Yes, Adam’s apple implants exist. The procedure is a form of thyroid cartilage augmentation, typically performed as part of facial masculinization surgery. A surgeon places an implant over the thyroid cartilage in your neck to create or enhance the visible bump most people associate with a prominent Adam’s apple. It’s a real, available procedure, though far less common than its opposite: the Adam’s apple reduction (chondrolaryngoplasty) frequently sought in facial feminization.
What the Surgery Involves
The procedure is straightforward compared to many cosmetic surgeries. A surgeon makes a small incision in the neck, gently separates the overlying muscles, and positions an implant over the thyroid cartilage. The implant is secured with sutures in a way that allows it to move naturally when you speak and swallow, mimicking the way a biological Adam’s apple shifts during those movements. The muscles are then guided back into place and the incision is closed. Johns Hopkins Medicine describes this as part of the broader toolkit of facial masculinization procedures available to patients seeking a more traditionally masculine facial and neck profile.
The surgery is typically performed under general anesthesia as an outpatient procedure, meaning you go home the same day. Some surgeons perform it as a standalone operation, while others combine it with other masculinizing procedures like jaw contouring or chin augmentation.
Implant Materials
The specific implant material can vary by surgeon. Silicone has historically been the most widely used material for facial implants. Newer porous materials, including one brand name called Medpor and another called Gore-Tex, have gained popularity because they allow your own tissue to grow into the implant’s surface. This tissue integration helps stabilize the implant over time and reduces the chance of it shifting. Some surgeons also use custom-carved or pre-shaped implants tailored to the patient’s anatomy for a more natural look and feel.
Who Gets This Procedure
Most people seeking Adam’s apple augmentation are transgender men or nonbinary individuals pursuing facial masculinization. However, cisgender men who naturally have a less prominent thyroid cartilage and want a more defined neck profile also seek this surgery for purely cosmetic reasons. There’s no single set of required criteria.
For patients pursuing the procedure as part of gender-affirming care, many surgeons prefer at least 12 months of hormone therapy beforehand. This waiting period lets changes in skin thickness and other tissue characteristics become apparent before surgery, which helps the surgeon plan more accurately. A psychological evaluation is also commonly part of the process, not as a gatekeeping measure, but because recovery from any facial surgery can be emotionally intense. Identifying and supporting patients who may be vulnerable to postoperative depression leads to better outcomes overall.
General contraindications are the same as for any surgical procedure: heart or lung conditions that make anesthesia risky, bleeding disorders, a history of poor wound healing, or significant psychological instability such as body dysmorphic disorder.
Recovery Timeline
Full recovery from neck surgery in this area generally takes two to three weeks. During the first one to two weeks, you should avoid vigorous activities, heavy lifting, and exercise. Some swelling, tightness, and mild discomfort at the incision site are normal during this window.
The scar itself takes much longer to mature. Expect it to look raised or puffy for several months before gradually flattening and fading. Full scar maturation can take 12 to 18 months. Skilled surgeons place the incision in a natural neck crease to minimize visibility. Signs that something has gone wrong, like significant swelling, bleeding, or oozing pus at the incision site, warrant a call to your surgeon.
Risks to Know About
The thyroid cartilage sits directly over your voice box, which makes any surgery in this area carry a unique risk: voice changes. While this complication is more thoroughly documented in reduction surgery (where cartilage is shaved away), augmentation carries its own concerns related to pressure on underlying structures and the proximity of the surgical field to the vocal folds.
In reduction procedures, documented complications include changes to pitch, loss of vocal range, hoarseness, throat pain, and difficulty singing. One published case involved a patient who lost access to her upper singing register entirely and experienced a lowered speaking pitch after surgery. These problems were attributed to a technique that failed to properly identify the level of the vocal folds during the operation, which destabilized the point where the folds attach to the cartilage. While augmentation doesn’t involve shaving cartilage, the principle holds: the surgeon must have detailed knowledge of the anatomy to avoid disrupting vocal fold function.
Other potential risks include implant displacement (the implant shifting from its original position), infection, nerve irritation, and visible scarring. Choosing a surgeon experienced specifically in thyroid cartilage procedures, not just general facial implants, meaningfully reduces these risks.
Finding a Qualified Surgeon
This is a niche procedure. Not every plastic surgeon or facial surgeon performs thyroid cartilage augmentation regularly. Your best options are surgeons who specialize in facial masculinization surgery or, more broadly, gender-affirming facial procedures. These surgeons work with the thyroid cartilage routinely and understand the delicate relationship between the cartilage, the vocal folds, and the surrounding muscles and nerves.
During a consultation, ask how many augmentation procedures the surgeon has performed (as opposed to reductions, which are far more common), what implant material they prefer and why, and whether they can show you before-and-after photos of previous patients. Ask specifically about their approach to protecting vocal fold function during surgery. A surgeon who can explain their technique for safeguarding the anterior commissure, the front attachment point of the vocal folds, is one who takes this risk seriously.
Cost varies significantly by region and surgeon but generally falls in the range of several thousand dollars. Insurance coverage depends on your plan and whether the procedure is classified as medically necessary gender-affirming care or elective cosmetic surgery. If you’re pursuing it as part of a broader masculinization plan, bundling it with other procedures can sometimes reduce overall costs and limit the number of times you go under anesthesia.