Thinking about canceling my top surgery.

[Adam (birkin)]

Why would it be a problem if you're stealth just curious..

Just because the results are pretty widely available. I know people who became familiar with FTMs looking on the internet, and so now they know what the scars look like and can identify it as a "breast removal" surgery. Particularly Garramone's since he's the most popular. As someone who wants to put my past behind me, I'm extra concerned about someone seeing my scars and assuming they are "FTM" scars. But I am someone who has zero interest in being out - for a person who is OK with it, or doesn't care what others think, it's not a problem.

That being said, to assume that someone's scars are from a FTM top surgery is incredibly presumptuous on the parts of the people who make those assumptions. A man could be cis and have bad gynecomastia, or a surgery with similar scarring. I'm not excusing anyone who thinks they can go around and "spot the trans person" because I highly doubt they're always right.

[timbuck2]

Why would it be a problem if you're stealth just curious..

^^What Birkin said. Anyone familiar with FTM top surgery would be more likely to notice Garramone's style of incisions. I had someone very rudely come up to me in a hotel pool and say "Hey, so are you transitioning? I only ask because I saw the scars." in front of a few of my friends who have no idea I'm transgender. I just looked at him really confused and said "I had a double lung transplant, not a transition haha." and the dude seemed really embarassed that he asked but it was still an awkward situation where my heart started racing.

It's a crappy situation but because of incidents like this it would pose a problem to a stealth guy.

[Arch]

Just to clarify, pedicle is not equivalent to anchor. I had a pedicle surgery, but I didn't have anchor.

Since the areola and nipple remain attached to the nerve stalk, I would imagine that loss of erotic sensation happens only if something goes catastrophically wrong.

[aleon515]

^^What Birkin said. Anyone familiar with FTM top surgery would be more likely to notice Garramone's style of incisions. I had someone very rudely come up to me in a hotel pool and say "Hey, so are you transitioning? I only ask because I saw the scars." in front of a few of my friends who have no idea I'm transgender. I just looked at him really confused and said "I had a double lung transplant, not a transition haha." and the dude seemed really embarassed that he asked but it was still an awkward situation where my heart started racing.

It's a crappy situation but because of incidents like this it would pose a problem to a stealth guy.

Oh boy, I don't agree (I mean that Dr. G's surgery is uniquely apparent to cis people)!

I don't really know why Dr G's incisions would be more of an issue than other DI top surgeries. They are all more or less similar. I think that since most of us have looked at a lot of surgeries we see Dr G's as the similar ones. But really all DI surgeries have semi-curved or actually curved or swooped shaped scars on or near or somewhat near the pec line. If you had had surgery with Medelie or Johnson or Crane or Brownstein (back when) or whoever that's not going to be all that different. They all look a little similar, imo.

The other thing is that I don't think that cis guys are looking on youtube for Dr G's (or other surgeons results). If they know something is ftm top surgery it is because of something else (perhaps seeing some movie or something).

I'm quite sure you had this experience Timbuck, but I can't imagine it would have been any different with another surgeon. The only way it would have been different is if you had had peri/keyhole.

Ok for fun, I LOVE this one. Take a look around 3:30 or so:




--Jay

[Ethedon]

Wow I didnt think people were gaining knowledge of FTM's surgeries. I would like to remain stealth to the public. I have to agree with Jay. I dont think Dr G's "D.I incisions" stand out more than other surgeons do as far as being able to tell they are FTM related. I do however believe since he is very popular people are becoming aware of FTM surgeries. Not because of his incisions. If someone asks about my incisions I can simply tell them yes I had gynecomastia. Or can make up some weird off the wall story or just simple say I'd rather not talk about it.

[timbuck2]

Granted, there was an anime convention going on in the hotel I was staying at and people in that community are a little more apt to know what transgender even is. I'm not saying it's going to happen to everyone but it happened to me and as someone who is extremely stealth it's a potentially terrible situation.

I'd also like to note that my surgery was done by Crane, not Garramone. I just do see a difference with the latters incision technique--a lot of his results look exactly the same, not that that's a bad thing but I think you guys get the point I'm trying to make.

[harlee]

I notice Dr. Garramone's chests because the scars are thin, nipples are placed perfectly and the whole job just looks so neat and clean

[aleon515]

Wow I didnt think people were gaining knowledge of FTM's surgeries. I would like to remain stealth to the public. I have to agree with Jay. I dont think Dr G's "D.I incisions" stand out more than other surgeons do as far as being able to tell they are FTM related. I do however believe since he is very popular people are becoming aware of FTM surgeries. Not because of his incisions. If someone asks about my incisions I can simply tell them yes I had gynecomastia. Or can make up some weird off the wall story or just simple say I'd rather not talk about it.

I think gynecomastia is logical, as the surgeries, well that's where they get the idea from. I don't think most people are getting this knowledge but some people do. I would guess that they would tend to be more enlightened anyway. I do Trans 101s and we don't show our scars or anything, so it's not something you'd usually get that way either.

I definitely think that surgeons have their own techniques that are sometimes recognizable, but I would NOT think one is more recognizable than others. (i.e that anybody would know that Dr G's scars are from top surgery and that some other doctors's weren't). That requires what we trans guys do. I don't think cis guys go around and look at hundreds of top surgery results. Why would they do this? They don't need to.

I'm out as trans. But I don't actually advertise to someone who doesn't know me. So if someone ever asked I'd probably say "I'd really rather not talk about it".



--Jay

[Adam (birkin)]

Most people I know found them because they saw one FTM transition on YouTube and found the topic fascinating (mostly because of the degree of physical changes, most people find it purely unbelievable when they first are exposed to FTMs), so they watched related videos...and of course many guys in their timelines and videos show their chest. It mostly seems to be gay guys and lesbians, sometimes straight women who are really into feminism and gender issues. I don't think it's widespread, but I've heard about it more times than I could count on both hands.

[aleon515]

Most people I know found them because they saw one FTM transition on YouTube and found the topic fascinating (mostly because of the degree of physical changes, most people find it purely unbelievable when they first are exposed to FTMs), so they watched related videos...and of course many guys in their timelines and videos show their chest. It mostly seems to be gay guys and lesbians, sometimes straight women who are really into feminism and gender issues. I don't think it's widespread, but I've heard about it more times than I could count on both hands.

Yes, of course, they might turn into allies or be allies. I have a number of (I think) straight cis women who watch my channel. I'm guessing they watch a number of FTM channels. I have really gotten some nice comments from these gals. (One thing I do NOT have is many/or any straight cis men.)

I go to some activities with gay guys (recreational, not dating or anything). It's the only male space that I've ever been in. Some of them have seen me with my shirt off but I got the idea that they may have seen trans guys before (since the group is specifically trans friendly). I've had a couple of them say it was a very good job, or something like that, giving me the idea that they maybe had something to compare it with.



--Jay

[Bimmer Guy]

I notice Dr. Garramone's chests because the scars are thin, nipples are placed perfectly and the whole job just looks so neat and clean

I agree.