About Male Breast Implants

Male breast implants are popular among those making the MTF transition. If you are a transgender or transsexual woman and ready to take another step toward a more feminine appearance, you may be considering MTF breast augmentation surgery. Let’s take a look at the choices you would need to make, the things you need to take into consideration, as well as any other alternatives that may exist for you. Ready?

MTF Breast Augmentation

When making the transition from male to female, one step of the process may be breast augmentation if you desire a more feminine appearance. There are many choices to be made during this progression as well as some things to take into consideration before undergoing the male breast implants surgery. Whether breast augmentation is the first step or last in your transition, as it can be performed at any time, once you find the right MTF surgeon you will want to discuss all of the following with them before going under the knife.

Saline versus Silicone

The first choice your MTF surgeon will likely ask you to make is whether you want saline or silicone implants. There are pros and cons to each. Both have a silicone shell and can come in different profiles depending on the shape you’d like post-surgery. A moderate profile will give you a more natural appearance, a high profile will give you something that is more pronounced, and a moderate plus profile is something in between the two.

When it comes to choosing between saline and silicone, it comes down to appearance as well as feel. If you’d like a firmer feel to your new breasts, you may want to choose silicone versus saline which will have a softer, more natural feel. Silicone will have a more pronounced look and saline will look more natural. Saline implants will also cost less and require a smaller incision, so that is something to take into consideration as well.

Over or Under the Pectoral Muscle

It has been found that those who have undergone the MTF breast augmentation surgery are more satisfied with the final result, more specifically with the appearance, when the male breast implants are placed under the pectoral muscle. However, when the implant is placed under the muscle patients can lose up to 20% of their strength in the arms. This is true even if the implant is only placed under the pectoral muscle partially, which is also an option. If you are worried about muscle strength, it may be best to have the implants placed over the pectoral muscle instead of under. If you are more worried about appearance, then under the muscle may be better. However, breast enhancement through other means may altogether be better so that you don’t have to worry about either of these options.

The Recovery Process

The recovery process when dealing with a MTF breast augmentation surgery is extensive. Most doctors will recommend bed rest for at least a few days post-surgery. Then you will most likely not be able to drive for at least a week. You may be asked to wear certain special bandages, such as a surgical bra, for up to two weeks, and then other special bandages for up to a month afterward. Dressings will have to be changed regularly either by you, or if you are uncomfortable with it, you may have to go into the surgeon’s office to have them changed by a nurse.

Your physical movements will also be limited. Lifting heavy objects or lifting your arms over your head will not be permitted for at least the first few weeks. Strenuous exercise should be limited for up to two months. If you work a less strenuous job, like a desk job, you can usually return to work after a week. However, if you work a more physically active job, it may be a few weeks before you can get back to your job. You may not even see the permanent results of your surgery for up to three months.

Potential Complications from Implant Surgery

Many of the complications from MTF breast implant surgery are the same as for any surgery, such as: infections, complications with anesthesia, and bleeding. However, there are also complications that are specific to this type of surgery. Because you are stretching your tissue and possibly cutting into the pectoral muscle, you may experience more pain that usual, depending on the size of implant you chose. There is also the possibility of calcification around the implant or scar tissue forming. If too much inflammation or irritation occurs around the implant or incision, it can cause discomfort and pain. This may even be due to allergic reactions which can cause a need for the implants to be removed. One of the worst complications can be necrosis, which is death of the tissue surrounding the implant, which also necessitates removal of the implants.

Alternatives to Male Breast Implants

Instead of jumping straight to breast augmentation surgery, there are natural breast enhancement options that may help. These can prevent the need for surgery which also removes the risk for complications that may arise when undergoing this type of surgery. What are these alternatives? Breast enhancing herbs also work with men transitioning to women and many are very effective. A short list of those that may help include: fenugreek, boosts estrogen; saw palmetto, stimulating breast tissue growth; fennel, boosts estrogen; black cohosh, boosts estrogen; red clover, mimics natural estrogen in the body. These are just a few natural breast enhancement herbs that have proven results.

In Summary

The MTF breast augmentation surgery can be performed at any state in the transition from male to female. However, this is one surgery that may not be necessary if you are willing to give natural breast enhancement herbs a try. You may just find they work more effectively than you thought they would and you don’t need to go under the knife to get the results you desire, thereby avoiding the potential complications of breast augmentation surgery.