How Physical Therapy Can Improve the Success of Gender-Affirming Vaginoplasty

Being comfortable with your identity is an important aspect of everyday life that individuals should have the right to. Gender-affirming vaginoplasty, which is a surgical procedure for transgender women and nonbinary individuals who were assigned male at birth, plays an incredibly important role when it comes to aligning physical characteristics with gender identity. However, while this procedure is essential for some, it is important to know that it truly does extend beyond the operating room. It is also important to note that integrating physical therapy into the preparation both before and after surgery can make a big difference in the outcome of the procedure. In fact, it can significantly enhance the success of gender-affirming vaginoplasty, promoting functional recovery, minimizing complications, and optimizing patient satisfaction.

What Is the Vaginoplasty Procedure?

A vaginoplasty is a procedure that can be done to help restructure a vagina that a patient already has as a part of their body, or it can be done as a gender-affirming procedure that can create a vagina. This procedure has been getting more and more attention over the years, especially as the transgender community grows and individuals are choosing to have the procedure done.

Why Preoperative Preparation is Important

Physical therapy serves as a very valuable tool for pre-operative preparation by optimizing pelvic floor function and promoting tissue health. Transgender women and nonbinary individuals often experience dysphoria in relation to genital anatomy. This condition can lead to pelvic floor muscle tension and dysfunction – often causing painful penetration and pelvic pain. Pre-operative pelvic floor therapy focuses on relaxation techniques, manual therapy, and exercises that are key to helping alleviate tension, improve muscle coordination, and optimize tissue elasticity – all of which are necessary for improved surgical preparation and post-operative recovery.

Also, preoperative counseling, which can be a part of physical therapy, ensures patients are well-informed and prepared for their upcoming surgical journey, and will ensure that they understand their part in their recovery process.

The Importance of Post-operative Therapy

Recovery following a vaginoplasty is a journey. Following gender-affirming vaginoplasty, physical therapy plays a crucial role in promoting tissue healing, restoring pelvic floor function, and enhancing sexual satisfaction. Post-operative physical therapy usually begins within a few weeks after surgery and begins by focusing on gentle mobilization, scar management, and pelvic floor strengthening exercises tailored to individual needs.

Scar tissue formation is a common concern post-surgery, potentially leading to discomfort, decreased mobility, and altered sensation. Physical therapists employ manual techniques, such as scar massage, to reduce scar formation and improve tissue function. By addressing scar tissue early in the recovery process, physical therapy minimizes long-term complications and can help speed the recovery process.

Physical therapy for pelvic floor rehabilitation is essential to support and restore pelvic floor muscle strength and sensation. It also helps to improve bladder and bowel function and control following the vaginoplasty surgery.

Physical therapy will also use dilators in order to ensure proper opening and function of the vagina. It helps to increase muscle control and performance by switching from one size dilator to another during your recovery journey.

Physical Therapy for Psychological Support

Undergoing physical therapy for a gender-affirming vaginoplasty procedure is not only key when it comes to physical recovery but also for emotional and psychological support. Not only will the physical therapist that individuals work with help them learn their bodies better and recover, but they can also prepare them psychologically for the journey that lies ahead, as well as assist them in dealing with any emotional concerns that they might encounter along the way.

As you can see, physical therapy is an important tool for gender-affirming vaginoplasty – both before the surgical procedure and during the recovery period. By working to help the body heal properly and address any concerns that might arise during these periods, physical therapy is an invaluable part of the gender-affirming vaginoplasty procedure.

Would you like to learn more about the vaginoplasty procedure? Contact the office of Dr. Ghozland today at 310-393-9359 and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have, as well as get you started on this very important journey in your life.