A tracheal shave, or chondrolaryngoplasty, reduces the forward point of the thyroid cartilage that forms the Adam's apple. It is most often requested by trans women and non-binary people, and sometimes by cisgender men or women who dislike a prominent cartilage.
It gives a smoother neck profile. It does not change the pitch of the voice, and the amount that can be removed is limited because the vocal cords attach to the inside of the same cartilage a little lower down.
What Tracheal Shave (Adam's Apple Reduction) involves
With you under anaesthetic, the surgeon makes a 2 to 3 cm cut, usually hidden in a skin crease high under the chin rather than directly over the cartilage. The strap muscles are separated in the midline to expose the thyroid cartilage. Many surgeons pass a fine flexible camera through the nose or a needle through the cartilage to mark exactly where the vocal cords attach. The protruding upper rim and the notch are then shaved down with a scalpel or, if the cartilage has hardened with age, a small burr, staying safely above the marked line. The muscles and skin are closed in layers with fine stitches.
Who is a good candidate for Tracheal Shave (Adam's Apple Reduction)?
Suitable for adults in good health who are bothered by the prominence and understand the safe limit of reduction.
- A visible thyroid cartilage that causes distress or dysphoria
- Stable general health and a non-smoker, or willing to stop around surgery
- Realistic expectation of a softer contour, not always a completely flat neck
- Having it alone or combined with other facial feminisation procedures
It is usually not the right choice if:
- Anyone hoping it will raise vocal pitch, which needs voice therapy or separate voice surgery
- Professional voice users unwilling to accept a small risk to the voice
- People with a tendency to keloid or thick scars on the neck, without careful discussion
- Under 18s
الخيارات التقنية
- Submental approach: The incision sits under the chin and the surgeon tunnels down. Leaves the scar away from the area you want to look smooth.
- Direct neck crease incision: Shorter route placed in a natural skin line over the larynx. Simpler, but the scar is nearer the cartilage.
- Endoscopic vocal cord marking: A camera confirms the attachment point of the cords so the reduction stops above it.
- Combined with voice surgery: Can be done with glottoplasty in the same anaesthetic in some centres.
ماذا يحدث خلال علاجك
The operation takes 45 to 90 minutes, under general anaesthetic or local with sedation. You usually go home the same day or after one night. The throat feels sore and swallowing is uncomfortable for a few days.
الإعداد لرحلتك
Plan for 5 to 7 days in Istanbul. Your surgeon reviews photographs and your medical history before you book, and you meet in person the day before surgery for examination, marking and consent with a professional interpreter.
- Stop smoking and nicotine at least four weeks before and after surgery; it is the single biggest avoidable cause of wound problems
- Tell the team about every medicine and supplement you take; blood thinners, some herbal products and hormone treatment may need to be paused on your doctor's advice
- Arrange for someone to travel with you or to be reachable, and keep the first days at home free of work and lifting
- Book a changeable return flight; your surgeon confirms when you are fit to fly
التعافي والنتائج
Swelling and bruising peak at 2 to 3 days and mostly settle in 2 weeks. A hoarse or weak voice is common for a few days to weeks while swelling goes down; rest your voice and avoid shouting. Stitches come out at 5 to 7 days. Avoid strenuous exercise for 2 to 3 weeks. The scar fades over 6 to 12 months and the final contour is clear at about 3 months.
- Back to everyday activity: 1 to 2 weeks
- When results show: Contour visible at 2 to 3 weeks, final at 3 months
- How long they last: Permanent
سياسة السلامة والمخاطر والتنقيح
This is a short operation, but it is next to the voice box, so precision matters.
- Temporary hoarseness or voice fatigue
- Permanent lowering or weakening of the voice if the vocal cord attachment is disturbed, which is rare
- Under-correction, with some prominence remaining
- Visible, tethered or thickened scar
- Bleeding or haematoma in the neck
- Difficulty or pain on swallowing for a short time
- Infection of the cartilage, rarely
Every written proposal arranged through Clinic-Y states what the clinic covers if a correction is needed. Ask for it before you book, not after.
Cost of Tracheal Shave (Adam's Apple Reduction) in Türkiye
Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for Tracheal Shave (Adam's Apple Reduction), because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:
- Whether it is done alone or with other facial procedures
- General anaesthetic versus sedation
- Use of endoscopic guidance
- Overnight stay if needed
Send your photographs or reports and you receive written, all-inclusive proposals from suitable teams, side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
الأسئلة المتكررة
Will my Adam's apple disappear completely?
Often it becomes barely noticeable, but in some people a slight fullness remains because removing more would endanger the voice.
Can it be redone if I want more reduction?
Revision is possible only if safe cartilage remains above the vocal cords. A surgeon can judge this with a scan or endoscopy.
Where is the scar?
Usually in a crease under the chin or in a natural neck line, 2 to 3 cm long.