hello everyone

[RobertaM]

I have found myself back to this site, and now that can comfortably say im a transexual,, well here i am.

I am now 6 months on HRT. Going very well and so accepting with my body.

Question: i have decided to do FFS before SRS. I feel that it will help me integrate fully more. I am reasonably and casually passible, but i want to take it to the next step. When should i do this? i was thinking one year into HRT to let my face change a bit.

Also i have focused on Dr. Cardenas in mexico as the possible surgeon, thougths comments.

thanx!

[Zenith]

At least a year or two to allow for possible dramatic changes. Sometimes less FFS is needed after HRT...

A lot go the FFS before SRS route...it allows for a smoother RLE, and allows some wiggle room as it's not quite the one way trip SRS is, attractive facial features will help you in either gender...

[Sara Jessica]

If Mexico wasn't such a crappy place to visit these days, I'd offer to go with you. This coming from one who has vacationed much there, I couldn't care less if I ever go back. Therefore, you'll have to stop in LA or SD on your way down for a little pre-FFS party!!! :hugs:

[GypsyKaren]

The bottom line is to do what you want when you feel ready to do it. Some wait awhile before FFS to give the 'mones some time to work, but the amount of any changes is always a crap shoot.

I looked into Dr. Cardenas ( http://www.lazarocardenas-cosmeticsurgery.com/cirugiaPlastica/) myself some time ago, he does have a following and decent prices. People should be safe in Guadalajara, you'd be mostly laid up in a hotel room anyway.

Karen Starlene :star:

[Hope]

I am definitely planning FFS before SRS - I mean - EVERYONE sees my face - VERY few people see my junk, and the one person who does see my junk on a regular basis knows what is going on already anyway. Which is not the only reason to get SRS - but it is a reason to prioritize in my mind.

As far as timing goes - I am planning on giving the hormones at least a year to do their magic and see what I have to do to help. Hopefully less than I imagine. One of the nice things about waiting is that it gives you time to save the scratch.

You can also do Orchi first, which according to my endo, and everyone I have talked to will kick the hormones into high gear while allowing you a lower, safer dosage...

Ultimately though - you have to decide what is right for you... there is no "right way" there is just what is right for you - and we all do this a bit differently.

Welcome back, and congratulations on becoming more comfortable with yourself.

[Stephenie S]

This is a very good idea. But don't wait for any "magic" from hormone therapy. It ain't gonna happen. There is no magic in those little blue pills. Especially facial magic. Your face will change very little if at all.

FFS is SUCH an important step for a many TG women. It will make your RLE go much more smoothly. Heck, it will make your whole LIFE go more smoothly. Do it if you can afford it.

S

[Zenith]

This is a very good idea. But don't wait for any "magic" from hormone therapy. It ain't gonna happen. There is no magic in those little blue pills. Especially facial magic. Your face will change very little if at all...

This is simply not true. Whereas some have little change, some have considerable. Age and genetics are huge variables. Just as an example, even before my recent rhino I had people from my past that were convinced I had very good facial surgery.

[Julia_in_Pa]

Hi Roberta!

My name is Julia, it's great to meet you!!


Julia

[Christy_M]

At least a year or two to allow for possible dramatic changes. Sometimes less FFS is needed after HRT...

A lot go the FFS before SRS route...it allows for a smoother RLE, and allows some wiggle room as it's not quite the one way trip SRS is, attractive facial features will help you in either gender...

I was going to do my FFS before my RLE, also. It just seems like it will make it that much easier. I am also considering roughly 12 months into HRT before having FFS. Since my wife and sisters want to support me and be there with me, I am only considering US doctors(probably Ousterhout). If I was going out of the country, I was looking at Dr Suporn in Thailand.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

I followed your plan. For me, I'm very happy with the way I chose to do it.

I started living full time as female in the July. I didn't have FFS at that time, but i did have my "adams apple" removed. I did this with Dr Speigel in boston..he was wonderful.. I wanted to find out if I could manage the stress, the stares, etc.. Except for my height (6'2")..I was casually passable, small feminine hands (believe it or not..my hands are my best feature..lol), i lost alot of weight, and altho starting in summer was stupid, i needed to grow enough hair and i wanted to get through at least 200 hrs of electrolysis. As of my start of living as female, I had been on HRT about a year....unfortunately for me, my HRT was a failure at that time!!!! I was using a compounding cream, and it just didn't absorb well in my body over time, and my E levels AND T levels were very low,...the T blockers were working just fine... so i really had no breast growth, and my face was probably unchanged..

I planned my FFS for Sept and my plan was to live 2 months as a woman, and I thought I was passing reasonably well, in an unemployed spend alot at time at home kind of way...but it was clear to me I was NEVER NEVER going back...so I proceeded to have FFS for the same reason you mentioned Roberta. My appendages felt irrelevant to me, and my day to day life was much more impacted by my appearance. I did my FFS with Dr Meltzer in September and I think it went very well for me..

One of the hardest parts is choosing who to cut you, and what you want them to do.. you can not do too much research on this. You need to personally MEET girls that had the surgery.. you have to critically look at them..and think about their features..this isn't easy to do from vancouver i guess.. but you really only get one chance at this..

I was ready to go see Dr O, but after meeting a number of patients, I could see his style of FFS was not good for MY face, I made the same decision about dr speigel and dr zukowski...they were all terrific and have many very happy customers... but i decided meltzer was for me..

Living post FFS was a revelation.... Especially my profile. From the front the changes were more subtle. I waited almost a year after FFS to get the other surgery and breast augments..

i think the idea of doing HRT prior to FFS is a good idea, but it's overblown in importance.. FFS is about your bones..HRT impacts your skin and fat.. the surgeons are not measuring your skin..they are shaving bone material and putting implants in to give your facial structure dimensions that fall in an average female range. yes they can do a little more or less if they see you after years of HRT, but its not a big deal IMHO...