Top Surgery Recs for Larger Chests

[CallMeV]

Hi guys, I'm hoping someone out there can give me some top surgery advice.
Unfortunately, I got dealt a massive chest along with the wrong identity. Like even if I was comfortable with my assigned gender, I would still need a reduction for the sake of my back. Needless to say, I havent had much luck finding binders that can do anything for me. My chest is one of the biggest triggers for my dysphoria so its one of my top transition priorities.
  I know I'll be paying out of pocket for the surgery because my insurance only covers hormones. But I want to have it done as soon as possible because I cant go on T before I get rid of my chest. I think it would make my dysphoria much worse if my body was changing while I still have these things. So I'm hoping to find a surgeon that I feel good about. That way I can start planning/saving.
I was really hoping to hear from some bigger chested trans men on their experience finding good surgeons. Does anyone have any recommendations? I've tried going to the review sites like FTM Top Surgery but I havent found any photos/reviews from men who had chests as large as mine. I'm worried I'm doomed to poor results because of my size and how damaged my skin is. Hoping someone can give me some good news.

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[Ryuichi13]

Hi guys, I'm hoping someone out there can give me some top surgery advice.
Unfortunately, I got dealt a massive chest along with the wrong identity. Like even if I was comfortable with my assigned gender, I would still need a reduction for the sake of my back. Needless to say, I havent had much luck finding binders that can do anything for me. My chest is one of the biggest triggers for my dysphoria so its one of my top transition priorities.
  I know I'll be paying out of pocket for the surgery because my insurance only covers hormones. But I want to have it done as soon as possible because I cant go on T before I get rid of my chest. I think it would make my dysphoria much worse if my body was changing while I still have these things. So I'm hoping to find a surgeon that I feel good about. That way I can start planning/saving.
I was really hoping to hear from some bigger chested trans men on their experience finding good surgeons. Does anyone have any recommendations? I've tried going to the review sites like FTM Top Surgery but I havent found any photos/reviews from men who had chests as large as mine. I'm worried I'm doomed to poor results because of my size and how damaged my skin is. Hoping someone can give me some good news.

I can't give you any advice about surgeons, as I still have my D-cup chest, but I can give you some advice on some of your other problems. 

I don't know what country you're in, but perhaps you can get your top surgery on the grounds of "reduction to help with your back problems," and you just "happen" to find a doctor that will do it that also does FTM chests.  That's what I would try for in your case, but I don't know what cup size you have either.  I'm sure that there are surgeons out there that would be willing to work with you in order for your insurance to cover your "reduction."

If you're looking for binders for larger chests, try https://www.underworks.com/tri-top-chest-binder.  Their customer service will explain exactly how to measure yourself for a binder.  Also, have you tried https://www.gc2b.co/?  I've also heard great things about them, and they're trans-owned and trans-operated.
   
I'm in Connecticut, USA, and a friend of mine suggested Dr. Suzman.  He had him do his top surgery two weeks ago, but I've yet to see the reveal.  From what he told me, the scars are perfect!  Here's a video of someone else that went to him. 



Chances are, since he takes my insurance, I'm going to go to him as well.  I have a large D-cup chest, nearly a DD-cup, and as the video shows, that person also had a larger chest. 

If you have any more questions about anything, don't hesitate to ask!  After all, we're here to help each other! 

Good luck!

Ryuichi

[The Flying Lemur]

I had a 50DDD chest, and recently had my top surgery done by Dr. Edwin Wilkins at University of Michigan Hospital.  He warned me that I'd probably have pretty bad dog ears, because of the way I was put together (breast tissue almost all the way around my back).  He really worked to minimize how much awkward tissue I was left with, though.  He removed fat on my sides as far as he could without flipping me on my stomach during surgery.  I do have dog ears, but you can only see them from certain angles.  My results might not be perfect, but given how challenging my body type was to begin with, I'm pretty happy.  This is me a few days after surgery:



I wanted to do top surgery before T, but Dr. Wilkins wanted me to wait until I'd been on T for at least 6 months, because hormones can change your body significantly.   I didn't love having a 5 o'clock shadow with huge boobs, but it didn't end up killing me. 

If you do end up going to U of M, ask about their MSupport program.  It's a program that will help pay for medically necessary procedures that your insurance refuses to cover.  Top surgery is considered medically necessary.

[CallMeV]

Thanks for the recs guys!
I live in Mississippi in the US so I could potentially travel to these locations depending on saving up the money of course.
I'm currently a 38I so it's kind of ridiculous. I have considered getting a Breast Reductions first since my insurance covers it and that way I could possible find a binder that would work. I've tried a few different sizes of the GC2B binders but nothing seemed good enough. I had also heard that binding too tight can further damage the skin on larger chests making the top surgery results worse? That may not be true, I'm still researching it, but it's made me wary of trying to find a binder that works while I'm still this size.
  My size and the fact I live in the deep south has made me very worried about going on T with this chest. I've only met one other trans man irl down here and he was on T but hadnt gotten top surgery yet cause of insurance and cost. I know one of the big issues for him, was since his presentation was so genderqueer, he couldnt find a good job. Which meant that top surgery was looking more and more like it might never be affordable. That is honestly my nightmare and I dont think my dysphoria would be tolerable if I was trapped halfway thru transition. Right now, I finally have a job that pays well enough that I can see a path to saving up the money for surgery. But even tho this place is liberal enough to tolerate my relatively butch presentation, they also care about appearances quite a bit. Most of our customer base is conservative so I dont know that if I was to have facial hair and this chest, that they would continue to employ me.
Thanks for the two recommendations tho, I'm going to look into them.

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[CallMeV]

@The Flying Lemur, your chest looks so good! I'm very jealous : )

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[Ryuichi13]

Thanks for the recs guys!
I live in Mississippi in the US so I could potentially travel to these locations depending on saving up the money of course.
I'm currently a 38I so it's kind of ridiculous. I have considered getting a Breast Reductions first since my insurance covers it and that way I could possible find a binder that would work. I've tried a few different sizes of the GC2B binders but nothing seemed good enough. I had also heard that binding too tight can further damage the skin on larger chests making the top surgery results worse? That may not be true, I'm still researching it, but it's made me wary of trying to find a binder that works while I'm still this size.
  My size and the fact I live in the deep south has made me very worried about going on T with this chest. I've only met one other trans man irl down here and he was on T but hadnt gotten top surgery yet cause of insurance and cost. I know one of the big issues for him, was since his presentation was so genderqueer, he couldnt find a good job. Which meant that top surgery was looking more and more like it might never be affordable. That is honestly my nightmare and I dont think my dysphoria would be tolerable if I was trapped halfway thru transition. Right now, I finally have a job that pays well enough that I can see a path to saving up the money for surgery. But even tho this place is liberal enough to tolerate my relatively butch presentation, they also care about appearances quite a bit. Most of our customer base is conservative so I dont know that if I was to have facial hair and this chest, that they would continue to employ me.
Thanks for the two recommendations tho, I'm going to look into them.

It sounds like a "breast reduction" first might be the way to go, especially if your insurance will cover it.  Maybe you can come out to your surgeon as trans and explain that "later on, you're going for a more masculine chest."  Or maybe, they might even give you one, after all, it doesn't hurt to ask.  Your doctors should always be the one person you are completely honest with when it comes to being trans, and that includes surgeons. 

I'm sure that there are other transmen in the Deep South, you just haven't come across them yet.  I've seen some here on this forum, but unfortunately, they don't seem to be very vocal atm.  Either way, stay safe, especially where you live!

Either way, It doesn't hurt to not only look into the "breast reduction" option, but start saving in case you can't find someone able to do what you need done. 

Good luck with it all, and keep in touch, I'd love to find out what happens with you! 

Ryuichi

[pastormel]

Check out Dr. Raphael at American Institure for Plastic Surgery. He is amazing, compassionate, and kind. The procedure is $6750 out of pocket. He is in Plano, Texas. 6020 W Plano Pkwy, Plano, TX 75093. +1 972-543-2477

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