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Hair removal for phalloplasty
4 years ago
General bottom surgery information (start here):
https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/9895112/
Do I need hair removal for phalloplasty?
- Hair removal is generally required if you are doing urethral lengthening and you have a hairy segment of your urethral graft. See Dr. Chen's template for RFF (https://www.gurecon.com/rf-phalloplasty) and ALT (https://www.gurecon.com/preop-alt-phallo) and Dr. Crane's templates (https://cranects.com/phalloplasty-h.....oval-templates). This will vary by surgeon so it's best to ask your surgical team where you should prioritize your hair removal of if you need it at all. Depending on how hairy you are, it can take 1 to 2 years, or sometimes longer.
Should I do laser or electrolysis?
- Laser is best for people with light skin and dark hair. Laser is only a permanent method of reducing the hair and you usually need to wait about 6 weeks between sessions. Electrolysis is the only method of permanently removing hair, works for everyone, and can be done as often as you like. Many people start with laser to thin out the hair, then finish it off with electrolysis. Hair grows in cycles so regrowth is likely with either method, which is why it takes so long for some people.
Can I get hair removal covered by US insurance?
- This will depend on your insurance, but many people do get reimbursed by their insurance. This usually requires a letter from your surgeon stating medical necessity for hair removal with the diagnosis code. Laser and electrolysis clinics rarely work with insurance directly, so you may have to obtain a receipt or statement from them to submit an insurance claim yourself. These receipts should include diagnosis and/or procedure codes as well. The procedure code for electrolysis is 17380, for example. For help with insurance denials, you can reference this article (https://www.transknowledge.me/artic.....bottom-surgery).
Any hair removal advice for those outside the US?
- Your surgical team will always be the best person to advise you here. In countries with public health systems, if you are getting phalloplasty under that system, any medically necessary hair removal is often covered too. However, this is a generalization and you should always check information specific to your surgeon and situation.
How should I prepare for my hair removal appointment?
- For laser, you will generally need to shave the hair beforehand. The appointments are relatively quick and should not be very painful. For electrolysis, you should not shave the area since the electrologist will need to see the hair. For pain, many people apply lidocaine cream such as this one to numb the area (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JEZXMBK). Apply it generously about 30 minutes before your appointment and wipe it off right before you start. The person performing the hair removal may have specific advice or recommendations for you too. You can see this video for a Q&A with an electrologist (https://youtu.be/JAqlD4lJSBU).
Can I have hair removal done post op if I don’t have enough time to do it pre op?
- Yes and no. Electrolysis can be done on the exterior of the penis once you are fully healed and have no open wounds. The answer is generally NO for the urethra. Some surgeons have talked about doing hair removal on the interior post op, but don’t bet on this being the case. Hair inside the urethra can cause complications post-op like irritation, infections due to urinary obstruction, and urine dribbling. This is why it’s really important to have at least 1 year of hair removal on the area being used for the urethra pre op, but more time is better. Post op electrolysis is also very unlikely to be covered by US insurance.
https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/9895112/
Do I need hair removal for phalloplasty?
- Hair removal is generally required if you are doing urethral lengthening and you have a hairy segment of your urethral graft. See Dr. Chen's template for RFF (https://www.gurecon.com/rf-phalloplasty) and ALT (https://www.gurecon.com/preop-alt-phallo) and Dr. Crane's templates (https://cranects.com/phalloplasty-h.....oval-templates). This will vary by surgeon so it's best to ask your surgical team where you should prioritize your hair removal of if you need it at all. Depending on how hairy you are, it can take 1 to 2 years, or sometimes longer.
Should I do laser or electrolysis?
- Laser is best for people with light skin and dark hair. Laser is only a permanent method of reducing the hair and you usually need to wait about 6 weeks between sessions. Electrolysis is the only method of permanently removing hair, works for everyone, and can be done as often as you like. Many people start with laser to thin out the hair, then finish it off with electrolysis. Hair grows in cycles so regrowth is likely with either method, which is why it takes so long for some people.
Can I get hair removal covered by US insurance?
- This will depend on your insurance, but many people do get reimbursed by their insurance. This usually requires a letter from your surgeon stating medical necessity for hair removal with the diagnosis code. Laser and electrolysis clinics rarely work with insurance directly, so you may have to obtain a receipt or statement from them to submit an insurance claim yourself. These receipts should include diagnosis and/or procedure codes as well. The procedure code for electrolysis is 17380, for example. For help with insurance denials, you can reference this article (https://www.transknowledge.me/artic.....bottom-surgery).
Any hair removal advice for those outside the US?
- Your surgical team will always be the best person to advise you here. In countries with public health systems, if you are getting phalloplasty under that system, any medically necessary hair removal is often covered too. However, this is a generalization and you should always check information specific to your surgeon and situation.
How should I prepare for my hair removal appointment?
- For laser, you will generally need to shave the hair beforehand. The appointments are relatively quick and should not be very painful. For electrolysis, you should not shave the area since the electrologist will need to see the hair. For pain, many people apply lidocaine cream such as this one to numb the area (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JEZXMBK). Apply it generously about 30 minutes before your appointment and wipe it off right before you start. The person performing the hair removal may have specific advice or recommendations for you too. You can see this video for a Q&A with an electrologist (https://youtu.be/JAqlD4lJSBU).
Can I have hair removal done post op if I don’t have enough time to do it pre op?
- Yes and no. Electrolysis can be done on the exterior of the penis once you are fully healed and have no open wounds. The answer is generally NO for the urethra. Some surgeons have talked about doing hair removal on the interior post op, but don’t bet on this being the case. Hair inside the urethra can cause complications post-op like irritation, infections due to urinary obstruction, and urine dribbling. This is why it’s really important to have at least 1 year of hair removal on the area being used for the urethra pre op, but more time is better. Post op electrolysis is also very unlikely to be covered by US insurance.
