Skip to main content

Facial Feminization Surgery (FFS)

Home » Surgery » Facial Feminization Surgery (FFS)

Affirm your identity with facial feminization surgery—a transformative set of procedures for transgender women and gender-diverse individuals seeking softer, more traditionally feminine features. At Transitions, we honor your journey by offering personalized, affirming care that helps you align your outward appearance with how you truly see yourself.

Soften your features to align with your identity

Facial feminization surgery (FFS) is a group of gender-affirming procedures that aim to soften facial features and create a more traditionally feminine appearance. It’s commonly performed for transgender women and gender-diverse individuals but may also be sought by anyone looking to enhance feminine facial traits. FFS is highly customizable and may include procedures like brow lift, rhinoplasty, cheek augmentation, jaw contouring, chin reshaping, and more.

At Transitions, your FFS journey begins with a personalized consultation to understand your goals and design a treatment plan that supports your authentic identity. Our board-certified surgeons use advanced surgical techniques and a deep understanding of facial anatomy to deliver natural, harmonious results in our luxurious, fully integrated setting.

FFS can address these concerns:

  • A prominent or wide brow ridge
  • A high or receding hairline
  • A broad or angular jawline
  • A strong or square chin
  • A prominent Adam’s apple
  • A wide or masculine nose shape
  • Flat or undefined cheeks
  • Thin or straight upper lip
  • Facial proportions that feel misaligned with gender identity

Do I qualify for facial feminization surgery (FFS)?

You may be a good candidate for facial feminization if you want to align your facial features with your gender identity. FFS is often chosen by transgender women, non-binary individuals, and gender-diverse people who want a more traditionally feminine appearance. You should be in good overall health, have stable mental well-being, and hold realistic expectations.

During your consultation at Transitions, our surgeons will take time to understand your goals, review your medical history, and evaluate your facial structure in detail. Every FFS plan is fully customized, and your candidacy is determined based on your individual needs—not a set checklist. We’ll work with you to build a plan that supports your vision.

What are the benefits of facial feminization surgery (FFS)?

Facial feminization surgery can be life-changing—both physically and emotionally. By aligning your facial appearance with your gender identity, FFS often helps reduce gender dysphoria, improve confidence, and create a sense of harmony between how you feel and how the world sees you. Some of the key benefits of FFS include:

  • Increased self-confidence and comfort in social settings
  • Reduced feelings of gender dysphoria
  • Softer, more traditionally feminine facial features
  • Improved alignment between your inner identity and outward appearance
  • Enhanced emotional well-being and quality of life
  • Long-lasting, natural-looking surgical outcomes

Choose your ideal facial
feminization technique/s

At Transitions, we recognize that every face—and every journey—is unique. That’s why facial feminization surgery is never a one-size-fits-all experience. Instead, our expert surgeons work closely with you to develop a fully customized plan, selecting from various surgical techniques that align with your goals—while preserving the qualities that make you uniquely you.

Adam's apple reduction

Also known as a tracheal shave, Adam’s apple reduction minimizes the prominence of the thyroid cartilage. A small incision is typically made under the chin or in a natural neck crease, allowing the surgeon to shave down the cartilage and create a smoother, more feminine neck contour to minimize gender dysphoria related to the throat and profile view.

View Adam's Apple Reduction

Blepharoplasty

Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, focuses on rejuvenating the eye area. For facial feminization, the goal is often to create a softer, more open expression. This may involve removing excess skin or fat from the upper and/or lower eyelids and addressing puffiness, drooping, or under-eye bags. The result is a refreshed appearance that complements other feminizing features.

View Blepharoplasty

Brow lift

A brow lift elevates the eyebrows to a higher, more arched position—typically associated with feminine facial anatomy. The procedure also smooths horizontal forehead lines and reduces heaviness over the eyes. There are multiple brow lift techniques available, and your surgeon will select the most appropriate method based on your hairline, skin quality, and goals.

View Brow Lift

Cheek augmentation

High, full cheeks are often considered a hallmark of feminine beauty. Cheek augmentation enhances this feature by using either facial implants or fat grafting to add volume and contour. This creates a lifted, youthful appearance and contributes to the softening of facial structure. The procedure is tailored to each patient’s natural cheekbone for balanced, elegant results.

View Cheek Augmentation

Chin & jaw contouring

Chin and jaw contouring involves reshaping the lower face to reduce angularity and create smoother, more refined lines. This may include reducing the height, width, or projection of the chin, softening the jawline, or both. Bone reshaping tools and precision contouring techniques help achieve a more tapered, traditionally feminine profile while maintaining facial harmony.

View Chin & Jaw Contouring

Forehead contouring

Forehead contouring, or frontal bone reduction, addresses one of the most gender-signifying areas of the face. Masculine foreheads often have a prominent brow ridge (supraorbital bossing), while feminine foreheads are smoother and more vertical. During this procedure, the bone is reshaped or recessed to reduce protrusion and create a more delicate silhouette.

View Forehead Contouring

Hairline lowering/forehead reduction

Hairline lowering, also called forehead reduction surgery, adjusts the position of the hairline to reduce forehead height and enhance facial proportion. This is especially useful for individuals with a high or M-shaped hairline. The procedure involves making an incision along the hairline, then advancing it forward while preserving hair follicles and minimizing visible scarring.

View Hairline Lowering/Forehead Reduction

Lip lift & reshaping

A lip lift shortens the space between the nose and the upper lip (the philtrum), which tends to be longer in masculine anatomy. This procedure enhances the visibility of the upper teeth and gives the lips a fuller, more youthful shape. Lip reshaping can also involve direct lip augmentation with fat grafting or fillers for additional volume and definition.

View Lip Lift Reshaping

Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty, or nose reshaping, is often central to facial feminization. The procedure may involve narrowing the nasal bridge, refining the tip, adjusting projection, or smoothing out dorsal humps. The goal is to create a nose that appears more delicate, balanced, and in harmony with other feminized facial features—while preserving your unique character.

View Rhinoplasty

The day of your FFS surgery

On the day of your facial feminization surgery, you’ll arrive at our fully accredited surgical facility. After final check-ins with your care team and plastic surgeon, you’ll be placed under general anesthesia, so you’ll be fully asleep and won’t feel a thing during the procedure. Your surgeon will then begin performing the techniques outlined in your custom surgical plan—this may include bone reshaping, soft tissue work, and contouring procedures.

Depending on the scope of your surgery, the entire process may take several hours. Once complete, you’ll be gently brought into recovery, where our team will monitor your vital signs. You may stay overnight at our on-site aftercare facility to ensure a smooth transition into the early stages of healing, with round-the-clock support from experienced professionals.

Your recovery experience after FFS

You’ll likely spend the first night in our aftercare facility, where our team can manage your pain, monitor swelling, and ensure your comfort. In the days following, you may experience bruising, swelling, tightness, and mild discomfort, which are normal and will gradually subside. Most patients are up and moving within a few days, but you’ll need to take it easy and follow all post-operative instructions closely.

Over the next several weeks, your face will continue to heal and reveal its refined, feminine contours. While visible improvements can appear within the first month, the final results may take several months to fully settle. You’ll attend scheduled follow-ups so we can monitor your healing and make sure everything is progressing beautifully.

Transition into your authentic self...

Transitions is a premier destination for gender-affirming care. Our board-certified facial plastic surgeons, including Dr. Leif Rogers and Dr. Walter J. Joseph, understand how meaningful facial feminization surgery (FFS) can be in helping you align your appearance with your identity—and we’re honored to support you on that journey. If you’re ready to feel seen and empowered, schedule your consultation for facial feminization surgery in Pasadena or Beverly Hills today.

Redefining

Gender-Affirming

Care & Aesthetics

Transitions: Where Your True Self Emerges

BEVERLY HILLS: 310.860.8915PASADENA: 626.537.3737
Contact Us 310.860.8915