What is voice deepening?
Voice deepening refers to modifying the voice so that it becomes lower-pitched and fuller, in harmony with a person’s age, gender, physical appearance, or professional position.
Who needs voice deepening?
- The most common candidates are individuals with a functional voice disorder known as mutational falsetto. This condition occurs in adolescent or adult males whose physical appearance and laryngeal structure are completely normal, but whose voices remain high-pitched, as if “stuck in childhood.” These individuals typically benefit from voice therapy, and in most cases, a few sessions are sufficient to achieve a healthy, pleasant, deeper-sounding voice. However, in rare cases where voice therapy fails to produce lasting improvement, surgical intervention may be required.
- Another group includes men in leadership positions—such as executives, CEOs, or politicians—who wish to have a deeper, more authoritative, and charismatic voice. Scientific data suggests that increased vocal depth in such individuals is even associated with higher annual earnings.
- Patients with sulcus vocalis (a groove on the vocal folds) may also have unnaturally thin voices. In men, this may sound “feminine,” while in women it may sound “childlike.” In such cases, especially in men, voice deepening surgery can help lower the pitch.
- Transgender men (female-to-male) who do not achieve a sufficiently masculine voice despite testosterone therapy may also undergo voice deepening surgery.
How is voice deepening surgery performed?
The primary goal is to reduce the tension of the vocal folds, allowing them to vibrate at a lower frequency and thus produce a deeper pitch.
- Relaxation laryngoplasty is typically performed under local anesthesia, which allows the surgeon to monitor the patient’s voice during the procedure and adjust the pitch as needed. A small window is created in the laryngeal cartilage surrounding the vocal folds, and its position is altered to relax the folds and lower the pitch.
What should be expected after voice deepening surgery?
- Strict voice rest is required for about 5–7 days, and the patient should avoid heavy physical exertion. This supports faster healing.
- A limited period of voice use follows, but compared to feminization surgery, recovery of vocal improvement is generally quicker.
- Nevertheless, it usually takes 6–9 months for complete healing, stabilization of the “new voice,” and adaptation to speaking with the modified vocal folds.