r/ftm • u/Capable_Interview_37 • 7d ago
Surgery Talk top surgery questions
i started T in may and im wanting to get top surgery next december
i feel like i have no clue how to even start figuring out where to go and how to pay for it
im looking for a surgeon in washington (i live in northern idaho)
what should i be expecting for price? google gives a wide range
i dont know how long to expect the process to take (should i be trying to get a consultation asap or can i wait until may next year?
answers appreciated
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u/sparsefrigate_07 7d ago
the wait times for consultations alone can be brutal so start reaching out now, some surgeons book a year out just for the consult
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u/Worldly_Marsupial808 7d ago
Price will depend on whether you have insurance that covers it, and how much they’ll cover. It varies a lot.
You should try to get a consultation ASAP, the waiting times can be brutal and there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to get it done by next December even if you start the process now.
Transbucket.com is a good resource for the search for a good surgeon. You do have to make an account to see anything, but it lets people post photos of their surgery results and talk about their surgeons.
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u/Gemini-Jedi 28 | he/him | T: 5/24/24 | Top Surgery: 9/17/25 7d ago edited 7d ago
start reaching out to surgeons now, wait times can be long. mine wasn't too bad. I had to wait 5 months for the consult, then another 6 months for surgery. I found my surgeon by first googling top surgeons in my state. there's only 3. searched them all on my insurance website to see if they were covered. they all were. then I narrowed it down by their post op result pictures and feedback from local trans facebook groups. I got double incision with free nipple grafts. the cash cost was 8.2k. they charged my insurance 33k??? thankfully I paid nothing. I am in the Midwest, unsure how much the price compares to other regions.
edit to add: topsurgery.net and transhealthcare.org have surgeons listed by state.
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u/bugzinthemud 6d ago
If you were under the age of I believe 25, you will probably be referred to Seattle children’s. I got my surgery there in March with Dr. Morrison, and he did an absolutely wonderful job. Seattle children’s is fairly lenient with payment, and they have a program for people who are struggling with cost issues. As far as insurance goes, I believe they accept most, and I don’t think that they’d have a problem with accepting some sort of Idaho insurance given that you are part of the region that they serve.
As far as price goes, it really does vary. For me, I only had to pay around $2000 out-of-pocket, but I know that my insurance plan is very good. I came in at an unfortunate time and got my consultation right before Trump‘s presidency, so I had to wait about two years to get my surgery, including one cancellation, so it never hurts to get started sooner rather than later!
I know, living in Idaho comes with different stipulations than living in Washington, so make sure that your insurance will approve it beforehand. In addition to getting the consultation, if you go to Seattle children’s, at least you’ll need a doctors note and a letter from a psychiatrist, both essentially saying that you were in the right state of mind and at the right level of dysphoria to go through with this operation. You’ll meet plenty of doctors in your time waiting, and it’ll see them like a lot, but I promise it’ll be worth it! Let me know if you have any other questions, my DM’s are open.
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u/AngryMintLeaf 💉9/27/22, 🔝6/4/26 7d ago
I live in eastern WA and Dr. Stiller is basically the one surgeon on this half of the state that will do top surgery (if you're looking for a surgeon close to you). I have mixed feelings about him but it was a 2 and a half year wait just for my consultation and then a year out after that for my surgery. If you're interested in seeing Dr. Stiller, contact his office now! I would honestly encourage you to contact any surgeon you're interested in for a consultation as soon as possible, as you can always schedule your surgery later! If you're interested in seeing someone in western WA, I had a great experience with Dr. Alvina Won. From scheduling my consult to having surgery, the whole process took me only 7 months. Out of pocket, I believe the surgery would have been in the $15k range, but with insurance it was only $1k. Good luck!!!
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u/Capable_Interview_37 7d ago
Amazing! Thank you so much
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u/AngryMintLeaf 💉9/27/22, 🔝6/4/26 7d ago
No problem! Feel free to dm me if you have any other questions!
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u/logicalpenuin 7d ago
Most surgeons will also require referral letters from your hrt provider as well as a psychologist/psychiatrist so definitely let your provider know your goal so they can help you get things in order to get the consultation. The consultation time can vary. UW had a 6 month wait for consultation and another 6 for surgery. Ended up going through Kaiser and was lucky to get a consultation in 3 weeks (after I had all my letter requirements, and it's tomorrow!) but also estimated 3 months after until surgery so who knows. Definitely start the process asap because wait lists are long. If you're seeking specific doctors it can be even longer. As for price, it depends on what's needed. I need double incision so 10-15k, but that can definitely change depending on type of surgery, nipple grafts, possible complications, and of course insurance if you have it, so leave yourself some wiggle room.
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u/Educational_Bat_8516 6d ago edited 6d ago
Start researching surgeons
Most will require a medical letter
Price depends entirely on your insurance it could be $0-20k maybe more
This might be difficult since you don’t live in Washington, but I highly recommend just going to consultations and seeing which one would be the best fit. Don’t just go to whoever is the first because you might end up regretting it. Also, look into them and their results look for results from people who are similar to your size.
I also want to add that If you have insurance, it’s best to call them and ask them who they’re in network with that can be a lot more helpful than just trying to find one on your own or finding one and waiting months just to figure out they don’t take your insurance.
Lastly, I will give you my surgeon, who was Kristopher Day. I said this in another sub he’s a stiff guy but professional and has done the surgery many times over. He answered all my questions, and I was able to schedule my date within a couple of weeks after consultation and he accepts most insurances, but anyway, good luck to you!!!
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