Postoperative Supplies for Gender-Affirming Surgery

Dr. Mittermiller has compiled a list of supplies that patients may want or need after gender-affirming surgery. The surgeries of focus for this page are primarily facial feminization surgery (FFS) and breast augmentation surgery.

The brands are not important as the concept behind each product. Please let Dr. Mittermiller know if you find any products that are better than the ones listed below or if there are other vendors that provide a better experience. This is a new project, so we would like to compile the best list for all patients.

Pillows for Head Elevation

After gender-affirming facial surgery (FFS or FMS), it is helpful to keep the head elevated as much as possible in an effort to reduce swelling and pain. One method to do this while sleeping is to simply create a ramp out of pillows that goes underneath the back and head. Another method is to use a wedge pillow. There are many types and brands of wedge pillows. The most helpful for reducing swelling is to have a wedge pillow that elevates the head as much as possible.

Jaw Compression Garments

These are useful for patients undergoing submental liposuction to wear for a longer period of time. Dr. Mittermiller usually uses ACE bandages, but these can become cumbersome after 1-2 weeks of wear. The compression garment can be more comfortable and fashionable to wear for a longer period of time.

Nutritional supplements

After undergoing jaw contouring surgery, the chewing muscles can be sore for a few weeks. In this scenario, people may have a difficult time consuming enough calories and may wish to supplement their diet with nutritional drinks. Boost creates a variety of products that are safe and nutritious following surgery. Some surgeons request that patients stick to only a liquid diet for a period of time after surgery. It is important to discuss the individual requirements or recommendations with your surgeon taking into account your surgical plan.

Ointments for Wound Healing

Immediately after surgery, it is often helpful to apply ointments to the incisions to improve wound healing. This is frequently performed on incisions that are visible and are not covered with skin glue. This commonly includes the hairline incision for a hairline lowering or lip lift incision. The ointment should be applied while the stitches are still in place and can be discontinued once there is no longer scabbing at the surgical site. There are multiple options for ointments, but the ones listed below are a few commonly used products.

Top Surgery Nipple-Areola Graft Healing

During double-incision top surgery with free nipple grafts, the nipple-areola complexes are sewn into new locations during surgery. There are frequently issues with wound healing following this type of procedure. It is important to cover the grafts for a period of time that prevents them from adhering to clothing or bandages. The products below are useful adjuncts to use with nipple-areola grafts until they have completely healed.

Adaptic, Xeroform, and Telfa are different types of non-adherent bandages. You do not need all of these. Some people prefer one product over the other for various reasons. All wound-care specifics should be discussed with the surgeon, but commonly these products are combined with Neosporin, Bacitracin ointment, Vaseline, or Aquaphor to prevent adherence to the nipple-areola grafts.

Silicone Gel and Silicone Sheets for Scar Management

Once the incisions no longer have any areas with open wounds, Dr. Mittermiller prefers patients switch to either silicone gel or silicone sheets for scar management. Silicone sheeting is preferred, but there are certain incisions, such as a hairline incision or lip lift incision that do not easily allow for sheet placement. In these areas, silicone gel can be more useful.

---

Post-Surgical Bras

After breast augmentation surgery, it is important to wear a supportive bra that will hold the implants in their appropriate positions while the skin and soft tissues heal and produce helpful scar tissue. The areas of focus for postoperative bras revolve around multiple items. If an inframammary incision is used, the bra should not have an underwire since this can apply excess pressure on the incision. If the bra is going to be applied at the time of surgery, it is helpful to have clasps in front and over the shoulders. This allows for easy placement within the operating room. Some surgical bras also come with a compression strap over the top of the breasts. This strap can be helpful when trying to push the implants downward and cause increased lower pole expansion. Ideally you should have this bra available prior to surgery so that it can be placed at the time of surgery.

Masculinizing Top Surgery Compression Garments

Surgeons will often place patients into a compression outfit following masculinizing top surgery. This helps prevent the collection of fluid at the surgical site. Some surgeons prefer to use stretchy bandages while others prefer actual garments. The items below allow for online purchase of the garment. It should be purchased in advance to confirm correct sizing.

Sleep Apnea Devices

Recovery from FFS that includes either a brow bone setback or rhinoplasty can make it challenging for patients with sleep apnea.

For rhinoplasty, the problem with traditional CPAP or BiPAP devices is that they often place excessive pressure on the nose. This is problematic during the postoperative healing phase of a rhinoplasty. One option for patients undergoing only a rhinoplasty is to use a full face mask. This should be discussed preoperatively with the surgeon and the patient’s sleep apnea specalist.

For brow bone setback, the problem with CPAP or BiPAP is the positive pressure. The positive pressure can theoretically push air through the cuts in the frontal sinus bone that were made during the operation. In these scenarios, Dr. Mittermiller recommends close discussion with the surgeon and with the sleep apnea specialist. It may be necessary to consider alternative sleep apnea devices such as the myTAP.

Corrective Lenses after FFS

It can often be challenging for patients to wear glasses after FFS. Many patients have large head bandages immediately following FFS. The glasses then simply do not fit either over or underneath the bandages. In these scenarios, it can often be best to simply switch to contact lenses. Contact lenses can be challenging to place if there is significant swelling of the eyelids. However, if there is eyelid swelling, this usually only lasts for a few days.

If contact lenses are not an option, there may be additional options to try to continue wearing eyeglasses. The problem with traditional glasses is that they can place excess pressure on the nose. This is problematic for patients who have undergone a rhinoplasty.

One simple method to prevent pressure from the nose pads on the nose is to elevate the glasses and tape the bridge of the glasses to the forehead. The tape below provide a good adhesive while not being too damaging to the skin

Although they can appear silly, one can consider a forehead band that holds the glasses. One example is shown below.

Another option is to wear a silicone pad over the nose after the operative nasal splint is removed. One option is shown below. These silicone pads still place some pressure on the nose, so they may not be ideal. It is best to discuss this option with your surgeon before purchasing the device.

There are some devices that help offload pressure on the nasal bridge and instead place pressure on the cheeks. These can work for some patients, but they are not be ideal for patients who have undergone cheek augmentation with implants or fat grafting since the pressure can either cause pain (with implants or fat grafting) or result in fat absorption (with fat grafting).

Dr. Mittermiller is trialing a relationship with Amazon as an Amazon Affiliate. He has curated these items based on the desired products for the experience and based off patient reviews of the products.