Daisy Phillipson
A surgeon in the niche world of voice surgery has demonstrated how he made a man go from ‘sounding like a 13-year-old to a 35-year-old’ in a matter of minutes. Check it out:
Dr Kursat Yelken is a Turkey-based professor of ear, nose and throat diseases, as well as head and neck surgery, having trained at Harvard Medical School.
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For 15 years he’s specialised in performing surgeries on people’s vocal cords, allowing them to opt for their preferred pitch and tone - whether that be deeper or higher.
The doctor shares the results of some of his patients on TikTok, including one man who opted to go with a lower, more masculine tone.
In the clip, the patient quips: “I sound like I’m 13 but I’m 35,” as he demonstrates his voice pre-surgery.
Footage then cuts to after the procedure, with the US-based man presenting a far deeper voice, saying: “I’m happy with the results so far, looking forward to how it settles.”
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In a separate clip, we see a woman pre- and post-surgery, having chosen to get a higher, more feminine-sounding voice.
When she is asked whether she is happy with the results, she smiles and responds: “Yes, I am very grateful.”
Kursat said demand for the procedure - which takes just 45 minutes - continues to increase, and he now sees around 100 to 150 patients per year.
Speaking about why it’s increasing in popularity, the doctor told Jam Press: “Voice is an inseparable part of one’s personal image, and being uncomfortable with their voice can affect a person’s professional or personal life as well as their confidence.
“For instance, people working in management positions may need to sound more authoritative, therefore they may want to have a deeper or more masculine voice.
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“Although men are more interested in this procedure, it is not limited to them. Some female patients complain that they have a high or childish voice, and want to change that.”
Kursat went on to explain that many of his patients are transgender too, adding: “This procedure is a huge help for transgender people who want their voice to match their gender.
“It is getting more and more popular every day as more people become aware that it is actually possible to alter the pitch of the voice.”
As for the surgery itself, voice-deepening is performed under local anaesthetic and works by relaxing the vocal cords and making an incision into the lower part of the neck.
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A ‘cartilage island’ is made onto the thyroid cartilage and pushed back, which makes the voice sound deeper.
The more the cartilage is relaxed, the lower the pitch of the voice will be, explained Kursat.
During the surgery, patients can choose their preferred pitch and tone by listening to the way it sounds.
What’s more, the doctor has said the recovery is quick, with patients being discharged and allowed to speak straight away, although it may sound a bit hoarse at first.
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The incisions made to the neck tend to heal in around a week, with a full recovery expected within eight months.