How is surgery used to treat gender identity disorder?

In some cases, surgery may be used to treat gender identity disorder. People who want their physical sex characteristics to match their gender identity may opt to undergo sex reassignment surgery. When used in combination with psychological counseling and hormone supplements, sex reassignment surgery often has very good results. Before anyone undergoes sex reassignment surgery, they have to have at least one year of real-life experience living as the other gender. During that time, they may take hormones to develop the secondary sex characteristics of the other gender. After that, surgery may be done to change the genitals. In male-to-female transsexuals, the penis and testes are removed and an artificial vagina is created. In female-to-male transsexuals, the female reproductive organs are removed and an artificial penis may be created. Many times, feeling and sexual sensation can be retained in the new genitals, though this is more difficult in female-to-male surgery. Talk to your doctor about your options if you're interested in sex reassignment surgery.