Letters of support or clearance letters from certified, mental health professionals are welcome and valuable, but not a requirement for adults who seek surgery with the GCC. This is because we use the informed consent model, which means that a letter from a therapist is not required unless the patient is seeking insurance approval. Insurance companies always require a letter of support from a mental health professional. Additionally, if our surgeons are outside of your provider network, you will need a reference letter from your primary care provider to request insurance coverage. For more information, click here.

We have compiled a list of scholarships for gender affirming surgeries alongside trusted, medical credit agencies you can use to help finance your surgery with us. You can also find estimated costs for each procedure we offer if you plan on paying entirely out of pocket. Click here for more.

You can leave the insurance worries to us. The GCC provides a free insurance concierge service to interested patients. After soliciting any necessary documents from you, our insurance advocacy team will get to work to secure full or partial coverage for your medically necessary, gender affirming procedure(s). Our team has a 90% success rate in securing coverage for insured patients. Learn more about those services here.

From requesting a consultation, to obtaining insurance approval and completing all other preoperative requirements, we have you covered with our top surgery timeline guide.

Placement refers to the option to place the implants below the muscle (submuscular) or above the muscle and below the mammary glands (subglandular). You can read more about the advantages and disadvantages of each, along with the option to score the muscles above a submuscular implant here.

Your surgical scars are determined by the incision location or where the breast implant will be inserted. Patients main concerns are around minimizing scar visibility and creating an incision that allows for optimal implant placement. For these reasons, we most commonly perform an inframammary fold, which conceals the scar at the fold at the bottom of the breast. Scar visibility can often be reduced with proper care. Patients can also opt for an incision along the border of the areola (periareolar) or through the armpit (transaxillary). Most transgender patients we see do not have large enough areolas to insert a silicone implant. Although the scar is hidden, inserting implants through the armpits is associated with higher rates …

Rather than measuring by cup or bra size, the size of breasts are determined by the implant size, which typically ranges from 200cc-500cc. The final appearance of your breast size will have a lot to do with your unique anatomy. We encourage patients to try out the rice bag test at home to figure out which size would best suit your needs. Likewise, during an in-person consultation we allow patients to try on implant sizers.

From there, a patient can choose the shape of their implants. At the GCC we prefer round or circular to teardrop-shaped implants so that rotation does not pose a risk to breast symmetry. Likewise, circular implants allow for more options around placement and a smaller incision for insertion, which reduces the size of the scar. Specialists in transgender care will know that trans patients will often need wider implants than their cis counterparts to meet their goals.

The fat grafting technique is less common because of its low success rate when a large amount of volume is needed and the skin is particularly tight. This means that the first choice for most patients is between silicone and saline implants. Fat grafting can be used in addition to implants, for example, to increase cleavage. Silicone implants have become the most popular choice because of their durability, softer feel and appearance, especially for those without a lot of breast tissue.

Every patient’s journey is unique. Generally speaking, it can be a good idea to gradually share the news starting with those who seem the most supportive. It may be difficult to manage mixed or negative reactions from others, especially for those who may need time to assimilate, accept, or support this decision. Reaching out to community and mental health professionals for support can be of great assistance in this process.