Female to Male Weight Management

Appropriate Body Mass Index (BMI) is an important factor affecting the viability of the neophallus and a person's suitability for Total Phalloplasty.

Your BMI must be in the “normal” range or close to it in order to be appropriately prepared for Total Phalloplasty surgery Stage One.

You can check your BMI here.

A number of patients planning to get Total Phalloplasty have asked Dr Djinovic to allow them to get surgery with inappropriately high BMI. The tone of his comments may seem like there is a lot of flexibility in this regard. In fact, he VERY strongly advises patients to have “normal” BMI before getting surgery. Health and weight are related.

Dr Djinovic responded:

• there are MANY advantages for a patient having BMI in the “normal” range;
• his advice for a patient to have “normal” BMI is never for the benefit or convenience of the surgeons whatsoever;
• surgery is the same for the surgeon whether a patient is “overweight” or “normal” weight;
• “overweight” category BMI patients always have complications as a result of Perovic Total Phalloplasty, in addition to the fact that “overweight” BMI increases risk of becoming ill with chronic problems such as:
• high blood pressure (hypertension),
• Type 2 diabetes,
• dyslipidemia (high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
• coronary heart disease,
• stroke,
• liver and gallbladder disease,
• sleep apnea and respiratory problems,
• osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint),
• cancer (endometrial, breast, and colon), and
• urological problems (abnormal menses, infertility).
• the resulting neophallus of an “overweight” category BMI patient is likely to be to overly large in girth (circumference) which may make it difficult to have sexual intercourse with any current or future partner;
• an overly large neophallus because the patient's BMI was “overweight” at Stage One also makes Stage Two urethroplasty more difficult and complicated;
• appropriate, “normal” category BMI, results in less scarring and easier donor site closure;
• patients who choose to ignore his medical recommendation regarding their weight can still possibly get surgery if they are at the lower end of the “overweight” BMI range but Dr Djinovic still thinks it's not advisable (your choice, your body, your health);
• for your lifelong benefit, the surgeon recommends you have “normal” classification BMI when getting Total Phalloplasty Stage One.

The National Health Service of the UK has a very precise free BMI checker for figuring body mass index so you know how much weight to lose.

The USA National Heart Lung and Blood Institute has a faster, easier free BMI checker with fewer questions. It generates dynamic body mass index scales.

The Body Mass Index scales (BMI scales) enable you to check your BMI and know how much weight to lose:

• Underweight = 18.5 or less
• Normal weight = 18.5 to 24.9
• Overweight = 25 to 29.9
• Obesity Class 1 = 30 to 34.99
• Obesity Class 2 = 35 to 39.99
• Morbid Obesity = 40 or greater.

The Musculocutaneous Latissimus Dorsi (MLD) donor tissue is the same whether relocated or not and subject to the same changes in amount of body fat and BMI.

If your BMI is less than ideal, aim for a reasonable and achievable adjustment in BMI that you can live with permanently.

Then get expert and substantial massage prep of both Musculocutaneous Latissimus Dorsi tissue area.

One side will be chosen but preparation of both sides will enable easier closure of the wound, spreading wound tension over both sides of the body instead of only one side.

Elasticity is also a very important characteristic.