Facial masculinization surgery, often abbreviated FMS, uses many of the same surgical principles as feminization procedures but applies them in reverse, adding angularity, projection, and width rather than softening and narrowing. Evolve Your Life does not yet publish a dedicated FMS service page, so interested patients are encouraged to review the practice’s full gender affirmation program and discuss facial masculinization surgery goals directly during consultation. What does set facial masculinization surgery Chicago patients receive from Dr. Amir Dorafshar apart is the same craniofacial background and planning technology he applies to feminization cases.
Craniofacial training applied in the opposite direction
Building masculine features, forehead augmentation, jaw widening, chin lengthening, requires the same detailed understanding of skull anatomy as reducing them does, but the surgical goals and techniques run in reverse. Dr. Dorafshar’s craniofacial and reconstructive training gives him a working knowledge of how implants, bone grafting, and sliding genioplasty interact with sinus anatomy and nerve position, whether the goal is augmentation or reduction. Our article on facial masculinization surgery across the upper, middle, and lower face walks through how each zone is addressed, and our piece on who facial masculinization surgery is for discusses candidacy in more depth.
Thyroid cartilage augmentation, essentially the inverse of the tracheal shave used in feminization, is also discussed during comprehensive facial masculinization surgery consultation for patients wanting a more visible laryngeal prominence alongside jaw and chin goals.
Computer-assisted planning, and why this matters here
The same 3D CT imaging and computer-assisted planning Dr. Dorafshar uses for facial feminization surgery cases applies directly to facial masculinization surgery, letting patients see a simulated result before surgery and helping the surgical team select implant sizing and jaw augmentation approaches suited to individual bone structure. This matters particularly for jaw and chin work, where getting proportions wrong in either direction, too subtle or too pronounced, can require revision. Our article on 3D CT surgical planning for FFS explains the technology and planning process, which the same surgical team applies when planning masculinization cases.
Facial masculinization surgery does not yet have as extensive a body of dedicated Chicago-area content or resources as facial feminization surgery, which makes the surgeon’s underlying expertise, rather than marketing material, the more reliable signal for patients researching options. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons describes facial masculinization surgery as a series of procedures, sometimes staged across more than one surgery, that reshape feminine facial features using implants, cartilage grafts, or a combination of techniques. Cleveland Clinic notes that facial masculinization and feminization are typically performed by the same specially trained surgical teams within a broader gender-affirmation program, which reflects how closely related the underlying craniofacial techniques are even though the surgical goals differ.
Candidacy generally follows criteria informed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s Standards of Care, involving documented gender dysphoria, informed consent, and a collaborative evaluation between patient and surgical team. Our broader article on gender-affirming surgery, mental health, and wellbeing offers useful context on the emotional dimensions of this decision.
Because Evolve Your Life’s Chicago office sits in the Gold Coast neighborhood near the Magnificent Mile, patients from throughout downtown Chicago, Peoria, and Oak Brook, IL can access this specialized craniofacial expertise, applied to facial masculinization surgery, without traveling out of the Midwest. Our complete guide to gender affirmation surgery outlines how FMS fits within the full range of services available, and scheduling a consultation remains the best way to discuss an individualized plan directly with Dr. Dorafshar.
