In short: a tracheal shave, also called chondrolaryngoplasty or Adam's apple reduction, reshapes the thyroid cartilage to reduce its prominence. At ARQÉA it is a day-case procedure of about an hour under general anaesthesia, through a 1.5 cm incision in the crease under the chin. You can go about normal life the next day. It costs €4,500.
Many patients arrive at the consultation wanting "the Adam's apple removed" without quite knowing what sits behind those words. The Adam's apple is a prominence of the thyroid cartilage, and reducing it means sculpting cartilage millimetres away from the vocal cords. That's why it causes more anxiety than other facial surgeries: the fear isn't about the aesthetic result, it's that something might change in the voice. It's a reasonable fear, and the question that really matters isn't whether the Adam's apple can be reduced, but how it's done without putting the voice at risk.
What is a tracheal shave (chondrolaryngoplasty)?
Chondrolaryngoplasty, also known as a tracheal shave or Adam's apple reduction, reshapes the thyroid cartilage to reduce its forward projection. It isn't about "removing" the Adam's apple, but about lowering and softening its prominence while preserving the attachment of the vocal cords at the midline of the cartilage, at the anterior commissure. Beyond the projection, we also reduce the height of the sculpted cartilage, so the Adam's apple stays less noticeable even when you stretch your neck, a movement that tends to accentuate it. That vocal cord attachment point is the limit that cannot be touched: cutting too low or too deep is what compromises the voice.
How do we protect your voice?
Vocal cord control starts before the incision is made. We operate under general anaesthesia, with intubation assisted by video laryngoscope. This allows us to visualize the exact position of the vocal cords before touching the cartilage, and to mark precisely where the safe resection margin ends. It isn't an optional step or an add-on: it's what makes it possible to sculpt with a wide safety margin, instead of working blind on such a sensitive structure.
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No aesthetic reduction justifies a poor outcome for the voice. Exact anatomical knowledge of the area, combined with intraoperative marking of the vocal cord position, is what allows us to work with the widest possible safety margin. Aesthetics never come before safety: the health of your voice isn't traded for a smooth neck.
Where does the scar go?
The most common approach for this surgery is a direct incision over the cartilage prominence itself, on the neck. We work with a submental approach: a 1.5 cm incision in the crease under the chin, on a horizontal plane. Sitting below the jawline, it stays out of the direct frontal field of view. There's no sense in trading one anatomical feature for a visible scar, often more conspicuous than the very Adam's apple you wanted to treat. With healing time (around 6 months), the mark becomes practically imperceptible.
The wound is closed with a continuous intradermal suture, without knots, designed to minimize any residual mark as much as possible. It is a single thread: you remove it at home, and our team guides you by video.
What happens on surgery day?
It's a day-case procedure. You come in first thing, fasting, the surgery takes roughly an hour, and within about 3 to 4 hours you are walking out of the hospital door. You need a companion for discharge.
In most cases you don't need a CT scan beforehand: there is no bone work, and the assessment at the consultation is usually enough.
Tracheal shave recovery time
Recovery is quick: by the next day you can go about your normal life, with common sense. This is what to expect, step by step.
| When | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Surgery day | About an hour under general anaesthesia. You leave hospital 3 to 4 hours after arriving, with a companion. |
| Next day | Check-up in the morning. Normal life, with common sense. If you travelled for surgery, you can fly home that afternoon. |
| First days | Some swelling and mild discomfort when swallowing. A small plaster under the chin. You remove the suture at home, with video guidance. |
| First weeks | A slight change in the tone of your voice can appear while the local swelling reabsorbs. It is temporary. |
| 3 to 4 weeks | Visible swelling has usually resolved. |
| Around 6 months | The scar has matured and the mark is practically imperceptible. |
If you travel for surgery, you spend one night near the clinic, we check you the next morning, and you can fly home that afternoon. We explain stays and flights for each procedure in our guide to travelling to Barcelona for FFS.
How much does a tracheal shave cost?
A tracheal shave costs €4,500 at ARQÉA, with general anaesthesia and the surgical centre included. That's how we present it: without needing to justify the price with extras that add nothing to the result.
It can be done on its own or in the same session as other procedures. The three-procedure FFS package, for example forehead, jaw and chin, and tracheal shave, costs €16,000. You can see every procedure and what each price includes in our guide to FFS costs in Europe.
Frequently asked questions
Will a tracheal shave change my voice?
The surgery is planned so that it doesn't. The attachment of the vocal cords at the midline of the cartilage is the limit we don't touch, and we mark its position during the operation with a video laryngoscope. In the first weeks, a slight change in tone can appear while the local swelling reabsorbs. It is temporary.
Will the scar be visible?
The incision is 1.5 cm long and sits in the crease under the chin, outside the direct frontal view. As it heals, over around 6 months, the mark becomes practically imperceptible.
How long does the operation take?
About an hour, under general anaesthesia. It is a day-case procedure: you leave hospital the same day.
Do I need a CT scan before a tracheal shave?
Not in most cases. There is no bone work, and the assessment at the consultation is usually enough.
Can it be combined with other FFS procedures?
Yes. It combines well with forehead surgery in the same session, and it is part of the three-procedure FFS package (for example forehead, jaw and chin, and tracheal shave), which costs €16,000. If your budget does not cover everything, we explain where it sits in the order of priorities.
When can I fly home after a tracheal shave?
Usually the day after surgery. You spend one night near the clinic, we check you the next morning, and you can fly that afternoon.
As we always say, this article is for general information and doesn't replace an individual medical assessment. If you're considering a tracheal shave, the consultation is the place to resolve the specific questions about your anatomy and your case.
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