How Do I Reduce My Adam’s Apple?
Did you know that we all have an adam’s apple, women included? In fact, an adam’s apple is actually thyroid cartilage that grows around an individual’s larynx. It typically grows longer and with a more prominent angle in men and forms more noticeably during puberty. During puberty, hormones are released in the body that can often times trigger a change in the throat’s cartilage to protect the throat and vocal chords—a natural developing process.
While board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeon Dr. Adibfar does perform many adam’s apple reductions (also known as a chondrolaryngoplasty or more simply as a tracheal shave) on transgender patients as part of a group of feminization procedures, many women exhibiting more prominent adam’s apples also seek Dr. Adibfar’s expertise in reducing the prominent cartilage that appears a more masculine feature in nature. Let’s take a closer look at the procedure.
Before opting for a trachael shave, patients should be aware that because the small incision is on throat, they’ll have to decide whether the slight scar (hidden along the natural lines of the neck) is more favourable then having the prominent cartilage of the adam’s apple. While it does depend on each patient’s skin and the way their body recovers and heals, after several months of appearing rather pink, the scar then begins to blend in with the skin and not appear as prominent. While healing over several months, the scar can also be covered with makeup.
Patients must also be meticulous about their choice of plastic surgeon. Board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeon and oral, maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Adibfar relays this importance to all of his patients as the throat is a very delicate area that can be severely damaged without the experience and proficiency of a plastic surgeon who has performed the procedure successfully and has unparalleled knowledge of the human body. Before operating, precise measurements of the area need to be made. This assures that your plastic surgeon does not cut into your vocal chords which can damage and expose the patient’s airways.
Utilizing small superficial cuts, Dr. Adibfar creates an incision in the throat allowing access to the cartilage through the connective tissue and muscle. These little cuts allow Dr. Adibfar to remove the correct amount of cartilage to reduce the adam’s apple, while keeping the vocal chords intact and untouched. Once the sufficient amount of cartilage is removed, Dr. Adibfar carefully layers some connective tissue over the larynx, then closes the incision and applies dressings to cover while the area heals. Dr. Adibfar will also provide detailed post-operative instructions for efficient recovery, as well as book weekly follow ups to assess the incision’s healing and remove any non absorbable sutures. As mentioned, the small line across the once prominent cartilage may appear more pink and raised just after the procedure. If cared for appropriately, in time, the scar will begin to flatten and take a more flesh-coloured tone that blends with the surrounding skin and other neck creases.
Patients of Dr. Adibfar’s who have undergone an adam’s apple reduction quickly notice the great impact the area has on the contour of the entire neck and face. For patients who have a prominent adam’s apple that bothers them, they’ll be happy to know that this fairly straightforward procedure only takes 1-2 hours to complete, with recovery that could last as little as 2 weeks. Patients also return home the same day of the procedure with no limitations to their diet and the ability to return back to their normal daily activities within a couple days.
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