Top Surgery: Which Incision Is Right For Me?

Top Surgery is an innovative and highly specialized procedure in which breast tissue is removed to create a more masculine chest. It is most commonly used as a gender affirming or non-binary procedure and is one of the most common female to male surgeries in existence.

The medical term for Top Surgery is “Transgender Mastectomy” and it is considered to be reconstructive chest surgery. By removing unwanted breast tissue, top surgery allows patients to feel more comfortable with their bodies by aligning their physical looks with their internal sense of self and how they wish to present themselves to the world.

If you’ve elected to get Top Surgery, you may have questions about the types of procedures or, more specifically, the types of incisions used. Your top surgeon will suggest an incision based on your body type or your surgery goals. Below are the most common types of top surgery incision techniques.

Double Incision Technique

The Top Double Incision Technique is the most widely used incision for top surgery. During a double incision, a horseshoe-shaped incision is made at the top and bottom of the breast, the skin is lifted, and then fatty tissue is removed. Another incision is needed to remove the nipple. This method is most commonly used with large- to medium-sized breasts.  

Buttonhole Technique

 The Buttonhole Technique uses an incision along the bottom of the breast. It allows for more breast tissue to be removed through one incision than the keyhole or peri-areolar methods and oftentimes preserves nipple placement, pigmentation, and sensation.  

Inverted T Technique

The Inverted T Technique is also an option for those with larger breasts and extra skin. In this procedure the areola and nipple are kept attached to the skin, avoiding the necessity of a nipple graft. This procedure is ideal for those who wish to preserve nipple size and shape.  

Keyhole Technique  

The Keyhole Technique is best for those who are small chested. A very small incision is made below the areola and the breast tissue is removed through that incision. In this procedure the areola and nipple stay in place and intact, and sensation should remain.  

Peri-Areola Technique   

This particular technique is best used for those with small breasts and good skin elasticity. During this procedure, an incision is made all around the border of the areola. Then, a second, larger circle incision is made and the resulting ring of skin is removed. With peri-areolar, the nipple is usually left intact, though some surgeons will resize the nipple itself; nerve sensation is oftentimes maintained.  

Schedule Your Top Surgery

Most of the methods of surgery listed above are done in just a few hours as an outpatient procedure. If you’re looking for a specialist for Top Surgery in Orlando, call Vado Plastic Surgery to book a consultation today and start feeling comfortable in your own skin.