San Francisco
2299 Post St. Suite 207
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 530-5335
Los Angeles
1317 5th St #300
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 751-5886
John Henry Pang, MD, FACS, is a double board-certified plastic surgeon at Align Surgical Associates in San Francisco, where he specializes in gender-affirming surgery for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse patients.
As one of the few U.S. surgeons with dedicated fellowship training in gender-affirming surgery, Dr. Pang brings a focused, patient-directed approach to complex surgical planning. He is known for combining technical precision with cultural awareness, clear guidance, and deep respect for each patient’s agency.
Explore Surgical Options with Dr. Pang
Credentials At A Glance
Education & Training
- Fellowship – Transgender Surgery/Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Mount Sinai Health System
- International Surgical Rotation — Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
- Observership — Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Crane Center for Transgender Surgery (formerly Brownstein & Crane Surgical Services)
- Observership — Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Deschamps-Braly Clinic of Plastic & Craniofacial Surgery
- Residency – General Surgery, Einstein Medical Center
- Surgical Internship – General Surgery, University of California, San Francisco
- Doctor of Medicine (MD) – University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Undergraduate – University of Hawaii at Manoa
Professional Affiliations
- American College of Surgeons
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- World Professional Association for Transgender Health
- United States Professional Association for Transgender Health
Credentials
- Board Certification – American Board of Plastic Surgery
- Board Certification – American Board of Surgery
- Fellow – American College of Surgeons
- Licensure – Physician’s and Surgeon’s License, Medical Board of California
- Licensure – Physician License, New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions
Pioneering Training in Gender-Affirming Surgery
Dr. Pang was one of the first U.S. surgeons to pursue dedicated fellowship training in gender-affirming surgery and remains among the few surgeons nationwide with this level of specialization.
His advanced training in gender-affirming surgery includes:
- Observership: Focused experience with Crane Center for Transgender Surgery (formerly Brownstein & Crane Surgical Services) and Deschamps-Braly Clinic of Plastic & Craniofacial Surgery, two San Francisco-based practices specializing in gender-affirming care.
- Mount Sinai fellowship: Dedicated fellowship training in gender-affirming surgery during a formative period for the field, when surgical standards, outcomes research, and multidisciplinary models of care were rapidly evolving.
- International training and collaboration: A plastic and reconstructive surgery rotation at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital and operative collaboration with surgeons in South Korea, Belgium, and throughout the United States.
Together, these experiences placed Dr. Pang at the forefront of modern gender-affirming surgical care and continue to inform his planning of complex surgery today.
Training Across the Surgical Continuum
Dr. Pang’s education began at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He double-majored in biology and animal science, graduating with honors before pursuing medical school at the university’s John A. Burns School of Medicine.
After earning his medical degree, Dr. Pang completed a surgical internship at the University of California, San Francisco and a general surgery residency at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, where he served as administrative chief surgery resident.
He then completed his residency training in an integrated plastic and reconstructive surgery program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, known for its complex reconstruction work, microsurgery emphasis, and academic rigor.
This comprehensive training in general, plastic, and reconstructive surgery shapes Dr. Pang’s ability to approach each case with precision and a highly individualized focus.
Special Clinical Interests
Dr. Pang’s clinical interests center on primary and revision gender-affirming procedures that require careful planning, aesthetic judgment, and attention to long-term outcomes.
Vaginoplasty
Dr. Pang has performed more than 500 vaginoplasty and vulvoplasty procedures and is sought out by patients from across the country for primary and revision surgery. His work in this area is shaped by high-volume experience, outcomes research, and a deep understanding of how surgical choices affect patients after recovery.
His technique draws from both U.S. surgical training and approaches used in East and Southeast Asia, expanding the options available to his patients. This broader technical perspective supports more nuanced planning for patients with specific goals for vulvar appearance, depth, prior surgery, or long-term function.
Facial Feminization Surgery
Facial feminization surgery is one of the central pillars of Dr. Pang’s practice. He has performed more than 500 facial gender-affirming procedures, giving him a deep understanding of the subtle differences in facial structure, aesthetic goals, and revision needs that shape each surgical plan.
Dr. Pang’s approach to feminizing facial surgery is deliberately individualized. He considers how facial proportion, gender perception, ethnic heritage, cultural beauty standards, and current aesthetic trends intersect, without forcing patients toward a single template of femininity or beauty. His planning emphasizes restraint, balance, and a culturally aware understanding of what refinement means for each patient.
Facial Masculinization Surgery
Dr. Pang approaches facial masculinization surgery as a study in structure, proportion, and moderation. Rather than simply making the face look “more masculine,” he focuses on creating definition that feels authentic, proportionate, and integrated with the rest of the patient’s features.
Masculinizing facial surgery often involves adding volume or definition to the cranial and maxillofacial skeleton, where even small changes can affect how natural the result appears. Dr. Pang applies his advanced craniofacial training to achieve stronger facial definition while avoiding results that feel overly heavy, stylized, or exaggerated.
Top Surgery
Top surgery with Dr. Pang begins with a detailed conversation about chest shape, contour, scar placement, and nipple-areolar positioning when applicable. He uses that discussion to help patients understand not only what can be changed, but how different surgical choices may affect the final result.
From there, Dr. Pang considers how the chest relates to the rest of the body, accounting for the patient’s current frame, proportions, and desired degree of contour. He personalizes each plan to create results that feel deliberate, balanced, and consistent with the patient’s priorities.
Gender-Affirming Body Contouring
For Dr. Pang, gender-affirming body contouring is guided by the relationship between silhouette, proportion, and each patient’s unique embodiment goals. He uses detailed measurements, visual goals, and thoughtful surgical judgment to clarify where contouring can create meaningful change and where anatomy sets important boundaries.
Dr. Pang evaluates each contouring decision in relation to the full body rather than treating one area in isolation. Depending on whether a patient is pursuing feminizing or masculinizing goals, their treatment plan may focus on shaping the hips or waist, creating softer or more defined contours, or building a straighter, more structured torso.
Creating a More Inclusive Surgical Field
As a gay surgeon practicing in San Francisco, Dr. Pang sees his work as part of the Bay Area’s long history of queer advocacy, visibility, and care. He brings lived experience to his work and is a committed advocate for transgender healthcare rights.
His work in gender-affirming surgery extends beyond individual patient care into mentorship, representation, and professional community-building. He supports medical students and residents interested in plastic surgery, gender-affirming surgery, and queer mentorship in medicine, and has helped bring trainees into research groups through Mount Sinai and Align Surgical Associates.
That commitment extends to making plastic surgery more accessible to people who have been historically underrepresented in the field. Dr. Pang has contributed to Operation Diversify Plastics and PREPPED (Plastic Surgery Research, Education, and Preparation Promoting Equity and Diversity), both of which support a more inclusive pathway into plastic surgery.
He has also helped promote LGBTQ+ visibility and belonging within his specialty. Through the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Pang founded the ASPS PRIDE Forum and serves as committee vice-chair, supporting community, representation, and inclusion within plastic surgery.
Patient Agency in Surgical Planning
Dr. Pang sees informed decision-making as an essential part of responsible gender-affirming surgical care. In his patient consultations, he offers clear information, a thoughtful surgical perspective, and honest recommendations so patients can understand their options and the considerations behind them.
He encourages patients to ask questions, compare approaches, and choose a surgeon they trust. That openness is especially important in gender-affirming surgery, where surgical choices are deeply personal and often shaped by more than anatomy alone. He is candid with patients about options, limitations, and recommendations while leaving room for the patient’s own priorities to guide the final plan.
Selected Media and Recognition
Dr. Pang’s recognition reflects his work as a surgeon, researcher, educator, and advocate for transgender healthcare access. Highlights include:
- Profiles in Pride, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — Featured for his work in LGBTQ+ visibility and leadership in medicine.
- Reuters/Medscape, Healio, and Endocrine News — Coverage of research related to perioperative safety, hormone management, and reducing risks in gender-affirming surgery.
- Fox5, Queer Diagnosis, ASPS podcast, and Mount Sinai media forums — Media features and interviews on transgender care, surgical access, LGBTQ+ representation in medicine, and patient experience.
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons PRIDE Forum — Founder and committee vice-chair of a professional forum supporting LGBTQ+ visibility, community, and inclusion within plastic surgery.
- University of Pittsburgh Surgical Quality Innovation Research Award — Recognition for research on discrimination and job satisfaction in the LGBT plastic surgery community.
- Robert Somers Award for Excellence in Resident Education & Teaching — Recognition for excellence in surgical resident education and instruction.
Featured Publications
Dr. Pang’s research focuses on outcomes, access, safety, and patient experience in gender-affirming care. Select publications include:
- Successful IVF in a Cisgender Female Carrier Using Oocytes Retrieved From a Transgender Man Maintained on Testosterone — AACE Clinical Case Reports, 2022
- Development and Validation of Urologic and Appearance Domains of the Post-Affirming Surgery Form and Function Individual Reporting Measure (AFFIRM) for Transgender Women Following Genital Surgery — Journal of Urology, 2021
- No Venous Thromboembolism Increase Among Transgender Female Patients Remaining on Estrogen for Gender-Affirming Surgery — Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2021
- The Mount Sinai Interdisciplinary Approach to Perioperative Care Improved the Patient Experience for Transgender Individuals — Transgender Health, 2021
- Insurance Coverage of Facial Gender Affirmation Surgery — A Review of Medicaid and Commercial Insurance — Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, 2021
- The Mount Sinai Patient-Centered Pre-Operative Criteria Meant to Optimize Outcomes Are Less of a Barrier to Care Than WPATH SOC 7 Criteria Prior to Transgender-Specific Surgery — Transgender Health, 2020
- An Analysis of Chaplains’ Narrative Chart Notes Describing Spiritual Care Visits With Gender Affirmation Surgical Patients — Transgender Health, 2020
Explore more of Dr. Pang’s research contributions and related publications on our Research page.
Beyond the Operating Room
Outside the operating room, Dr. Pang is a husband and father who values family, balance, and a thoughtful life outside medicine. He also has a strong interest in travel, design, and culture, including East Asian art, architecture, and aesthetics.
These interests reflect Dr. Pang’s appreciation for beauty, identity, and place, giving patients a more personal sense of the perspective he brings to his work.
Request a Consultation
With Dr. Pang
To meet with Dr. Pang, request an in-person or virtual consultation using the online form or call Align Surgical Associates at (415) 530-5335. Dr. Pang offers gender-affirming facial, chest, body, and bottom surgery for patients at our San Francisco office.