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I never say "top surgery"! Euphemisms have no place in medical care.

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My instinct is to agree. Are there other cases where a slang/informal term for a major medical procedure has been taken on by doctors/researchers as their preferred term? It seems rare, at the very least, to me.

However I don't fault Jesse for using the term "top surgery" since he's trying hard not to appear biased against the trans community. I can see not wanting to die on a hill that's just about terminology (even if that terminology is dangerous).

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"Are there other cases where a slang/informal term for a major medical procedure has been taken on by doctors/researchers as their preferred term? It seems rare, at the very least, to me."

Yes, it's very common among plastic surgeons to use terms like "face lift" and "tummy tuck" when speaking to the public.

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Ah, thanks for those examples.

Cosmetic surgery does seem like a special category though. And part of the problem with gender "affirming" surgery seems to be that it is sold by activists as having no more downside than a (successful) cosmetic procedure.

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Oct 7, 2022
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There's also getting your tubes tied, which is elective, but not cosmetic. I've heard of vasectomies being called The Snip, but only in really informal settings.

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