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Keeping Up With Cait: The Cost of Being Transgender

It takes big money to look as good as Caitlyn Jenner. We break down the hefty price of becoming a woman
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Dangerous Curves Ahead
In case you hadn't noticed, a male-born body is shaped very differently than a female-born body, with fat and muscle distributed in different areas. Alter works with patients to create a more feminine, hourglass shape by providing liposuction in some areas (usually the abdomen and "love handle" areas) and inserting the fat elsewhere, such as the butt.

Cost: $5,000 to $10,000*

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Going From Outie to Innie
As of this writing, Jenner reportedly hasn't had genital surgery, and she's not alone. Hanson reports that only about 50 percent of the people she works with have opted to "go all the way." "We do have some people who think, 'This is the most important thing I can do for myself,'" says Hanson. "But others don't want it."

For those who choose genital surgery, it's usually a combination of vaginoplasty and labiaplasty -- the former converts the parts, while the latter improves the appearance.

Cost: The average cost of labiaplasty is $4,000*; vaginoplasty is $12,725*.

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Blow-Out-Worthy Hair
Out of necessity, most of Prata's clients rely on wigs to create a natural, feminine-looking hairstyle. "If they're over 45, they've usually lost a lot of hair," she says. (The average age for trans women to undergo surgery is 42.) Prata recommends synthetic wigs with a lace front (usually $250-$500) over human hair because human hair (including extensions) requires a lot of hairstyle know-how.

Other clients successfully receive hair transplant therapy. "I had one client who lost most of his hair as a man at 28. [After he got hair transplants], he looks better at 50 than he did at 28," she says. However, it's expensive -- about $15,000.

Cost: $500 to $1,000 for wigs (you'll want a couple if you're wearing them everyday, says Prata) or $15,000 for hair transplant therapy.

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The Clothes Make the Woman
One not-so-obvious expense of transitioning to another gender is the clothing swap. "You're changing your whole wardrobe," says Hanson, and depending on how long someone has been cross-dressing, that can add up.

Prata helps women assimilate to the point where they can't be detected as transgender -- including helping them find a personal style. She says that even if a woman has been cross-dressing for a while, they usually don't have everyday, work-appropriate clothing -- nor do they know where to start.

"A cross-dressing wardrobe is more like a girl in her teens who is wearing things to express her femininity," says Prata. "But a professional wardrobe that suits their life is entirely different."

Prata's clients spend anywhere from $2,000 for a seasonal wardrobe to $10,000 for a work wardrobe. Other clients get high-end, customized pieces and spend around $50,000.

One unexpected cost to keep in mind, says Prata, is the cost of shoes from specialty shops. "If you're looking for a size 12 shoe in wide, you're going to pay at least $100," she says.

Cost: $2,000 to $10,000+

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A Flawless (and Passable) Face
Any girl who has lost her makeup bag knows: It's going to cost a small fortune to replace all of it. But for a transgender woman who is still experiencing a five o'clock shadow, makeup isn't optional. The finishing touches can make all the difference in passing as a woman, says Erin Armstrong, a pioneer in the YouTube transgender community and program coordinator for TRANS: Thrive, a non-profit drop-in center.

Prata, who was a makeup artist before she took on image consulting, says even her male-to-female clients who have gone through hair removal typically have bigger pores and rougher skin where their hair used to be, so she recommends something heavier, like M.A.C. Full Coverage Foundation, $32, along with M.A.C. Pro Longwear Concealer, $20. Throw in some high-quality brushes and eye makeup and you're looking at spending around $130, minimum.

If you want to get on Jenner's level, it'll definitely cost you: For her Vanity Fair shoot, makeup artist Mark Carrasquillo prepped her face with over $220 in skin-care products. Those included:

La Mer The Lip Balm, $55
Bioderma Sensiobio H2Om, $19
SK-II Facial Treatment Mask, $95
Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil, $53

For makeup, Carrasquillo used similarly priced products on the higher end:

Velour Lashes, $35
Estée Lauder More Than Mascara, $26
Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder, $44
Serge Lutens Lip Pencil, $55
Tom Ford Traceless Foundation S.P.F. 15, $80
Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer, $39
Estée Lauder Stay-in-Place Brow Lift Duo
Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen, $55
Serge Lutens Finishing Powder, $170
Nars Lipstick (in Jungle Red), $27

Additionally, Deborah Lippmann herself applied her nail lacquer in Lady Is a Tramp, $18.

Cost: $130 on the lower end, but $800 on the Caitlyn Jenner level.

BY EMILY WOODRUFF | JUL 23, 2015 | SHARES
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