For many of our transgender patients, cosmetic surgery is more than a physical transformation—it’s the first step toward living their most authentic lives. It takes courage and bravery to live your truth, quietly building resilience in the face of dysphoria. At Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates, we recognize your strength, and want to assist you along your journey.
As the home of gender affirming surgery in Jacksonville, our experts understand how this battle between internal identity and outward appearance can consume your well-being. You deserve to walk through each day with confidence, and our surgeons have the expertise to help you do just that with an appearance that feels true to you.
Keep reading for answers to frequently asked questions regarding our surgeons’ superior qualifications and unmatched care. If you’re ready to create your male-to-female (MTF) procedure plan, contact us or schedule your initial consultation to get started.
What Sets the CSA Surgeons Apart?
Your identity should be handled with care and expertise. Between their education at the world’s finest institutions and having the highest certifications in surgery, our surgeons set the standard for gender affirming surgery in Jacksonville.
Superior Qualifications
Board certification denotes a surgeon who has completed medical school, residency, and all examinations related to their field of practice. This is the highest level of achievement in a surgeon’s training. All 4 of our surgeons are board certified, each with subspecialized areas of focus and passion.
Dr. Erik Nuveen and Dr. Courtney Caplin are our leading triple board-certified surgeons, meaning they have received board certifications in 3 separate fields. Triple board-certified surgeons are rare, with the title reserved only for the most knowledgeable physicians.
Having board certifications in cosmetic surgery, facial cosmetic surgery, and oral and maxillofacial surgery, our surgeons are uniquely equipped to perform your gender affirming surgery in Jacksonville. Whether you’re seeking a softer, more delicate profile or want more feminine body contours, our surgeons can help you achieve your aesthetic goals.
When you choose one of our triple board-certified surgeons to perform your gender confirming procedure, you’re selecting a physician with superior attention to detail. Our experts have the technical knowledge to carefully craft your ideal results and educate you on the procedure process.
Welcoming Care
Our surgeons see and recognize your courage as you take the next step in your gender affirmation journey. We want to honor your bravery, helping you feel welcome within our walls.
Our experts—and the rest of the team at Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates—undergo continued education on best practices for caring for transgender patients. This ongoing education ensures you receive the most support possible.
We also hold space for your story with compassion. During your initial consultation, we listen carefully as you describe your journey thus far. Whether you’ve just begun your transition or are in your final stages, you can rest assured knowing you’ve entered a judgment-free space.
Adherence to WPATH Guidelines
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) is a professional organization that sets the standards of healthcare for transgender individuals. Our surgeons follow all guidelines set by WPATH to ensure you have an inclusive experience.
From consultation to recovery follow-ups, you can expect an unwavering commitment to your safety and clinical excellence.
What MTF Gender-Confirming Procedures Can CSA Surgeons Perform?
Our surgeons can perform the full spectrum of MTF gender affirming procedures to align your appearance with your identity. This includes procedures that create more feminine facial features and curves.
Facial Feminization Surgery
Facial feminization surgery refers to any procedure that softens the facial features. To make the face appear smaller and less angular, many of our patients choose to incorporate the following procedures into their gender affirming surgery in Jacksonville:
- Chin reduction – Decreases the size of the chin to create a softer face shape.
- Lip lift – Reshapes the lips and redefines the Cupid’s bow.
- Blepharoplasty – Removes excess skin and fat from around the eyelids to make the eyes appear rounder.
- Hairline advancement – Minimizes receding hairlines to give the scalp a fuller appearance.
- Tracheal shave – Reduces the appearance of the Adam’s apple.
Our surgeons’ expertise also extends beyond this list to include other procedures you may need to create a more feminine appearance. We can customize your facial feminization procedure plan to suit your unique needs during your consultation.
Top Surgery
MTF top surgery, otherwise known as chest feminization, augments breast size and shape to create a feminine silhouette.
If you are on estrogen therapy before surgery, you may have already experienced breast growth. By inserting a silicone or saline implant into the breast pocket, our world-renowned surgeons can help you create naturally fuller-looking breasts.
Your surgeon may also include expander surgery into your procedure plan, depending on the amount of skin laxity on your chest. This empty implant is filled with saline or carbon dioxide over time to ensure the skin can stretch enough for top surgery.
Body Contouring
To create more feminine curves, our experts can use implants and fat transfers to enhance areas that lack volume.
The male body tends to have a narrow waist and hips, often with less fat in the lower body. To add volume to these areas as you make your transition, your surgeon may recommend augmenting your hips, buttocks, and thighs during your MTF body contouring procedure.
Though we understand that the waistline plays a major role in creating a feminine shape, we cannot perform any procedures that alter the skeleton. However, with our extensive network of surgeons and providers across the country, we can refer you to another physician who can perform rib positioning.
What Should I Expect From the CSA Procedure Process?
You deserve an appearance that feels authentic to your identity. Our surgeons see the years of dysphoria and discomfort you’ve experienced, and want you to feel at home within your body.
Here’s a comprehensive overview of what you can expect when you choose our team for your gender affirming surgery in Jacksonville.
Initial Consultation
You first schedule a consultation with one of our surgeons to begin your transformation at Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates.
During this appointment, your surgeon asks questions about your transition thus far. They have you describe how you feel when you look in the mirror and the vision you have of your ideal surgery results. All of this information helps ensure your gender confirming procedure is carefully tailored to your needs.
Throughout your consultation, you can expect empathy and professionalism from your surgeon. Regardless of how far along you are in your transition, you receive open communication and compassion every step of the way. Our consultations serve as a judgment-free zone, allowing you to make informed decisions about your procedure.
Your surgeon also examines your desired treatment areas. This helps them determine what results are possible, so you can walk into your procedure with realistic expectations.
Using all of the information gathered during your consultation, you and your surgeon work together to create your procedure plan. Your surgeon also explains each aspect of your gender affirming surgery in Jacksonville. We encourage you to ask questions and voice your concerns to ensure you’re prepared for the process ahead.
Surgery
On the day of your procedure, a member of our team will take you back to our in-office surgical suite to prepare for surgery. They check your vitals and ensure you’ve filled out all necessary paperwork. Your surgeon also stops in to provide further details on your procedure and to calm any nerves.
Once you’re ready, your surgeon administers general anesthesia to keep you unconscious throughout surgery. They then work their way through your MTF procedure plan, refining your features to reflect your identity.
Most gender confirming surgeries take up to 4 hours to complete, depending on the details outlined in your plan.
Recovery
Immediately after your procedure, a member of our team brings you to a recovery room and monitors your condition as you wake up from anesthesia. Your surgeon also stops by to provide you and your caretaker with detailed post-procedure instructions.
Gender confirming surgery can involve a variety of overwhelming emotions. From excitement about affirming your identity, anxiety around your recovery, and more, it can be easy to get caught up in the process.
We recommend choosing a loved one to serve as your caretaker and support system throughout your transition, and you’ll want them to stay with you throughout at least the first day of your recovery to assist with any difficult tasks or emergencies. This person can be someone you lean on during stressful moments.
Most patients begin seeing more feminine facial features and contours in the weeks after surgery. Be sure to attend all follow-up appointments with your surgeon to ensure you make a full recovery.
Transition With CSA’s Compassionate Care
You deserve to feel seen, understood, and supported—not judged for your true identity. Our surgeons understand that you’ve spent years, if not your entire lifetime, feeling like a stranger in your own body.
With their superior qualifications and certifications from prestigious institutions, our surgeons can help you transition with care. Contact our team to begin your journey and start planning your gender affirming surgery in Jacksonville.
