Dr Prem Medical Tourism Logo

Guide to Sex Reassignment Surgery Destinations in Medical Tourism – Popular Countries, Hospitals and Available Treatments

Sex Reassignment Surgery Destinations in Medical Tourism

Until a decade ago, the possibility of opting for a sex reassignment surgery might have made you a social outcast. Fortunately though, the combination of globalization and modernistic thinking has led to several destinations around the world accepting sex change surgeries and those who opt for them as well.

Sex reassignment or gender affirming surgeries are complicated procedures and these destinations are favored by transgender people due to the inexpensive yet high quality of treatment offered, making them the world’s most preferred destinations for sex change operations.

This has, in turn, led to several destinations around the world opening their doors for patients who want to undergo sex reassignment surgery (SRS). In this guide you will read about:

Guide to Sex Reassignment Surgery Destinations in Medical Tourism – Popular Countries, Hospitals and Available Treatments

Medical Tourism Destinations Famous for Quality Sex Reassignment Surgery

expert surgeon

Sex reassignment surgeries are excellent options for men and women who were born into one gender, but feel that they are a different gender mentally and emotionally. Sometimes newborn babies with sexual organ deformities must also be assigned one sex or the other. Sex reassignment operations are complex and need expert surgeons to successfully operate.

These surgeries are quite expensive in countries like US, UK, Australia and Canada, and they have a long waiting line at subsidized centers. There are some destinations worldwide which have made a name for themselves in this field, for providing quality treatment but at a much lower cost. You will find these destinations mentioned in our medical tourism destination guide as well.

These destinations are:

Thailand

Male transgender touching body

Thailand is world renowned for its state of the art plastic surgeries, cosmetic surgeries, dermatological treatments, dental care and fertility treatments. It has of late also become a central hub in Asia for all those who opt for SRS. The country’s nonchalant attitude towards matters like sex, transsexuals and SRS makes it easier for individuals to visit the country for the procedure.

Thailand is a popular medical tourism destination for transgender surgery. Sex reassignment surgeries started here in 1975 and their inexpensive yet several decades of expertise attracts many men who want to transform to women. Male-female operations are performed by trained surgeons who inspire trust in their patients. Many people from developed nations come here for their gender transition surgeries due to the high cost of surgery in the home countries. Medical tourism facilitator companies also send people who want this surgery to Thailand.

In addition to housing several world class medical facilities and certified medical personnel who excel in SRS, Thailand boasts of offering these procedures for very affordable costs (nearly 4 times lower than in the U.S.). Hence, it would be very easy for an individual to gain access to procedures like male to female SRS and female to male SRS here.

Additionally, for people who do not have insurance, Thailand is a viable option as the cost of surgery is 1/3rd of what it is in their own countries. Male-female surgery costs $5,500-$22,000 approximately, in Thailand. Medical tourist partners with Thai hospitals offer package deals including city tours, massages, hotel stay and medical and surgical expenses, making it easier for people who want to undergo sex change.

Mexico

Doctor leading a medical team at the hospital

Mexico has sexual reassignment clinics which offer sex change surgeries starting from $9,000 for male-female and $ 13,900 for female-male transition. The reputed clinics in Mexico are equipped with the latest machines and have experienced teams of doctors. The need of each person is analyzed and surgery is performed accordingly, and they are provided with a complete procedure plan. Medical tourism facilitator companies work out affordable packages for their clients, making the process easier.

India

skilled indian doctor talking to patient

India is making a name in the field of gender affirming surgery, and is thus listed in the the Medical Tourism Destination Guide, for this surgery as well. Sex reassignment surgeries in India cost even less than that in Thailand, and the quality of the procedures is quite high. It is reasonably priced and transgenders, who have had to rethink surgery due to price, can consider coming to India for their sex change operations. Indian doctors are dedicated professionals, and their level of expertise is better than most countries offering sex change operations.

Surgeons in India are developing novel techniques for transgender operations, especially female-male operations, which are more complex and performed in very few countries.

Some clinics, in tandem with medical tourism consultants, offer package deals which include airport pick and drops, surgery cost, hotel accommodation, post-surgery care, visits to popular tourist destinations and shopping trips.

Turkey

Young people sitting in a clinic

Sex reaffirmation surgeries are complex procedures and need to be performed with great care by expert surgeons. Expertise of surgeons is one of the factors to decide which country or facility to get the gender affirming surgery done.

Turkey has clinics which have JCI accreditation and perform the sex reassignment operations. Istanbul and Antalya have clinics which have the required equipments and experienced professionals who perform sex change operations. Transgenders who decide to have the operation in Turkey can enjoy the scenic beauty of Turkey while recuperating.

Serbia

Woman shows notepad with a transgender symbol

Serbia has emerged as one of the popular destinations for gender change operations in Europe. The country has undergone a paradigm shift from its patriarchal, conservative outlook and overcome homophobia, which still persists in other parts of Europe. Times have changed though and the once conservative nation has now opened its doors to more liberal social attitudes that welcome transsexuals as well as those who want to opt for SRS.

Even France does not have surgeons qualified enough to perform gender change operations.

Transgenders from the US, Australia and European countries, visit Belgrade to undergo transformative surgery due to surgery being costly and controversial in their home countries. In Serbia, to get a sex change done, one must provide two letters from a psychiatrist stating that the person is suffering from identity disorder due to gender. A medical tourism consultant or facilitator can help with a list of all documents required.

Also, a year of hormone therapy and counseling is required before surgery is carried out. The surgery in Serbia is performed at one go in a 6 hour procedure, thus avoiding multiple surgeries.

The country has till date, operated on nearly 100 foreigners, with many more lining up at the high end facilities in the country for SRS. Records have revealed patients arriving at Serbia from as far away as Russia, Iran, France, South Africa, Australia, Singapore and the U.S. for sex change operations.

This has led to the nation becoming a transgender surgery hub of sorts in the region. Some of the other reasons that have facilitated this include affordable treatment costs and the non- availability of these procedures in the surrounding countries of Austria, Romania, Greece, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia.

Hungary

affordable treatment

Like Serbia, Hungary had pretty reserved views about the transgender community and SRS in general until a few years back. The country has now become a premier destination in the region for those opting to undergo either male to female SRS or female to male SRS.

Some of the salient features that make Hungary a premier location for those choosing SRS include its strategic location right in the heart of Europe that make it easily accessible from all corners of the continent and even Russia, and its rich source of thermal baths, natural springs and traditional wellness institutions.

Of course, the affordable treatment options available at the high end medical facilities in the country also play a part in attracting interested SRS patients. For instance, a SRS surgery in Hungary will cost about 60% less than in the UK or U.S.

China

Side view of young female surgeon

The Beijing district in China has become a premier destination for many individuals seeking Sex reassignment surgeries in the country and abroad. The nation has some of the best medical facilities in the region along with highly qualified and experienced medical personnel for these surgeries. Most of the facilities in China that offer SRS are either accredited by the JCI or the ISO, thus making them trustworthy choices for these surgeries.

Sex reassignment surgeries are on the rise these days, with many individuals willing to travel abroad for the same purpose. From offering affordable treatment costs, high end facilities and experienced staff to having liberal views on SRS, these countries are the top destinations in the world for those opting for sex change operations.

What You Need To Know About In Sex Change Surgery In India

Half man half woman make up person

There are so many transgender people walking among us that we hardly realize. These are physically and emotionally dissatisfied human beings having their souls trapped inside a wrong body. They have a sex defined by their physical structure which they hate to carry. At times, self disgust reaches a point that they feel like committing suicide.

This may sound a little weird but those who go through this mental turmoil can realize how frustrating it feels to have a wrong social identity just because the spirit is residing in a body which it loathes so much.

However, there are many clinics all over the world that come forward to resolve this issue through surgery and India ranks as one of the top destinations for sex change surgery.

Every year the number of transgender customers visiting India seeking sex change is swelling. The figure is climbing at a furious pace as previously Indian clinics used to handle five to ten sex change surgery cases a year which have recently turned into twenty transgender customers lying down on the surgical table.

Why India?

doctor and nurse medical team are performing surgical operation

The chief factor for India’s rising popularity as a much sought after destination for sex change surgery is the low-priced packages. At the same time, the quality of service delivered is way too good.It takes about five times the money what you pay in India to have a sex change operation in a clinic in the US and the other affluent European nations for that matter.

The Indian surgeons have innovated techniques for successful achievement of sex alteration surgeries besides the waiting time in Indian clinics is much lesser.

With the visa formalities been rationalized and made simpler and the clinic infrastructure being upgraded India is poised to beat its other Asian competitor, Thailand where the surgical expenses are a little costlier.

Other factors on which India certainly has an edge over other countries are as follows:

– The Indian sex reassignment clinics are set in world class luxury and comfort.

-Clinics are equipped with the latest medical gadgets and surgical equipments which are subject to close monitoring and upkeep regarding their operational efficiency.

– The Indian sex change surgeons are perhaps one of the best in the world brought under a talent pool. They have years of international experience handling more than 1000 patients. Most of them are qualified from famed universities of the US and UK.

The treatment and technology

Hormone Replacement Therapy

The treatment initiates with Hormone Replacement Therapy that customizes secondary sexual characteristics to bring a change to primary alterations like permanent elimination of facial hair in case of a male willing to become a female.

The sex reassignment involves surgical and medical procedures to bring to agreement intersex and transsexual patient’s physical looks and genital make up with their gender specification.

Surgical procedures would involve removal of the existing reproductive organs altogether. It is a major operation done with full anesthesia.

Sex reassignment surgery is also termed as vaginoplasty and phalloplasty. Hormone replacement therapy, an allied treatment procedure for sex change administered helps developing secondary sexual characteristics the patient desires but it doesn’t necessarily suppress or reverse the primary sexual characteristics.

For males who desire to become females chest reconstruction or mastectomy is available where nipple grafting is done to offer them a voluptuous pair of breasts.

Best sex change treatments available in India

mastectomy

Sex reassignment treatments in India involve several surgical and hormone replacement procedures among which the best are being brought to light over here:

Hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo oophorectomy

Hysterectomy

While the former involves removal of uterus the latter does a complete elimination of ovaries and the fallopian tubes.

The clinical infrastructure for the above two sex change procedures is too good in India with a team of qualified surgeons and dedicated supporting hands to back it up.

Genital reassignment

Urinary bladder. Human organ anatomy

This is a surgical procedure where the clitoris is enlarged by androgenic hormones or free tissue grafting, taking tissues from other parts of the body or installation of erectile prosthetic phallus known as phalloplasty.The urethra is realigned through the phallus to help urinating.

The vulvas are united to configure a scrotum to which synthetic testicles can be inserted. Indian clinics incidentally are great at genital reassignment and give the best treatment comparable to international standard.

Best and reputable hospitals in India

Female surgeon sutures the patient's skin during surgery

There are several reputable hospitals in India that have set a benchmark for gender alteration surgeries on the global basis. This is however not an exhaustive list and here we go:

  1. Apollo hospital, Ahmedabad.
  2. Apollo hospital, Chennai.
  3. Columbia Asia, Mysore.
  4. Columbia Asia, Pune.
  5. Columbia Asia, Ghaziabad.
  6. Columbia Asia, Kolkata
  7. Columbia Asia, Whitefield Bangalore
  8. Columbia Asia, Yeswanthpur, Bangalore.
  9. Global Hospital, Bengaluru.
  10. Global Hospitals, Chennai
  11. Global Hospitals, LB Nagar, Hyderabad.
  12. Narayana Health RTIICS,Kolkata.
  13. Global Hospitals, Lakdi Ka Pool, Hyderabad.
  14. Narayana Hospitals,Bangalore.
  15. Madras Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Chennai

Recent Articles:

Scroll to Top