Voice feminization/masculinization surgery is a procedure to raise/lower the pitch of your voice or make it sound higher/lower. Surgery changes the length, size or tightness of your vocal cords.
Voice feminization/masculinization surgery is a procedure to raise/lower the pitch of your voice or make it sound higher/lower. Surgery changes the length, size or tightness of your vocal cords.
Your vocal cords (also called vocal folds) are bands of soft tissue in your larynx (voice box). They control the pitch of your voice. They vibrate when you take in air. Surgery changes the folds so they vibrate differently and make higher sounds when you speak.
What is the procedure like?
- You receive general anesthesia. This is a medication that puts you to sleep so you don’t feel pain during your surgery.
- Your surgeon may use a laryngoscope to access your voice box. This is a thin, lighted tube that goes into your mouth and reaches back to your larynx. But some procedures require incisions (cuts) on the outside of your throat.
- Depending on the type of surgery you have, your surgeon does the following:
- Anterior glottal web formation: Removes several layers of tissue from the vocal folds at the front of your voice box. Then they use stitches to join the vocal folds, shortening the length of your voice box.
- Cricothyroid approximation (CTA): Stitches together cartilage from the top and bottom of your larynx.
- Laser reduction glottoplasty (LRG): Destroys the outermost tissues of the vocal cords with light energy from a laser.
How Much Does it Cost?
The average cost in the United States varies between $12,500 and $14,500. In Colombia, the procedure is 30-50% less. We offer packages that include the procedure and accommodations
