Weird question - "Hairy Shaft"

[StartingOver]

Ok, the title says it all.  Upon closer examination last night, I noticed that there are some hairs that grow on the shaft itself, maybe a good inch or more out from the body.  We're not talking ape-like levels of hair, but there's certainly more than one or two.  I imagine this is valuable skin for the surgeon with some of it probably ending up inside me, but the surgeons I'm considering require no prior hair removal.

The last thing I want is to become one of the disaster stories of "the surgeon guaranteed no internal hair, but that's exactly what I have and now I can't get rid of it".  I assume surgeons are particularly thorough when removing hairs, but is it safe to trust that follicles are killed or removed not just on the scrotum but on any tissue that is going to be inside?

Worried, perhaps unnecessarily.

[chuufk]

If you are that worried get either laser or genital electrolysis. The sooner you start the better because you have time to ensure that the follicles are dead.

Get a BIAE member who does transgender work to do it

[Isabelle]

Ask your surgeon. It all depends on the technique they use.

[chuufk]

Ask your surgeon. It all depends on the technique they use.

Surgeons come and go. Techniques change. It is not expensive and with plenty of EMLA it does not even hurt all that much. My surgeon checked for follicles and cauterises any he finds but I still had 15 sessions of electro more for my own piece of mind.

[Isabelle]

Some advise against it. Look, unless you know who you're going to for surgery, I wouldn't worry about it. When you've decided, they'll let you know what their requirements are.

[warlockmaker]

My pet peeve. Todays GCS techniques DO NOT require genetal electrolysis or laser. Its barbaric and absolutely not required. Please challenge any surgeon that requests this.

[chuufk]

My pet peeve. Todays GCS techniques DO NOT require genetal electrolysis or laser.

Some do, some do not.

Its barbaric

No it is not. It is no more "barbaric" than facial electro. I have had both and facial hurt me more.

[Jenna Marie]

For Brassard, he says he scrapes hair follicles anywhere that he finds them. This is actually why he recommends against electro - he says it can weaken the hair shafts enough to make it very difficult for him to *see* the follicles, and he is more likely to miss some that way.

If you're really worried, be sure to mention it at the pre-op consultation. They usually do ask for any concerns or questions you might have (I didn't have any, but I appreciated the thought) and you can basically point out the specific zone you'd like him to target for special attention.

[JessieBirdie]

Well...

I'm having SRS with Mcginn in like--errr, 4.5 days.  I still have some hair around the base/beginning of the shaft and I did like WEEKLY electrolysis (technically flash thermolysis) treatments for like 6 months.  Yes, I started in your situation myself.

Btw, she requires you to treat like the entire scrotal area, shaft and base of penis, plus a triangular area towards the perineum if you want to be specific.

Regardless, I'll let you know how it goes.

* JessieBirdie feels like a lab rat.

[SorchaC]

I had genital laser because all The UK surgeons are quite insistent that you are hairless down there. Then I went and had my SRS with Chett and he didn't care  Oddly I have more hair post op than I did pre op. It's like my body decided to mess with me or Chett thought it would be fun to put some back 

It really depends on the surgeon and what procedure they use. In The UK they firmly believe removing the follicles weakens the skin so won't do it hence you have to be hairless. I would ask your surgeon and then plan from there. It can be painful if you don't apply the topical anesthetic properly but I just told my nurse to go as fast as she could and to ignore any yelps from me and it was all over in a few minutes. 8 sessions became a drag though 

Good Luck

Hugs

Sorcha 

[mfox]

It sounds like a gamble not worth taking.  Do you want to risk a less-perfect outcome of your GCS based on hair follicles?  I wouldn't want my surgeon to say in the middle of the operation "Darn, I wanted to do it this way.. but these follicles would cause problems..".

When the NHS and even a lot of US health plans cover genital electrolysis, I think it's worth doing.

[Jenna Marie]

mfox : The catch, though, is that Brassard says electro is what CAUSES him problems. (I believe he's one of the surgeons being considered.) He advises that if it's done at all, there has to be a minimum of a year between the final clearance and GRS... which would mean a wait of 18 months to 2 years before surgery if electro is begun now.

[StartingOver]

Yeah, Brassard is the surgeon.  No prior hair removal.