Date of Award

January 2026

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Medical Doctor (MD)

Department

Medicine

First Advisor

Michael Alperovich

Abstract

Background:Gender-affirming facial surgery (GAFS) addresses gender dysphoria by aligning facial features with gender identity, with historical emphasis on refining the upper facial third to render patients more attractive and feminine. The GENDER-Q, a novel patient-reported outcome measure (PROM), evaluates aesthetic, functional, and psychosocial outcomes, complementing the Gender Preoccupation and Stability Questionnaire (GPSQ) to assess effects of GAFS in this study. Methodology: Survey data from 86 patients was analyzed using GENDER-Q and GPSQ scores. Higher GENDER-Q scores indicated improved outcomes, whereas lower GPSQ scores reflected reduced gender dysphoria. Pre- and post-operative outcomes were compared using paired and unpaired t-tests. Spearman’s correlation coefficients assessed relationships between the parameters assessed. Additionally, qualitative thematic analysis was performed on open-ended survey responses to contextualize patient-reported outcomes. Results: Significant improvements in post-operative GENDER-Q scores were observed across facial features, with upper face appearance (r = 0.54, p = 0.001), jaw (r = 0.49, p = 0.001), and chin (r = 0.48, p = 0.004), showing greatest gains. GPSQ scores decreased significantly (-7.77 ± 1.61, p < 0.001). Pre- to post-operative changes of dysphoria, as measured by the GENDER-Q were associated with overall face (r = 0.62, p < 0.001), upper face (r = 0.64, p < 0.001), and chin (r = 0.51, p = 0.08) score improvement. Furthermore, increased overall facial satisfaction strongly correlated with improvement in satisfaction with the upper face (r = 0.54, p = 0.001), jaw (r = 0.49, p = 0.001), and chin (r = 0.48, p = 0.004). Qualitative analysis revealed four dominant themes: experiences of discrimination within healthcare settings, psychosocial and safety concerns related to “passing,” the perception of GAFS as life-saving and medically necessary, and the influence of broader societal and intersectional factors on surgical outcomes. Conclusions: An individualized approach to gender-affirming facial surgery that prioritizes overall facial harmony, rather than isolated subunit changes, improves gender congruence, facial satisfaction, and alleviates gender dysphoria in transgender patients. In addition, this study advocates for the use of tailored PROMs for the transgender population to more precisely capture and quantify the impact of population-specific interventions and conditions such as gender-affirming surgery and gender dysphoria respectively. Quantitative and qualitative findings together highlight that the benefits of GAFS extend beyond aesthetics to include identity affirmation, safety, and psychological well-being, underscoring the importance of individualized surgical planning and patient-centered outcome assessment.

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This is an Open Access Thesis.

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