FFS: Is it needed?

[April_TO]

Hi All,

Most recently I have been contemplating of getting a brow shaving procedure/hair line adjustment in the next 2 years or so. My friends don't think I need it. However, I always see something wrong about my face sigh...

Also, I have read in some of our FFS threads here at Susan's that it doesn't guarantee passibility. So in my head, why should I spend at least 30K for something that cannot guarantee results.

I know it all comes down to preference and also $$$. However, can a good fashion sense, average make up skill, voice training and mannerisms trump an FFS? Your input matters.

xoxo

April

[Jade_404]

Carmenkate,

I agree with your friends. You look fabulous 

If I were you I would wait a while before deciding.

-Jade

[warlockmaker]

Most people cannot really tell the facial difference when asked unless they are artists/photographer and work with faces. It depends on the brow and its difficult to tell from a frontal view, do you have a side view? But you look perfect from the frontal view.

[amber roskamp]

U don't need it.  Your really pretty. I think voice training,  watching speech patterns, and mannerisms will go just as far.  Its really about what makes u happy though. Many women who don't need it get it,  but they look great afterwards. But it's a ton of money that you have to commit to it. Do what feels right to you, but I think you would be beautiful with our without it. 

[Sabrina]

Personally, I don't think you need it. You look great already. I on the other hand, don't even look remotely female yet.

[Jade_404]

Personally, I don't think you need it. You look great already. I on the other hand, don't even look remotely female yet.

I, and the computer disagree Sabrina. Both of us rate you female from your avatar pic. 

And Carmenkate, like Warlockmaker says, do you have a side view pic? I don't think it will matter much, you will still look great in it, but would help to see this "brow" thing you are talking about. 

-Jade

[monica93304]

I'm of the opinion that you don't need it.  You're very pretty.

[Jill F]

Until a few months ago, I assumed I'd need some major work done.  The fact is that I am blending in just fine now without it.  It made me feel much better about myself knowing that my (cis) wife has a more prominent brow and adam's apple than I do, and she's unmistakeably female.

Having the right hormone levels for a prolonged amount of time, having no more visible beard shadow plus voice, mannerisms and attitude really do go a long way. 

My advice is to go as far as you can and wait for the HRT to work its full magic before going under the knife for any reason.   This includes breast augmentation. 

And yes, we are most definitely our own worst critics. 

[antonia]

Give the hormones some time, I was dead sure I'd need surgery but today I'm thinking perhaps not.

[judithlynn]

I totally agree with what my good friend Jill says. Be Patient. You are already looking good and I don't think you need it.   You just need to give it time. Late last year I had a Breast Augmentation consult, but wisely after listening to advice from girlfriends and my Doctor, I decided to put it on hold as the HRT is still working. My breasts are forming well with rounded B Cups heading to C and although I would like D Cups ,ay get there myself anyway. My mother and other close Female relatives have all been Double D Cups
Judith

[April_TO]

Thanks wonderful ladies, I am of the opinion that we are all beautiful and unique in our own way. Love you guys.

Heres my side view LOL I tried taking it without straining my neck muscle and my hands haha.



Big Hugs,

April

[April_TO]

Babe, I should take my own advice that I once told my friend. We must give up the mental picture of how an ideal feminine face should look like so we can give ourselves a chance.

You are a beauty Sabrina xoxo

Personally, I don't think you need it. You look great already. I on the other hand, don't even look remotely female yet.

[Alana_Jane]

April,

I don't think you need to have your brows shaved.  They're not even prominent.  You're pretty just the way you are, and only getting more so over the past month. 
Hugs,


-Alana

[Leila]

April,

A few years ago before I started HRT I really thought I wanted FFS. I had read a post somewhere that said if you had the money for surgery that you should go for FFS first. However the more posts I read the more I realised that in the end it boiled down to personal circumstance and a lot of cases it wasn't necessarily mandatory to get FFS initially before HRT.

Not being exactly flush with cash I decided to wait and let HRT take its course. It's been over 15 months in my case and I've seen some dramatic and subtle changes to my face, changes before I thought I needed a surgeon's hand to fix. In all honesty this is one of those YMMV situations and in my case I was very lucky that HRT and a good hand of genetics has helped me so much.

Make up and grooming of eyebrows will help, as too will confidence, posture, a good voice and all the other things required to blend in or pass.

From your 45 degree side profile I'd say your brow bossing is slightly less prominent than that of mine, and I'd say I've seen a few Asian cis women with similar prominent brow bossing too so it isn't unheard of.

So if you have the time, patience, and means to save some cash; I'd say give the HRT 2 to 3 years to do its work and review how you look then; before deciding if you still really want anything done. If you decide you don't need it, then you'll have accrued a nice pot of cash to treat yourself to something really nice.

[katrinaw]

Hi carmenkate, No I don't think you need it... I wish my brow was as good    You look stunning 

It is a lot of money, in my case, given age, and future ability to finance, it would definitely benefit me... but I think Adams apple, Voice, Laser/Electrolysis  would come first, then due to age it would be a facelift + brow line + Hard Sun Damage to nose...

However like you I do look very critically at my face, last week it was brow line, this week its the sun damage to my nose and the wrinkles (due to age and sun...) When that's done I'd be looking at other area's?
Isn't it these weaknesses that make us women  (Just throwing it out there )

L Katy 

[stephaniec]

personally, I think you should spend the money on some beautiful dresses

[mmmmm]

It depends on what level of passability or blending do you want/need to achieve.. Are you happy with being passable in a way that most nice ladies that you would meet will gender you correctly, and politely use female pronouns? Or you maybe want to pass to the level that not only nice ladies, but also some men will see you as a woman? Or you want to blend in to the point where everybody will see you as a woman, when your make-up is perfect and hair really done? Or do you maybe need unclockable status, as everything less still makes you very uncomfortable in everyday life? Or do you maybe want to just go crazy one day and completely shave your head, and put on some husbands/boyfriends clothes, and go to the supermarket with your dog without any make-up, and have zero fear that anyone will see you as anything other than a crazy woman...

It really only matters what makes you and only you feel comfortable.

I for myself needed any single trace of androgynous gone from your face... For myself. Not for anyone else. Even though I didn't yet go crazy and shaved my head and went to the supermarket... I want to have that option for the future. Just in case. 

[antonia]

I like the going crazy in the supermarket option, don't think I've heard anyone put it quite that well

It depends on what level of passability or blending do you want/need to achieve.. Are you happy with being passable in a way that most nice ladies that you would meet will gender you correctly, and politely use female pronouns? Or you maybe want to pass to the level that not only nice ladies, but also some men will see you as a woman? Or you want to blend in to the point where everybody will see you as a woman, when your make-up is perfect and hair really done? Or do you maybe need unclockable status, as everything less still makes you very uncomfortable in everyday life? Or do you maybe want to just go crazy one day and completely shave your head, and put on some husbands/boyfriends clothes, and go to the supermarket with your dog without any make-up, and have zero fear that anyone will see you as anything other than a crazy woman...

It really only matters what makes you and only you feel comfortable.

I for myself needed any single trace of androgynous gone from your face... For myself. Not for anyone else. Even though I didn't yet go crazy and shaved my head and went to the supermarket... I want to have that option for the future. Just in case.

[svaso]

FFS is not necessary to have as far as others are concerned. Most people say I didn't need FFS, and I would agree with them. I had FFS only to improve the dysphoria I experienced when I looked in the mirror. I got by for a long long time without it.

[BunnyBee]

I think ffs is rarely NEEDED, but it can be helpful even for feminine faces.  I wouldn't mind having a little less of a brow ridge for instance, though it isn't even that bad.  However, my frame of mind right now is that I won't have it.  I would for sure prioritize GCS and BA above it.  Those areas are far more troublesome to me atm.  Surgery is scary to me, FFS especially.

For you, Carmen, from your pics, I would say you fall into the not needing it camp, but if you feel strongly that it would help you, nobody should stop you.