Chest Reconstruction / Top Surgery
Find your care
UCLA Health is a safe and supportive environment for transgender and gender diverse patients. Call to make an appointment.
The mission of the UCLA Gender Health Program is to provide healthcare for the transgender or gender-diverse community that is sensitive to everyone’s individual needs. At UCLA, we understand that gender affirmation surgery is an important step in a person’s transitioning process, but not the only step. At UCLA we not only assemble an expert team of specialists in plastic surgery to work together to perform procedures for surgical gender transition, but also provide access to providers in behavioral health, hormone therapy and primary care. For patients seeking Chest / Top Surgery, these services include:
- Bilateral mastectomy / chest reconstruction: To create a more masculine chest, transmasculine individuals can elect to have a bilateral mastectomy (top surgery) to remove unwanted breast tissue. A small amount of breast tissue is typically preserved and used to create a more masculine chest appearance.
- Breast augmentation: To create a more feminine chest, transfeminine individuals can elect breast augmentation surgery, in addition to the breast development that has been achieved from long-term hormone therapy.
The latest evidence and standards of care include a number of options to consider for both chest reconstruction and breast augmentation. The UCLA Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery specialists at the UCLA Gender Health Program will discuss the evidence, your anatomy, and your goals with you to help determine which surgical technique is right for you.
Photographs: Due to privacy considerations, we do not publish photos of our patients on our website. Surgery photos - both preoperative and postoperative - are available to be seen during your initial consult.
Care Coordination: At the UCLA Gender Health Program, we understand the unique challenges that gender expansive patients face when accessing health care. That's why our dedicated Care Coordination Team serves as your first point of contact. We offer a variety of services to support you.
Notice to patients seeking top surgery:
In order to facilitate the insurance authorization and surgery scheduling process, all patients should have a statement of support from a master’s or higher level behavioral health professional submitted prior to scheduling a consultation with one of our top surgery / chest reconstruction specialists. Referrals should specify the type of surgery you are seeking, “top surgery/gender-affirming chest surgery.” Please see the resources listed below for details about what a statement of support must include and information for finding a letter writer. Once the statement of support is received by our Gender Health Program care coordination team, a department scheduler will contact you to schedule a consultation with one of our surgeons. Statements of support can be emailed to: . Thank you for trusting the UCLA Gender Health Program to be your partner in health.
