Gender Surgery

MTF Top Surgery

at Cadogan Clinic, London’s Leading Cosmetic Surgery Specialists. 

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Award Winning Specialist Clinic

We've won 12 top industry awards since 2010 and regularly feature in the national and international press.

Industry Leading Consultants

We've invited only the very best consultants in the country to practice with us.

Care Quality Commission

We're regulated by the independent regulator of health and social care in England.

GMC Registered Surgeons

All of our surgeons are registered with the General Medical Council.

Medically Reviewed April 2023, by Mr. Bryan Mayou (GMC: 1414396) - founder of the Cadogan Clinic and one of the world's leading plastic surgeons

What is MTF Top Surgery?

MTF top surgery is a breast augmentation procedure which is performed as part of male to female gender reassignment surgery.

MTF breast surgery is for trans women who wish to have a more feminine chest area.

Some transwomen take female hormones, which can encourage breast development. However, many opt for trans breast surgery which utilises breast implants in order to achieve the desired size and shape. Sometimes your own fat can be taken from another part of the body and used instead of implants.

Depending on the amount of skin tissue present in the chest, you may need to have the tissue stretched in order to accommodate the implants.

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MTF Top Surgery
At a glance

Surgery Time

1 - 1.5 hours

Time off work

1 - 2 weeks

Hospital Stay

Day Case

Shower

After 1 week

Reasonable Mobility

After 1 day

Exercise

After 4 -6 weeks

Bras & Garments

6 weeks

Sexual Activity

4- 6 weeks

Sleeping on back

1 -2 weeks

Full Recovery

4 - 6 weeks

Driving

1 week

Travel

1 Day


Why do people have it?

Male to female top surgery is where implants or a person’s natural fat are used to create natural-looking female breasts. Top surgery helps to alleviate gender dysphoria, a condition that causes great distress and stems from a feeling of disconnect between a person’s biological sex and gender identity.

Male to female gender reassignment helps to treat gender dysphoria and the associated mental health issues that can come with this diagnosis, such as depression and anxiety. MTF surgery will help to boost your confidence and self-esteem and have a positive impact on your quality of life. The aim of trans breast surgery is to help you feel at ease with your identity as a trans woman.

Who is suitable?

MTF top surgery is for trans women who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Before you have any male to female gender reassignment surgery you should have been living as your preferred gender for at least a year and must have undergone a psychological assessment. You must be over 18 to undergo MTF top surgery.

Ahead of the procedure, you should quit smoking and make sure any existing medical conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, are under control. If you have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or above then you must lose weight before undergoing MTF top surgery.

Your surgeon must be satisfied that you are in good mental health ahead of surgery.

Any person undergoing male to female gender reassignment must have realistic expectations of what the procedure can achieve.

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The cost of MTF Top Surgery

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How is MTF top surgery performed?

Male to female top surgery is similar to the standard breast augmentation procedure. But due to the physiology involved, trans breast surgery is slightly different.

Trans women usually have broader chests, with thicker pectoral muscles, as well as smaller nipples and areolas. The distance between the nipples is shorter. As trans women have broader chests, it is common for trans women to have a wider space between their breasts, regardless of the size of the implant used.

During the procedure, the surgeon will make a cut in the chest and a silicone or saline implant will be placed inside.

Saline implants are filled with a sterile solution and typically require a smaller incision than silicone implants. They are cheaper, but there is a greater chance of them tearing or deflating.

Silicone implants are firmer and have a smoother surface. They are more durable than saline, but have a natural appearance and feel.

If there is not enough breast tissue to accommodate the implant, tissue expanders may be put in place of where the implants will go. These will be filled with saline solution over the course of several appointments in order to stretch the skin ahead of top surgery.


MTF Top Surgery Surgeons

We have invited a selection of the country's very best consultants to join us at the Cadogan Clinic so that you can be sure that whatever the nature of your treatment, you will be seeing one of the top practitioners in the country.


What to expect

Below you will find some key information to help you prepare for surgery and make necessary arrangements to ensure you have the support you need and that everything runs smoothly on the day.

The first step for all of our patients is to meet with the surgeon we feel is best placed to perform your procedure for a consultation.

At the consultation you will be able to discuss with your surgeon what your hope to achieve from the procedure, as well as discuss in detail what may or may not be possible.

Finally a comprehensive discussion regarding risks and complications will take place, alongside a discussion regarding the post procedure and recovery phase. Your previous medical history will also be recorded (including previous surgery, medications, allergies etc.) and an assessment of your fitness for surgery.

If your surgeon feels you are a good candidate for surgery, you are then invited to consider whether you would like to proceed for surgery or otherwise following a two week 'cooling off' period.

Within this period you are welcome to come in and discuss your potential surgery with your surgeon as many times as you like.

If you choose to proceed with surgery, the next time you come into the Clinic after your final consultation will be the day of your procedure.

Before admission the following behavioural changes are recommended / required:

  • In the 6 weeks before your procedure we recommend smoking is discontinued as patients who smoke have a higher risk of healing more slowly and complications
  • In the week before your procedure you must cease taking Aspirin or any medication that contains Aspirin
  • In the 6 hours prior to surgery you must not consume food or any drink, other than small sips of clear fluid (e.g. still water, black coffee, black tea) which are allowed up to 2 hours before admission)

Your MTF breast surgery will take place under a general anaesthetic as a day case at our award-winning Chelsea clinic.

Once you are under sedation, the surgeon will make an incision either around the areola, near the armpit or the inframammary fold and insert the chosen implant. The location of the incision depends on various factors and varies from patient to patient. MTF top surgery typically takes somewhere between one and two hours. Once the procedure is complete, the incisions will be closed with stitches.

After the procedure is complete, you will need to rest and wait for the effects of the anaesthetic to wear off. You may need pain relief.

When you leave the clinic, you must be accompanied by a responsible friend or family member.

It is important to follow all the aftercare advice issued by your surgeon following your male to female top surgery. Failure to do so may delay healing and impact upon the final result.

You should expect to take two weeks off work following your top surgery. In order to keep your new breasts in position, you must wear a surgical bra for six weeks and avoid exercise, including the gym, during this period.

You should expect soreness, swelling and possibly bruising in the weeks following your MTF breast surgery. Ice packs may be used to help reduce the swelling.

It can take between six and 12 weeks to recover from MTF top surgery.

As part of your treatment with the Cadogan Clinic, you will have access to 24/7 on-call nurse assistance for the duration of your recovery.

The Patient Journey. A breakdown of what you can expect on your journey with us

We are deeply invested in ensuring that every step of your surgical journey with us is as informative and reassuring to you as it can be. This article outlines what you can expect at each stage of the journey

The Patient Journey

Frequently Asked Questions

MTF surgery helps to redress the imbalance caused by gender dysphoria by bringing a person’s body in line with their gender identity. Once you have undergone breast feminisation you can enjoy an improved self-image in a body you feel connected with.

When trans women feel happier with their bodies, this usually has an overwhelmingly positive impact on all areas of their life, restoring confidence and improving mental health, alleviating the symptoms of depression, anxiety and other associated mental illnesses.

This newfound confidence can help in the workplace, in social situations and aid with forming romantic relationships.

Top surgery results in breasts which both look and feel natural. MTF top surgery erases male characteristics. Our surgeons at the Cadogan Clinics are experts in their field and have the knowledge and skills to help you to reach your body goals.

To prepare for your male to female top surgery, you must have any existing medical conditions under control and be prepared to lose weight if you have a BMI of 25 or above. You should also quit smoking at least a couple of weeks before surgery. You should not smoke during the recovery period as this can hamper the healing process.

If you are taking female hormones, you should continue with these as normal.

If you have any questions about your top surgery, it may be a good idea to write these down and bring them with you to your initial consultation.

In the UK, you can expect to pay upwards of £6,000 for male to female top surgery. This figure can vary from person to person and largely depends on the surgical technique used and the type of implants used in surgery. Silicone implants are more expensive than saline implants.

You should expect a degree of scarring following any type of top surgery. In MTF top surgery, scars appear along the incision line, where the implant was inserted. The location and appearance of the scars depends on which surgical technique was used during your breast surgery. Most patients don’t experience a significant amount of scarring following a male to female top surgery.

Scars will fade over time, but these will not disappear completely. However a few weeks after surgery, you may wish to use bio oil which can help lessen the appearance of scars.

You should avoid smoking, tanning, excessive scrubbing and scratching the area during the healing process as these can make scarring worse. Age, skin tone and genetics can also have an impact on the appearance of scars.

Some people have a condition called keloid that causes excessive tissue growth in the wound area. Keloid scars are thicker and more noticeable than regular scars. In the unlikely event that you acquire an infection of the wound, this can also make scars thicker and it takes longer for them to go.

The Cadogan Clinic provides every patient with access to one of London’s most advanced scar minimisation programmes, led by our scar prevention team here at the clinic.

Male to female top surgery at the Cadogan Clinic results in breasts that look and feel natural. This breast feminisation helps to erase your masculine characteristics and helps to heal the disconnect caused by gender dysphoria.

Your new-look body will help improve mental health, boosting self-confidence and self-esteem, allowing you to live your life in a body that feels comfortable and right for you.

Many people who undergo MTF top surgery do not find the procedure painful. There may be some discomfort involved, particularly in the days following surgery when the area around the breasts may feel sore, swollen and bruised. If you do experience any pain or discomfort, this can be controlled using over-the-counter painkillers. But, generally speaking, top surgery is not considered to be a painful procedure.

As part of your treatment with the Cadogan Clinic, you will have access to 24/7 on-call nurse assistance for the duration of your recovery.

It is possible to reverse MTF top surgery, although it is uncommon. Breast implants stretch the skin, so if you did opt to have your implants removed, you may be left with loose or sagging skin in the chest area, which may require further surgery to rectify. It will not be possible to return your chest to the way it looked before.

 It is of paramount importance that you are 100 percent certain about your goals before taking such major steps to change your body. You must also have realistic expectations about what MTF top surgery can achieve.

Yes, it is possible to have male to female breast surgery if you are not taking hormones.

The hormone oestrogen reduces the amount of testosterone in the body and produces feminising secondary sex characteristics, including small breasts. Implants can then be placed under this breast tissue to achieve a bigger size. Breast implants can still be used if you don’t take hormones, but you may need to use tissue expanders for a period of time before surgery in order to stretch the skin and make space for the implants.

Although it is common for MTF top surgery to use breast implants, it can be done by using a process called fat transfer. In this procedure, fat is removed from one part of your body via liposuction. The fat is then treated before being injected into the chest area to create breasts. Sometimes fat transfer can be used alongside breast implants. Your surgeon will be able to advise whether natural fat transfer would be an option open to you.


A state of the art, award winning clinic.

Founded in 2004 by world renowned plastic surgeon Mr Bryan Mayou, we now work with over 100 leading consultants and successfully treat over 20,000 patients each year. We have been winning industry awards since inception.

About Us

Best in Class Facilities

All of our treatments take place at our beautiful boutique premises in Chelsea. We have six consulting rooms and five operating rooms, as well as a dedicated pre and post-operative suite, and a full team of specialist nursing staff.

Our Clinic

A Strong Tradition of Innovation

We were founded in 2004 by world renown plastic surgeon Mr Bryan Mayou, best known for his pioneering work in the area of liposuction, lasers and microvascular surgery. We continue to collaborate with pioneers in our field.

Our History

At Home in Sloane Street, London

We are proud that our state of the art award-winning clinic is located in one of the best neighbourhoods in the country

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Clinics Nationwide

We offer surgical consultations in London, Birmingham, Chelmsford and Bristol, and attract international patients from all corners of the globe such as as the USA, the Middle East and Europe.

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What are the risks & side effects of MTF top surgery?

Although rare, there are some risks attached to MTF top surgery. Risks associated with this type of surgery are:

  • Loss of nipple sensation
  • Deflated implant
  • Displaced implant
  • Scar tissue distorting shape of implant
  • Breast asymmetry
  • Infection
  • Haematoma (blood pooling under the skin at the surgical site)
  • Seroma (build-up of serous fluid between the tissues and the skin)

General complications from any type of surgery include pain, scarring, blood clots (deep vein thrombosis) and an adverse reaction to the anaesthetic.

However, these side effects are rare and male to female top surgery is a safe procedure.


Gender Surgery

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We believe in the delivery of excellent outcomes and results, and exceptional levels of service. Our outcomes are natural and long-lasting, and we remain the premier choice for cosmetic surgery treatments in the UK.

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