Is Voice Therapy Necessary After Voice Feminization Surgery?

Every voice has a story. Some want to feel stronger, some want to be heard softer. Voice surgery adds an aesthetic touch to this story. But in order to really recognise that new voice, shape it and bring it to its most efficient state, it is necessary to stop somewhere along the way and work with the voice again.

That is why voice surgery is not a process that ends only with surgery. What makes a difference is learning how to use that voice. So voice therapy is an indispensable part of this journey. Now let's discover together why it is so important.

Is voice therapy necessary after VFS?

Definitely yes. If a perfect voice is aimed, voice therapy is as important as voice surgery.

Think of it like this: let's say you had a rhinoplasty operation, but you did not do any maintenance afterwards, you did not go to controls, you did not follow the protection recommendations. What happens? Your nose may appear to have improved in shape, but you will have internal problems. The same goes for voice surgery.

Voice surgery includes surgical or medical interventions applied to the vocal cords. With these procedures, the voice can be thickened, thinned or made clearer and stronger. But the main thing is: You need to learn how to use your new voice. This is where voice therapy comes into play.

Voice therapy teaches you how to use your voice correctly and safely. Your new vocal cords are like a 'new muscle group'. If they are not used correctly, they may become strained, tired or not give the expected performance. In therapy, techniques such as breath control, correct use of resonance, keeping the larynx relaxed are taught. Thus, not only the quality of the voice but also its permanence is ensured.

We clinically observe the following:

In patients who have voice surgery but do not receive voice therapy, voice fatigue, bifurcation, loss of thinness or thickness can be seen over time. However, in patients who receive voice therapy, the voice is more natural, stronger and can be used for a long time without any problems.

Remember: Voice surgery gives you a new voice. But it is not possible to bring that voice to its 'best' without learning how to use it.

What is voice therapy?

Voice therapy is a process of exercise and training that teaches you to use your vocal cords more accurately, healthily and effectively.

Do not think of voice therapy as just voice exercise. With this therapy, you learn how to breathe, how to use your voice without hoarseness, how to keep your throat comfortable while speaking. In other words, you both care for your voice and shape it.

Especially after voice surgery, voice therapy is almost a necessity to get used to your new voice and to use it in its best form.

What happens if I do not attend voice therapy after voice surgery?

You had a voice aesthetic but did not attend voice therapy afterwards. Let's be frank: your voice may not sound the way you want it to.

Both the shape of the newly made voice has changed and the use you are used to is no longer valid. If you do not learn how to breathe into this new voice and how to control it, you will either start to strain your throat with old habits or the voice will not fit properly; it may sound weak, inadequate or uncontrolled.

We always say to our patients: 'Surgery creates the voice, therapy teaches how to manage it.'

If you have invested in your voice, learning to use it correctly is the most critical step in this process. Otherwise, you carry a beautiful voice only as a potential, but you cannot use its real power.

Is voice therapy performed after voice surgery with Surgeon Çağatay Ruhi?

Yes, it is. Op. Dr. Çağatay Ruhi is not only an otolaryngologist in the field of voice surgery and voice therapy, but a special name who has devoted himself to this field and is completely dedicated to the voice. What distinguishes him from others is that he looks at the vocal cords not only with the eyes of a surgeon but also with the sensitivity of an artist.

Çağatay Ruhi's success is based on his deep knowledge of aesthetic surgery and functional vocal science and hundreds of case experiences gained over the years. He is not satisfied with just surgery, but takes the postoperative process as seriously as the operation. Therefore, he actively guides voice therapy for his patients to use their voices better, to preserve or restructure their voice tones.

Especially in the lives of people who use their voice as a tool such as transgender individuals, professional voice users (singers, announcers, teachers, stage artists), Çağatay Ruhi's touch makes a big difference not only physically but also psychologically. Because he sees the voice not only as a means of 'hearing' but also as a form of self-expression.

When his scientific studies in the field of voice surgery at home and abroad are combined with patient satisfaction, Op. Dr Çağatay Ruhi has become one of the most preferred names in this field thanks to his being an experienced surgeon and voice mentoring with his team. Patients who come out of the surgery not only change their voice, but also continue their lives with a voice confident enough to go on stage.

Where is voice therapy after voice surgery with Çağatay Ruhi?

The first voice therapy session after voice surgery is face-to-face in Op. Dr Çağatay Ruhi's clinic, and the following sessions are held online.

In the first meeting, both the adaptation process of your voice to its new state is closely evaluated and one-to-one guidance is provided to the right exercises. With the ongoing online sessions, the therapy process is continued in accordance with your daily life without time and space dependence. This system is especially advantageous for patients coming from out of town or abroad. In other words, completing the form that your voice gains with surgery with therapy is now becoming a very accessible and comfortable process.

When does the voice settle after voice surgery and voice therapy?

After voice surgery and voice therapy, the voice usually begins to settle within 4 to 8 weeks. However, the full sitting process may take up to 3 months depending on the person.

In the first days, the voice may sound a little variable, even tired or in a different tone from time to time. This is normal because the vocal cords have undergone both a physical and functional change. With regular voice therapy, the voice becomes more balanced, natural and controlled day by day. Patience and adherence to the therapies is the key to this process.

This text is written for information purposes. Click here to contact Dr. Çağatay Ruhi.