Risks

Like any other type of major surgery, many types of feminizing surgery pose a risk of bleeding, infection and an adverse reaction to anesthesia. Other complications might include:

• Delayed wound healing
• Fluid accumulation beneath the skin (seroma)
• A solid swelling of clotted blood within your tissues (hematoma)
• Changes in skin sensation such as persistent pain, tingling, reduced sensation or numbness
• Damaged or dead body tissue (tissue necrosis) in the vagina and labia
• A blood clot in a deep vein (deep vein thrombosis) or a blood clot in a lung (pulmonary embolism)
• An abnormal connection between two body parts (fistula), such as between the bladder or bowel into the vagina
• Urinary problems, such as incontinence
• Pelvic floor dysfunction
• Permanent scarring
• Loss of sexual pleasure and functioning
• Worsening of an underlying behavioral health problem

Your fertility

Certain types of feminizing surgery can harm or end your fertility. If you want to have biological children and you're having surgery that involves your reproductive organs, talk to your doctor about freezing your sperm (sperm cryopreservation) before moving forward.