Toby Mayer FFS

[Jerri]

omg you look great, i cant wait 33 days for me can only hope to have near the results as you way to go sister

[Jill F]

Amazeballs to the max!  Score another one for Jennygirl.

I find out next week what can be done to, uhh I mean for... my middle aged mug.  Hell, I'll be happy if I can even look half that good.

[Jennygirl]

omg you look great, i cant wait 33 days for me can only hope to have near the results as you way to go sister

Aww thanks Jerri!! That 33 days will be up so fast, today will seem like a yesterday when it's time for you to have yours!

Amazeballs to the max!  Score another one for Jennygirl.

I find out next week what can be done to, uhh I mean for... my middle aged mug.  Hell, I'll be happy if I can even look half that good.

Yay I love scoring points! Lol

Thanks for the feedback Jill

[Lauren5]

Give it until the end of the weekend, you'll be better than new!

[sarahb]

After 3-4 weeks most of the swelling and bruising will be gone, at least that's what it was like for me.

Looking great Jenny! Congrats!

[Carrie Liz]

Jenny, you were already drop-dead gorgeous before. By the time this is healed, there aren't going to be enough superlatives in the English language to do you justice!

[Ginny]

Looking fantastic Jenny! It looks like the swelling/bruising is pretty minimal. I'm happy that your surgery was such a great success, even though I was like "wow, she looks great to begin with" 

[Jennygirl]

Willow I hope you are right! Fingers crossed

Sarah & Carrie- thanks sweeties! I'm feeling great about it already and even better with all of your lovely comments to say the least!

Ginny- first of all thanks And yes it seems the swelling and bruising isn't too bad. I'm especially amazed at the work he did on my smile lines... not an ounce of bruising or swelling there!

[Lauren5]

Willow I hope you are right! Fingers crossed

Considering my other friends who have had FFS were fully recovered within 10 days, you should be good with a week or less.

Can't wait to see it all healed up, you're simply gorgeous, girl.

[Jennygirl]

Day 5 update







Swelling is starting to subside, forehead skin swelling still feels pretty tight at certain times. In the last picture you can really see it at the top right. Overall, pain is at 1/10 during the day and 2/10 at night so barely anything. I'm on tylenol and pain meds now. Sutures & staples come out at 11:30a tomorrow Could not be more happy about that!

The most swelling seems to be around the sutures and in my cheeks, and I'm hoping as that comes down it will allow my eyebrows to relax a little bit. I seem to remember after my trach shave last February that I had quite a bit of swelling and almost immediately after the sutures were removed it dissipated rather quickly. I think my skin doesn't like foreign objects!

I think the reality of the recovery has definitely set in. I have accepted that I won't be looking normal for a while, but wearing a cap and sunglasses hides most of everything... I even went to Roscoe's today with one of my roommates and had lunch there with no problems. He said I just look like a celebrity who does not want to be identified

[JLT1]

Jenny,

That is super.

Hugs,

Jen

[Shantel]

Hey there Cute Pie, some girls are so insecure they wouldn't be able to show their face so close after post op, I have to hand it to you, Abby and Carolina for being able to let it all hang out for the sake of others with inquiring minds who may be considering similar procedures. 

[Jennygirl]

Thanks Auntie Shan!

I don't mind at all for some reason. I've always considered myself someone who lives by "ask me anything" when it comes to transitioning and this recovery is no exception. Ever since I came out I've been an open book to all of those around me including online... Maybe after all of those years holding part of myself back, it makes the release feel even better.

It's also definitely partly due to all the confidence you've inspired in me since the very beginning.. uh oh kleenex

Also even though I am still rough around the edges right now, I can already feel a new sense of calm after having this procedure. It's like a bit of me is more free.. Similar to after I had voice surgery. I'm finding less pressure to appear a certain way, and as the swelling and bruising fades the feeling of relaxation seems to grow exponentially.

So happy with stuff right now

Thanks for the kind words Shantel and Jen!

[Jennygirl]

So I had a funny interaction with a girl that came into our space as I was downstairs getting some ice... I think I had met her before but she clearly did not recognize me at all.

As I turned to acknowledge her presence, she caught one glance at me and her expression went from smiling happy to be arriving to saying "Oh my god! Is everything okay?" HAHA

I said "Yes." paused, then "I had a surgery."

She said "Well, did it go okay?" HAHA

I then said "Yes. Believe it or not, very well!"

She said "Okay good!" and sped away

Then I was thinking I should have said... "Yeah! It's totally awesome actually. It's just hidden behind a big balloon held together with staples!"

PATIENCE! One day at a time

[bingunginter]

Your forehead is nicely smooth. Can I see the before pic please.

[Jennygirl]

Your forehead is nicely smooth. Can I see the before pic please.

Sure thing. Here it is the morning right before surgery

[Jennygirl]

Day 6 update:

So today I got my stitches out, which I was truly excited for!

The stitches and staples are now out, and the hairline incision is absolutely incredible. In the middle near the widows peak you really can't even see that an incision has been there. It's just crazy how smooth it is! Dr. Mayer said even he was surprised at how good it looks right out of the gate

What I was not expecting was the severe rush of pain that followed about an hour after suture removal. By the time I got home, my head was literally pounding.

It seems to make sense to me that the swelling located along the incision is the culprit, because it was finally released. As well I'm pretty sure the traffic on the way home did not help at all. I popped a percocet when I returned and passed out for 4 hours.

After waking, the swelling at the hairline had much subsided. But, I was still in a decent amount of pain... So I decided to take a vicodin and now I'm doing a-okay again.

Here's to hoping I am almost once and for all past the pain associated with this procedure. Today came as quite a shock to me and I wasn't expecting it at all, so it kinda knocked me on my butt.

On the bruising front, things are looking better and better and better. I think in about another week I'll be feeling pretty darn good

[Lauren5]

Yes, it's most definitely smoother. It looks great!

[Jennygirl]

Thanks Willow. Yeah it's completely flat. If I touch my brows going across there is no flat depression in between. And the tissue graft he made to the radix makes for an almost vertical drop before it blends into my nose. I think a lot of it is swelling and likely settle down quite a bit in the coming weeks.

Overall everything just feels really smooth, there is waaaay less outer orbital bossing. My skull is now round up there

Past the under eye bruising I can see that the under eye fat deposits have been completely displaced to a more smooth position. It looks like it's going to be smooth once all the swelling comes down.

And finally my smile lines are not so completely flattened out which looked kind of weird. The one on my right is still swollen at the top but the left one seems to be doing pretty well in all aspects.

[Jennygirl]

Day 8 update:

Starting to see results is nice, I've still got a lot of swelling though, which is mostly visible to the side. I've gone into public the past 2 days (sunglasses and cap during the day, or cover makeup at night) with no weird looks. Some guy held the elevator open very enthusiastically which is a good sign to me

Overall I am extremely happy with the results, but I am hoping that my eyebrows continue to relax a bit more and I know they will.

Pain fluctuates, and I feel like it's only due to inflammation which I know is going to take some time to come down.. I am being as patient as possible and using minimal pain meds, following the post-op instructions to the tee!

These photos are with my usual eyeliner added, and some cover makeup over the bruises (which are almost gone anyway)

Swelling (seems to be predominant near the incision, over the brows, and where he added the soft tissue graft to the radix)






tasteless duck-lip test


The hairline incision that Mayer performed is unbelievable. I've been showing people where the incision is and they have to get 8" away from my face squinting to see it...

this is with no cover makeup. His work is incredible.