Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I have specific questions about somethings regarding breast fat/tissue.  I am in no position to get top surgery (ever...) but is it possible to get rid of ALL the FAT at least in the breasts with liposuction? I just don't understand why taking testosterone doesn't get rid of the fat in the breasts if it gets rid of it the other things like from the buttocks, and hips...
It's somewhat disappointing.

Another thing I was wondering is, how does it really differ from a cis-woman's mastectomy? I wasn't able to find any images to compare it to (with cis women)

Quote from: makipu on June 18, 2014, 12:17:33 PM
but is it possible to get rid of ALL the FAT at least in the breasts with liposuction?

In a word NO. Top surgery is the only way. Basically yes it is a modified mastectomy.

Glands, ducts and nipples are there to stay, even if you got anorexic.

I wouldn't say not at all. Sure it's not going to look like a top surgery, but I think it's possible to lose some fat from that area. I always was small but needed to bind, now I can go out only in a shirt. Some of you told me it passes in that specific thread. I started to work out maybe 4 months ago and I currently try uhm how to say that? I started to take some natural stuff that makes your prolactin levels lower. If you'd like to know what's that I'll try and translate it  :) I was suspicious at the beginning and expected nothing from it but I took a pic before starting it and one now. I can see the difference, I'm thinking of uploading it, nothing that could violate the rules, but still gives an idea what's possible. BUT I need to add that I work out regularly besides.

Top surgery and a mastectomy do have their differences. Usually mastectomies remove glands as long with tissues and fats ect. Not to mention the incisions are very different and some even get rid of the nipples (for cancer reasons)
Masculine shaping top surgeries for FtM have not only usually different incisions so when the scars heal they heal so it looks like you have pecs, they leave your glands and even possibly some tissues to help with the defining of that pec look. They also depending on what surgery type you get, move your nipples to a more male oriented desired spot.

So if you're looking for a chest that mimics a males then top surgery for FtM would be your best bet. If you just want a small chest then lipo could work but it would still form a female looking breast.

I agree with Hex. A DI is basically a mastectomy. However there are differences in how they handle the nipples (resized and replaced); where the scar is placed (mastectomy is normally diagonal?); scars are shaped (either curved or somewhat flat under the pecs); not as radical (top surgery does not remove chest wall muscles or lymph nodes). A peri which is basically removal of fat thru the incisions around the nipples only works if you are very flat to begin with (normally A or very small B). As a side, I have friends that were really worried how Id' feel after surgery, and were surprised at my recovery. It's obvious my surgery was no as intensive as a regular mastectomy (plus I got a psychological gain not loss). I believe lipo would result in a strange result, but would be a reduction essentially.

T only redistributes fat, the actual fat in breasts is breast tissue and a bit more specialized. (as well as ducts and so forth). I think it's more correct to think of them as organs, regardless of how FTMs might feel. :)  But some people do get much flatter (and some do not at all).

--Jay

Quote from: makipu on June 18, 2014, 12:17:33 PM
I have specific questions about somethings regarding breast fat/tissue.  I am in no position to get top surgery (ever...) but is it possible to get rid of ALL the FAT at least in the breasts with liposuction? I just don't understand why taking testosterone doesn't get rid of the fat in the breasts if it gets rid of it the other things like from the buttocks, and hips...
It's somewhat disappointing.

Another thing I was wondering is, how does it really differ from a cis-woman's mastectomy? I wasn't able to find any images to compare it to (with cis women)

I just wanted to add that even if you got rid of all of the "contents" of the breasts - you'd still have two saggy, pendulous envelopes of skin that need to be surgically excised. 

Quote from: Kreuzfidel on June 18, 2014, 06:53:27 PM
I just wanted to add that even if you got rid of all of the "contents" of the breasts - you'd still have two saggy, pendulous envelopes of skin that need to be surgically excised.

Right, with nipples that would be hanging straight down.

Thank you all, I appreciate it. By the way, what is "DI"? I just wished that taking T worked on my chest to get rid of the fat but I am so repulsed to even look at it to even compare.
The thing with me is, even if I could get the top surgery I wouldn't want it to be contoured to have the pecs but I would just like that area flat. Is that doable?

Quote from: Kreuzfidel on June 18, 2014, 06:53:27 PM
I just wanted to add that even if you got rid of all of the "contents" of the breasts - you'd still have two saggy, pendulous envelopes of skin that need to be surgically excised. 

Do you think I would still need to bind if this was the case though? I am not planning on showing my chest in public but solely trying to at least get rid of the binding once and for all since I know it damaged my back and who knows what else.

Quote from: makipu on June 18, 2014, 09:24:00 PMDo you think I would still need to bind if this was the case though? I am not planning on showing my chest in public but solely trying to at least get rid of the binding once and for all since I know it damaged my back and who knows what else.

That would depend on how big your moobs are to begin with.  If you have lots of skin hanging there, it will show through most any shirt you wear.  If you only have minimal skin, then maybe you can get away with not binding. 

I think the problem you'd have is finding a doctor who would be willing to lipo your breasts to that extent.

DI stands for double incision mastectomy. They don't actually "build up your chest". The scars are placed under the pecs, which makes them look more natural. If you put them somewhere else, well it looks like a mastectomy done on a woman. IF you don't work out your pecs you will never develop any sort of chest and the area will be flat. I didn't mean for that to happen, but that is kind of what did happen. Apparently it is harder for me to build them up.

They could just lipo your chest but I wouldn't say you'd end up flat. You'd have a female looking but smaller chest, somewhat maybe like a reduction, I think. If you were maybe a B cup or smaller, you could have a peri done and it would be effective.

Working out is going to hasten the build up of your pecs, and maybe you will lose a little fat. They aren't, as people think, just a bunch of fat. It's just not true. This is specialized tissue. A LOT of guys do get smaller, but some of us don't. I didn't. Actually maybe I got bigger, or that was from sagging caused by binding.

If you had to bind after top surgery it would be grounds for getting a free revision. Why would you want to bind? It just hurts.

If you are thinking you might save money, well I don't think so. Many people assume you do some odd procedure no one knows about, or say they do a regular mastectomy, or whatever. Not necessarily true. Most top surgeons know that patients may not have health insurance. They tend to cater to that population, and actually a lot of surgeons give breaks over reduction, say, that is often covered (if you are DD or DDD or higher). The other thing is that people assume sometimes a surgeon can just do some odd procedure and that they would know what to do. They LEARN how to do these and someone taught them. IF they devised it themselves, then they thought about this a long time and worked out how this would work. And if they don't do something, they most likely don't know how to do it and/or don't care to learn. You could see if you can get a reduction all the way down (if you are small enough). The results might not be so great, but *maybe* you'd get a break, but usually reduction is $6-7K US or more. (Probably doesn't include surgery center.)

--Jay

Quote from: makipu on June 18, 2014, 09:24:00 PM
Thank you all, I appreciate it. By the way, what is "DI"? I just wished that taking T worked on my chest to get rid of the fat but I am so repulsed to even look at it to even compare.
The thing with me is, even if I could get the top surgery I wouldn't want it to be contoured to have the pecs but I would just like that area flat. Is that doable?

Do you think I would still need to bind if this was the case though? I am not planning on showing my chest in public but solely trying to at least get rid of the binding once and for all since I know it damaged my back and who knows what else.

I still keep thinking back and forth about liposuction to remove all of the fat at least and NOT bind. I am sure I will have stuff hanging but if it will be the case that I don't have to bind with this painful binder, I guess I can ...whatever the results since I have no intention to be shirtless anyways (even if I actually had a proper DI top surgery).
Anyone here (who had a small chest) had liposuction?  I was told that mine are "full B" by the doctor.

Quote from: makipu on January 31, 2015, 03:53:51 PM
I still keep thinking back and forth about liposuction to remove all of the fat at least and NOT bind. I am sure I will have stuff hanging but if it will be the case that I don't have to bind with this painful binder, I guess I can ...whatever the results since I have no intention to be shirtless anyways (even if I actually had a proper DI top surgery).
Anyone here (who had a small chest) had liposuction?  I was told that mine are "full B" by the doctor.

I'm not sure you will be able to find a ethical plastic surgeon who would be willing to suck all your fat out and let your skin just hang like that (a "full b" isn't that small).  It probably isn't healthy and plastic surgeon care about how their work looks because you are an advertisement for them.

Thought I should chime in here. I just had a consult. My main question was "What will the differences be - re intrusiveness, appearance, and cost - of a major reduction version double incision. I am probably about a 42D right now and I'm in my 50s. Before I gained 30 (unwanted) pounds I was always pretty much a 38B. The surgeon and I talked quite extensively about the differences. At my age I have no interest in ever going out in public shirtless. This is all about how I look in clothes and to myself. My partner and medical personnel are likely the only people who will ever see me shirtless. So, I don't really care about chest masculinization as much as I just want to be flat. Here's an abbreviated version of what he had to say -

1. Intrusiveness - The reduction would mean no drains, no compression vest, and a somewhat 'easier' recovery.
2. Appearance - The reduction would mean still wearing a bra and having, as he described it, 'droop.' While a sports bra or compression tank might make me look pretty flat, especially given my weight, I'd still have to wear something. No dice on the bra.
3. Cost - They are within a few hundred dollars of each other, at least with this guy.

I should add that he was actually pretty adamant that, in his view, what I really want is top surgery and that's what I should go for. I thought there was something to be said for that, meaning he didn't try to discourage me.

For those interested, this was Dr. Tholen. I've also done a phone consult with Dr. McLean and will likely go with him only because with the exchange rate currently so favorable toward the USD, even with travel costs it will be less expensive and I love his no-drains approach.

As for weight loss and chest size, I can say that for me - weight loss and gain definitely affects breast size, but even if I lose 50 pounds I'll still be a full-on B.  :-\

Reductions aren't necessarily cheaper than top surgery. Despite what some people assume, most top surgeons aren't making a "killing" but make their money via doing a lot of what are still expensive procedures. Most top surgery surgeons charge a bit less because they are doing private pay customers.

It could *increase* your dysphoria. I'm putting this out there, because not all the time. But I have heard of cases where the doctor makes an attempt to make the person's breasts, ugh!, "perky".

Some surgeons use drains for reduction and peris.

As far as the bra, I agree. You'd need to continue wearing a bra or binding. I can tell you NOT binding is most wonderful!

--Jay