Research & Education

Facialteam Research & Education

Facialteam’s Research & Education department emerged from a vision of improved trans healthcare for people of all gender identities in an environment where FFS was still considered a cosmetic oddity. 

After thirty years of scarce advancement in the field, our group, in collaboration with other international gender surgeons, introduced the term “Facial Gender Confirmation Surgery” in two of our 2017 scientific publications. This was an important landmark in finding new ways to communicate a broader and more inclusive concept of gender surgeries within the medical community. 

The following year, we launched our first Facial Feminization Surgery Training Program for professionals as interest grew among new and veteran surgeons alike.

Since, the field of facial gender surgery has rapidly evolved. Our team’s expertise, in parallel, has consolidated its expertise as well as our efforts in research and education. 

Our Research and Education team are dedicated to the following advancements in Facial Gender-Affirming Surgery:

  • develop technologies for less invasive and more precise procedures; 
  • implement new therapies for a faster and smoother recovery; 
  • build continuity between healthcare procedures;
  • stimulate scientific enquiry into all aspects of FFS patient services;
  • create professional development opportunities.

In summary, our scientific team conducts two different yet related branches of work:  

  • Research & Development (R&D);
  • Training & Education (T&E).

Research & Development

The Research and Development branch at Facialteam is incessant in its desire to pioneer the field of Facial Gender Confirmation Surgery. Backed by the scientific base provided by our R&D team, Facialteam has set an example of excellence for other professionals to follow.

We are also proud to help establish new foundations in this trans health discipline, by participating in the 8th edition of the best practices guide for trans healthcare, WPATH’s Standards of Care

In brief, the work of our R&D team is the driving force behind our innovations in surgical technologies, methods, patient care services and more. However, we don’t do it all alone!

Our team collaborates with gender surgeons at prestigious universities worldwide on investigative studies and peer-reviewed scientific publications, raising visibility of FFS and stimulating interdisciplinary interest in the field.

As theory and technique go hand-in-hand, it is thanks to our R&D’s efforts that we are always busy analyzing surgical and patient care outcomes of our FFS patients. This leads to innovation and development of every aspect of the patient’s FFS experience and, ultimately, in benefit of their quality of life.

Training & Education

The mission of the Training and Education branch is to increase the knowledge and experience of facial gender confirming surgery among the healthcare professionals of today and tomorrow.

Through continuing education events online as well as in Spain and abroad, Facialteam strives to impart our experience in Facial Feminization Surgery to the medical community worldwide. We offer educational opportunities for health specialists who wish to learn more about facial surgery for the trans and gender nonconforming or non-binary individuals who opt for a medical transition.

There are three distinct lines of training and education:

  1. Workshops with interactive discussion on FFS surgery concepts and theories
  2. FFS Training Program: intensive FFS surgery training course with practical labs
  3. International conferences with talks on many aspects of gender affirming healthcare

Our FFS Scientists

Our Research and Education Department is well-rounded with three notable individuals in Biomedicine, Biochemistry and Medicine.

Dr. Fermín Capitán Cañadas

Dr. Fermín Capitán heads the Research and Education department. Dr. Capitán-Cañadas obtained both his undergraduate degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences and his MSc in Molecular and Cellular Immunology at the University of Granada, Spain.

He completed a Ph.D. in Biomedicine in 2013 and his research has been published internationally in peer-reviewed journals. Since then, he has co-edited several books and presented work at conferences in many countries.

Notably, Dr. Capitán Cañadas was awarded internships at two renowned research centers in Europe: firstly, at the Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine (IGMM) of the University of Edinburgh (UK) and, secondly, at the Core Facility for Germ-free Research of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden.

Dr. Miguel Perceval

Recently, we welcomed Dr. Miguel Perceval, a registered OMF surgeon, to the department.

With an undergraduate degree in Medicine from the University of Cantabria (2014), he obtained the title of specialist in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in 2020 from the University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves of Granada (Spain).

His speciality is in Orthognathics and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Surgery and in 2019 he qualified as a Specialist in Health Management & Administration at the Spanish National School of Public Health.