What are the risks of feminizing genital surgery?

The decision to have feminizing genital surgery is extremely personal. You'll have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable.

Your mental health is very important. Surgery affects everyone differently. There is not enough research to say if feminizing genital surgery will improve or worsen your mental health or improve or alleviate your gender dysphoria.

This surgery is considered permanent and may be impossible to reverse. Some patients later report regret about their decision to have gender surgery. There is not yet good data on the number of patients who regret their surgery or later detransition.

Your plastic surgeon and/or staff will explain in detail the risks associated with surgery. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedures you will undergo and any risks or potential complications.

The possible risks of feminizing genital surgery include, but are not limited to:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Poor healing of incisions
• Hematoma
• Nerve injury
• Stenosis of the neovagina (when the simulated vaginal canal and/or urethra may tighten or close; regular dilation can help prevent this)
• Inadequate depth of the neovagina
• Injury to the urinary tract
• Difficulty urinating
• Painful sexual intercourse
• Prolapse of the neovagina (when the simulated vaginal tissue protrudes outward in the patch of sensitive skin between the neovaginal opening and anus and/or the underlying structures inside your body beneath your pelvic floor)
• Fistula (injury to the rectum or genitourinary structures that causes an opening between the rectum and neovagina or between the urethra and neovagina)
• Anesthesia risks