic Surgery Partners (approved)
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          • Phuket International Aesthetic Centre (PIAC) Thailand (approved)
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            • Rumer Cosmetic Surgery. Ardmore USA (approved)
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              • Center for Transgender Medicine & Surgery New York USA (approved)
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                • Preecha Aesthetic Institute (PAI Clinic) Bangkok Thailand (approved)
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                  • Kamol Hospital (approved)
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                    • Elysian Plastic Surgery Texas USA (approved)
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                      • 2Pass Clinic Antwerp Belgium (approved)