Talking about the cost of phalloplasty isn’t just about numbers. It’s about everything behind them: the experience of the surgical team, what the procedure actually includes, postoperative care both immediately and long-term, the quality of service, and much more.
In a gender-affirming surgery as complex as phalloplasty, value isn’t just the operation itself. It’s the combination of clinical expertise, cutting-edge technology, and compassionate care that affects your outcomes, your health, and your overall well-being.
At IM GENDER, we have supported trans people through surgical journeys for over 25 years, from initial planning to long-term follow-up. Phalloplasty is a highly specialized procedure that requires a multidisciplinary medical team with specific expertise, alongside a trained patient care team to ensure you feel supported every step of the way.
Factors Influencing the Cost of a Phalloplasty
Several factors influence the cost of trans phalloplasty. Here’s a detailed explanation.
Surgical Technique Used
At IM GENDER, the reference technique is radial forearm flap (RFF) phalloplasty, internationally considered the method offering the best balance between aesthetics, erogenous and tactile sensitivity, and the ability to urinate standing. Its stability, customization capacity, and functional quality make it the preferred choice when the patient meets the appropriate conditions.
However, other techniques may be used depending on anatomy, overall health, and personal goals, such as anterolateral thigh (ALT) phalloplasty and abdominal phalloplasty. Depending on the patient’s surgical or scar history, the team may evaluate specific adaptations.
Before surgery, IM GENDER performs a personalized multidisciplinary evaluation, assessing anatomy, expectations, lifestyle, prioritization between aesthetics and functionality, vascular health, and medical history. This rigorous planning is an essential part of the process and the final cost of phalloplasty.
Team Experience and Surgical Complexity
Phalloplasty is one of the most complex gender-affirming surgeries. It requires advanced microsurgical skills, the ability to reconstruct urethral structures, management of possible complications, and coordination among multiple professionals.
At IM GENDER, the procedure involves a team of surgeons specialized in transgender surgery and reconstructive microsurgery, anesthesiologists with experience in prolonged surgical procedures, a nursing team with expertise in gender-affirming surgery, patient care staff with specialized training, a dedicated physiotherapy service, and psychological support when needed.
Experience, specialization, training, and a highly qualified team influence the price of phalloplasty, but most importantly, your safety, health, and well-being.
Hospitalization, Technology, and Materials
Phalloplasty requires operating rooms equipped with high-precision microsurgical technology, specialized materials for urethral reconstruction, optional prostheses — in later stages if the patient so desires — extended hospital stays during the initial days, and daily follow-up by the medical team. The quality of each of these elements directly affects the safety and postoperative outcome of the surgery.
Phalloplasty in Multiple Surgeries
Phalloplasty is not a single-stage procedure. Its technical complexity and the need to optimize functionality, safety, and aesthetics make it necessary to develop the process in multiple stages.
The first surgery typically creates the neophallus and urethroplasty, while connecting the urethra to the tip of the penis is usually delayed to a second stage, once swelling has decreased, to reduce the risk of fistulas and strictures. This stage is often combined with the placement of testicular prostheses, which may also be divided into one or two stages for a more natural integration. Penile prostheses, if desired, are always implanted months later, once the tissues are fully healed.
Additional aesthetic refinements may include micropigmentation of the neophallus or donor site treatments – laser, fat transfer, or micropigmentation – to enhance the final result. Proper planning of all these stages on a personalized basis ensures a safer process and optimal outcomes. Not all patients require every stage, but it is important to understand that the price of phalloplasty depends on the individual surgical plan.
Follow-Up and Postoperative Support
Follow-up is a fundamental pillar of phalloplasty, especially since it can be a prolonged process. At IM GENDER, support extends for at least one year after the last surgery and includes:
- Periodic check-ups during the first year after each surgery, with thorough monitoring of vascularization, healing, and functional progress
- Specialized nursing care to answer questions, detect issues, and provide support throughout each phase
- Patient care staff trained to resolve basic questions quickly and effectively
- Step-by-step documentation and guides to ensure the patient understands preparation, recovery, wound care, and warning signs
- 24/7 telephone service for emergencies
- Dedicated email for day-to-day questions
- Coordination with external professionals if the patient lives in another region or country, ensuring continuity of care
- Emotional support and guidance, especially useful in complex surgeries like this
Continuous follow-up directly impacts the patient’s quality of life and long-term outcomes.
The Price of Genital Masculinization: Quality and Safety
In a surgery with such physical, emotional, and functional significance, the price should not be compared solely as a number. A phalloplasty budget is the sum of many factors. Before making a decision, it is important to consider:
- The experience and specialization of both the surgical and nursing teams
- Hospital quality: operating rooms, rooms (private or shared), care areas, common areas, services, etc.
- Personalized planning and patient autonomy to participate in planning
- Quality of materials and technology used
- Sensitivity and training of the patient care team
- Service quality for accompanying persons, often overlooked but very important as they support the patient
- The information provided and how it is presented
- Long-term follow-up, especially for multi-stage surgery
As Dr. Trinidad Labanca, surgeon at IM GENDER, explains: “Two figures may seem similar, but what each includes can be radically different.”
What Is the Price of a Phalloplasty?
The price of phalloplasty reflects many factors, such as technique, technology, safety, experience, support, and follow-up. It is an investment in health, autonomy, functionality, and well-being. More than a figure, it is an integral process that must be in expert hands.
Dr. Ivan Mañero, director of IM GENDER, says: “Although comparisons are not equivalent, imagine buying the same car: one basic model and one with all the quality and safety upgrades. The exterior design may look the same, but the functionalities, safety, quality, and support services are very different.”
At IM GENDER, every phalloplasty is individually planned, respecting each person’s pace, autonomy, and goals. From €30,000. Check your case
Want to know what the price of a phalloplasty would be for your case?
Book an initial consultation at IM GENDER for a personalized assessment carried out by a team with over 25 years of experience in trans surgery.
