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The surprising history of breast reconstruction surgery: The story behind the first man to undergo the procedure in 1942!
Breast reconstruction surgery, often referred to as "upper body surgery," is a variety of surgical procedures used to reconstruct the breasts, with the goal of removing breast tissue or changing the nipples and areola to reduce gender dysphoria. This type of surgery is not only of great significance to transgender people, but it is also an effective way to treat breast development and gender dysphoria. As society becomes more accepting of gender diversity, many people choose to complete their transformation through breast reconstruction surgery.
In 1942, British doctor Michael Dylan underwent a mastectomy to masculinize his chest as he completed his gender transition. This move is believed to be the first man in history to undergo this surgery.
Dylan’s journey of transformation is not an isolated one. Since his first surgery, he has undergone 13 gender-affirming surgeries. The surgeon responsible for these surgeries, Harold Gillis, is known as the "father of modern plastic surgery." Such surgeries changed the lives of many people and provided valuable lessons for subsequent generations of the medical community.
By the mid-1970s, Chicago surgeon Michael Brownstein opened his own plastic surgery practice in San Francisco. In 1978, he performed the first breast reconstruction surgery on a transgender woman named "John L." The results were very successful, which attracted more and more patients to him.
Bronstein's outstanding performance has led to more and more transgender people seeking help from him, even those who have not received gender identity counseling.
As his fame grew, Bronstein began to face questions about his hygiene standards, prompting him to require medical referrals from patients before performing surgeries. Over the course of his 35-year medical career, his post-surgery results nearly made him a world-renowned surgeon, involving such famous patients as Lou Sullivan and Chaz Bono.
Recipients of breast reconstruction surgery are not limited to transgender men, but also include cisgender men who need surgery due to breast development, and non-binary people who are dissatisfied with the image of their breasts. These surgeries not only reduce gender dysphoria, but also allow these people to experience physical relief and increased self-confidence.
In 2017, German model Benjamin Meltzer praised upper body surgery as "the most important surgery for any transgender man."
Surgical procedures can be divided into various forms, including inverted T-shaped incisions, double incisions, and key hole incisions. The selection is based on the situation and needs of individual patients. Each surgery has its own specific procedures and possible complications, such as loss of sensation due to nerve damage.
For example, the double-incision method is the most common method of breast reconstruction. It makes an incision from above and below the breast to remove excess fat and glandular tissue, and then sutures the skin. This method usually leaves long scars after the surgery, which fade over time.
Another less commonly used keyhole incision is suitable for patients with small breasts. The circular incision around the incision can effectively reduce the size of the areola, and the recovery effect after the operation is relatively good.
As technology continues to advance, these surgeries still face some challenges, and some patients may experience symptoms such as dog ears (i.e., excess skin appearing at the edges of the incision) after surgery. At this time, the surgeon may need to perform repair surgery according to the patient's needs to improve the effect of the surgery.
Currently, society's understanding and acceptance of breast reconstruction surgery have been greatly developed. Many celebrities such as Elliot Page have also publicly stated that the surgery "changed his life." All this means that not only physical changes, but also psychological release and gender identity confirmation are the core values of surgery.
The history of breast reconstruction surgery illustrates how medicine continues to evolve to change people's lives. Whether it is for transgender people or those who need this surgery due to other health problems, such medical progress is worthy of our consideration and appreciation. . Will we see more people benefiting from this surgery in the future, and how will it impact their lives?
