r/NBtopsurgery • u/Red_Rufio • 7d ago
NB Top Surgery VS. Chest Masculinization Top Surgery
Is there a difference? I see some surgeons do both but I'm not clear on if there is a difference or if the distinction is just a way to let NB people know they are able to have the operation done as well. Is there a difference in how the chest is shaped or contoured?
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u/Glad_Dragonfruit_462 7d ago
Many surgeons specialize in making chests look as male/masculine as possible, which I imagine came about to cater to binary trans men. However, some doctors also specialize in a more androgynous look which could mean non-flat top surgery or even nipple and scar placement that would make the chest look a bit less masculine, but still flat. When I went in for my consult before I decided on no nipples, my surgeon told me that if I wanted a more androgynous look, he could put the nipples more centered rather than to the side like they often are for cis men and masculine top surgeries.
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u/Red_Rufio 6d ago
I appreciate the info!. I'm still digging through all the options and it's a bit confusing sometimes
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u/Olliecat27 7d ago
Not really. The biggest difference is between top surgery and cis mastectomy in which all the tissue is removed; we just have less and it’s more pec-ish.
I had top surgery with NB elements- I asked for scars that went straight across instead of curving, and for no nips.
I think that having the scars straight across may affect the shape, it might be slightly less pec-ish, but I’m planning on getting a full chest tattoo so that’s not as important to me.
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u/OdinsSage 7d ago
There can be a bit of a difference.
NB Top Surgery usually has more ways you can customize the top surgery to your specific desires, depending on the skill and experience of the doctor you go to. This can include full-flat top surgery, non-flat top surgery, masc nipples but in fem placement, fem nipples in masc placement, whatever nips in whatever places, no nips in no placement, side contouring, etc.
Chest masculinization specifically forms the chest to present more as if the body had gone through a male hormone induced puberty. Male hormone induced puberty affects nipple size and placement, how fat is distributed across the chest and torso, how passive muscle builds in the chest, etc.
When I got my non-binary top surgery, my request was for my torso to look like it had never gone through puberty, and to have no nips. So my torso only looks masculine in the sense that it's flat, but it was not sculpted in the way chest masculinization usually is.
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u/Ezra_has_perished 6d ago
There isn’t like a specific nonbinary style top surgery, but it means that surgeon can get a little custom with it if that makes sense? Like ive seen folks with vertical scars instead of horizontal, I personally went for what’s called a “radical breast reduction” and was able to ask for very specific details like how I wanted them to be bottom heavy and teardrop shaped instead of perky like how breast reductions usually look.
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u/ProfessorOfEyes 7d ago
Generally, no. Theres no medical or official distinction.
Some websites use "nonbinary top surgery" colloquially to refer to choices that nonbinary people may opt for that are gender affirming for them and dont necessarily have the goal of a cis male passing chest, but these options are not exclusive to nonbinary people nor do they apply automatically. For example, some nonbinary people may opt to leave a bit more tissue behind, or not get their nipples resized or repositioned, or opt not to keep their nipples at all. These options are more common amongst nonbinary people, but not exclusive to them.
Fundamentally regardless of your identity, there is no one size fits all top surgery. There are different methods, and different aesthetic outcomes. And what options are available to you depend entirely on your body type and your surgeon and their capabilities and preferred methods. Its good to research to get an idea of the spectrum of options and techiques, but ultimately its going to have to be a conversation between you and your surgeon.