Facial feminizationsurgery

Jaw shave

Catalina Before Jaw Shave   Catalina After Jaw Shave (and chinplasty)

Gender of the jaw

The male jawbone is usually heavier built and tends to be wider, because the muscles attached to the corners of the jawbone are much bigger. Female jaw lines run in a gentle curve from the earlobe to the chin. In males, it tends to drop down straight from the ear and then turn at a sharp angle towards the chin, giving a square appearance.

Feminising the jaw

Having a jaw shave can reduce the appearance and size of the jaw, making it rounder and narrower at the square corners near the back of the jawbone.

When the masseter muscles are too thick, they can be reduced by trimming them, although long lasting hormone treatment reduces their mass.

Usually, this surgery is combined with chin feminisation surgery to create a harmonious balance of these two adjacent areas.

Patients over 40 may experience loose skin around the jaw or chin after a jaw shave. This can be tightened after the original jaw shave procedure with a lower face-lift.

Procedure

• General anesthesia is usually required for this surgery.
  
• Incisions are all made intraorally, so no scars will be visible on the outside.
  
• Marked areas of prominent bone are cut with a surgical drill and micro-saw, curving down from back to front, to achieve a well-rounded contour.
  
• The masseter muscle is reduced on its inner aspect if necessary.
  
• The wound is closed with self-dissolving stitches.
  

Recovery

• Hospitalisation: Most patients will spend two nights in the hospital following surgery.
  
• Swelling: Swelling is expected and varies greatly by individual. A special mask will cool the surface of your face and keep bruising, swelling and pain to a minimum. Swelling usually takes a significant amount of time with these procedures. Swelling and bruising will peak 2-3 days after surgery. The majority of the swelling will dissipate two weeks after surgery; however, some of the swelling may take several more weeks to disappear. It may take 4-6 weeks for the improved contour to become obvious, but the result is worth the wait!
  
  

  Postoperative cooling mask

  
  
• Numbness: Most women experience temporary numbness.
  Work and sports: If you don’t mind being seen with the swelling, you may be able to return to your social activities 7 to 10 days after the surgery. You will have to wait until the third or fourth week before doing any hard work or physical exercise.

Complications

• Infection: Infections are possible but rare.
  
• Numbness: Extremely rare is permanent numbness of part of the jaw, in areas where the jaw is shaved.