It can be hard to find information about surgery options and recovery. So here’s a list to help get you started.
All the terminology and options can be overwhelming. If you’re just starting to learn about phalloplasty, phallo.net and the wiki on the phallo subreddit are excellent places for beginners to start looking. Some info on phallo.net may be old or outdated, because the website is old. The phallo wiki has been more recently updated. The GU Recon center in San Francisco also has a wonderful website with lots of information, another great place to start.
A lot of people want to see pictures. It’s understandable, it’s good to get an idea of what to expect for surgery, during recovery, and after you’re healed. People tend to be critical of phalloplasty aesthetics, but there are real people behind every single picture, and they sacrificed a lot to get their penis. Remember that before you judge them.
That being said, Reddit (r/phallo) and Transbucket are the best places to find post op pictures. There’s also some videos on PornHub and post op creators on Only Fans. Individual surgeon websites also sometimes have them. Dr Chen (who is a big name in the bottom surgery game) has a great website here. When you go in for a consult you can ask to see a portfolio as well.
Progress - ep 4: Preparing for phallo and meta
When A Guy Has - the phalloplasty episode (2 part)
Assigned Scientist at Bachelor’s - ep 47: “So, What’s In Your Pants?” (Genitals Part II)
Assigned Scientist at Bachelor’s - ep 62: The (Trans) Body in Space
I think it’s safe to say most of us aren’t catching up on the latest Pub Med articles. They can be hard to read with weird medical jargon. Plus they’re sterile, very matter of fact. Which is what they’re supposed to be! They are scientific papers after all. But they lack the nuance of first hand experiences, and learning about the recovery is more important in decision making than learning about what blade they used to make what incision. But once you learn the basics, they can be fascinating and offer a new perspective on the complexity of phalloplasty. They offer detailed information on different graft sites, outcomes, satisfaction rates, mental health, you name it. There’s still a lot of things missing in trans research but there’s also a wealth of knowledge already out there.
Here are some scientific papers I like:
Prostate Tissue Development in Trans People on Testosterone Therapy
Sensation in Split Thickness Skin Grafts