Highly Distinguished Facial Surgeon In Chicago
Dr. Amir Dorafshar, MD is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon with fellowship training in craniofacial surgery who specializes in gender-affirming facial surgery. He serves as Division Chief of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and Program Director of the Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship. He offers Facial Feminization and Masculinization Surgery as part of the Gender Affirmation Surgery Program at Rush.
Dr. Dorafshar is an international leading expert in microvascular reconstruction and craniofacial surgery. After earning his medical degree from the University of Manchester School of Medicine, U.K., he completed his plastic surgery residency at the University of Chicago, followed by fellowship training in craniofacial surgery at Johns Hopkins University. During his time at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Dorafshar further developed the fields of craniofacial microsurgery, virtual surgical planning in craniofacial surgery and bone tissue engineering. He was a critical member of the team that performed the pioneering facial transplant at the University of Maryland. At Johns Hopkins, he served as the co-director of the facial transplantation program and as director of the craniofacial fellowship program.
Dr. Dorafshar has co-authored more than 140 indexed articles, written several book chapters and co-edited a textbook on facial trauma surgery. Review his latest research related to gender-affirming and craniofacial surgery here.
“I had the best experience with Dr. Dorafshar and his team. I had a procedure done and everything about the process was flawless. Dr. Dorafshar is so precise. He made sure I was informed of the procedure and details. The results turned out better than I ever expected. I am so pleased. Thank you Dr. Dorafshar and team for everything!! Highly recommend.” – Patient, Google Reviews
Dr. Dorafshar performs the following gender-affirming facial surgery procedures:
Feminizing: Hairline Correction, Forehead Recontouring, Brow Lift, Rhinoplasty, Cheek Implants, Lip Lift, Chin Recontouring, Jaw Recontouring, Tracheal Shave.
Masculinizing: Forehead Lengthening and Augmentation, Cheek Augmentation, Rhinoplasty, Chin Recontouring, Jaw Contouring, Adam’s Apple Augmentation.
Up to 50% of Dr. Dorafshar’s patients are transgender or non-binary.
Compassionate, Thoughtful and Honest Care
The Gender Affirmation Program at Rush University Medical Center offers an environment that is respectful, inclusive and culturally competent. Rush hospitals have been recognized as a Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality in the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) for 11 consecutive years. Rush’s commitment to equity of care for the LGBTQ+ community extends to all aspects of the institution — from patient care and clinical expertise to employment opportunities and employee benefits. Rush proudly provides the following:
- LGBTQ+ health education for key staff members and clinicians
- Open and welcoming visitation policies and guidelines for same-sex partners and parents
- Patient and employee nondiscrimination policies that specifically include sexual orientation and gender identity
- Comprehensive transgender health benefits for Rush employees and beneficiaries insured under the Rush health plan. Rush University Medical Center was the first hospital in Illinois to offer this coverage. The benefits include counseling, hormone therapy, gender-affirmation surgery and all other treatments related to gender transition.
In addition to surgery, Rush’s gender-affirming services include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Endocrinology Services and Professional Voice Services.
Consultations with Dr. Dorafshar
Dr. Dorafshar offers virtual and in-person consultations for a fee of $100. An in-person consultation is required prior to proceeding with surgery. During your consultation, Dr. Dorafshar will thoroughly discuss the options available to you and show you photographs of previous cases to show the outcomes of what the reconstructions would look like. Together you’ll come up with a surgical plan.
In addition to English, Dr. Dorafshar speaks Farsi.
Wait List
The wait time for a consultation is two weeks and a surgery date can usually be scheduled within a month of your consultation.
Surgery Requirements
Dr. Dorafshar is a member of WPATH and follows the WPATH Standards of Care guidelines for surgery. You will need: 1) medical evaluation by primary MD or MD providing hormones, and 2) a letter of recommendation from a psychologist or other mental health professional. Dr. Dorafshar will operate on minors with parental consent.
Financing and Insurance
Rush University Medical Center accepts insurance from a wide range of insurance companies, as well as Medicaid and Medicare.
