FFS Support

[Danielle11746]

Wondering what forums, groups, Facebook pages ect are out there regarding FFS.  I remember years back the Yahoo FFS Group was very popular, not sure people use Yahoo Groups any longer. 

[IglooAustralia]

I would like to know that as well. I really don't know where else to look to gather more information on surgeons, lol..

[Jacqueline]

It seems the Yahoo Group is not really recent. The phrase I read is that it is running on auto pilot.

There is  a facebook group that is mostly Brazillian
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,204090.msg1814634.html#msg1814634
This translator can help one https://translate.google.co.nz/

Seems to be the only references I found here. I am sure there is more info. I just don't have it at my fingers.

Sorry,

With warmth,

Joanna

[Danielle11746]

I remember back in the day the yahoo ffs group was the place with all the resources were, now seems very few.  On Facebook when I searched I found the Brazilian one you mentioned and one other in English.  It seems there are little resources other then doctors personal sites.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FacialFeminizationSurgery/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ffs.transex.brasil/

[anjaq]

Yes, sadly this is so - very little groups that are really independent of surgeons. Not sure why the Yahoo Group died - its not like people lost interest in FFS - actually it seems to be a topic that is increasingly popular...

[Sophia Sage]

There's another reason to consider why such groups don't last... because at some point a lot of women realize they don't want these photos up on the internet anymore.  Privacy and all that.

[anjaq]

Did the Yahoo Group not allow people to remove their pictures? Thats not good then, of course. I try to ship around this by using imgur etc so I can later delete the photos I linked somewhere. Especially in Facebook Groups it is not that easy to later go in and delete old posts, especially if one left a group.

[Danielle11746]

The yahoo group allowed you to remove your photos, as I once had photos on there and removed them.  As FFS is even more popular then it was 10 years ago when the FFS group was very active, I find little resources.  I guess FFS is even more popular with the growing number under the trans umbrella. 

[Paula1]

When Yahoo rolled out their new 'Neo' format in 2013, it destroyed the vast majority of groups including FFS Support.

I did all my research into FFS back in 2003/4 and back then it was an awesome group.

I made many friends ( mostly in the USA when I went there for my original FFS ) as a result of being a member.

I had some great times there especially at TG conferences such as the much missed Chicago 'Be-All'. Some of the parties were legendary ... 

I miss those times a lot but at least I still have my US friends. 

See these articles on 'Neo' !! ...    https://modsandmembersblog.wordpress.com/tag/say-no-to-neo/

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2148098

http://news.softpedia.com/news/After-Yahoo-Ruined-Groups-Users-Fight-To-Bring-Back-Old-Version-438551.shtml

Here is the FFS Support message history and despite there being over 4800 members still, the group is virtually dead.

Rebecca the moderator seems to have abandoned her moderator duties too as some Susan's Place members have tried to register but so far have been ignored by her!!

   Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul   Aug   Sep   Oct   Nov   Dec
2016   15   13   1   3   1   1   1   1   1   3   1   
2015   80   39   30   61   16   19   66   23   26   44   18   16
2014   127   102   64   107   151   108   71   38   74   77   111   56
2013   307   205   218   191   198   129   125   152   101   111   122   133
2012   635   261   482   323   248   278   302   323   155   226   211   185
2011   359   177   339   309   251   278   277   355   259   282   241   181
2010   521   348   303   380   494   375   231   338   368   214   231   279
2009   206   256   213   329   445   279   320   406   463   400   485   417
2008   436   393   356   323   384   336   326   376   229   287   344   303
2007   463   516   708   616   438   351   412   379   369   367   464   220
2006   694   231   410   508   350   509   675   361   475   625   626   389
2005   1025   819   924   970   871   543   396   569   643   445   509   416
2004   1215   745   826   894   692   616   603   680   671   773   706   895
2003   522   1068   1058   696   803   861   764   570   854   764   905   1160
2002   421   450   331   323   190   258   330   340   483   710   445   507
2001                           64   80   64   72   188   252

[anjaq]

Thats sad - I am not sure I understand why users would abandon a group just because of a different format...
But of course if there is only one mod and she stopped, things fall apart. Its a job and people have other duties as well than volunteering, I guess, so such grups depend on the voluntary work of some people.

[Dena]

There is possible another reason for the yahoo group to break up. I was a member of another non trans group for technical information. They implemented a policy where if you weren't an active user, your logon would be deleted after some period of inactivity. I returned after my logon was killed and I recreated my ID but the link was lost between my account and the board I wanted to post it. Rather than requesting to rejoin again, I just forgot about it. The strange thing is I still get email notifications of updates to the board so it appeared yahoo really messed stuff up in there attempt to remove inactive IDs.

[Paula1]

Just noticed that when I was considering having FFS from November 2003 to Jan 2004 ( I had my original FFS in Feb 2004 with Dr Z ), the number of monthly posts on FFS Support were at their highest.

There was a lot of discussion between myself, other 'Z' patients, Dr Ousterhout patients, Dr Norman van der Dussen and Dr Suporn patients as to the pros and cons of burring and reconstruction.

The discussions did become quite heated at times especially between Dr 'O' girls and Dr 'Z' girls and the moderators had to step in from time to time.

There was also considerable rivalry between Dr O and Dr Z themselves which was very noticeable at conferences they both attended.

[Danielle11746]

I met both Dr O and Dr Z during this time and they both mentioned and spoke poorly of eachother.  Now of days there are so many options, are they all good is another question.

[anjaq]

The battles are still on. Just read Dr Z 's website and how he speaks about surgeons using incisions instead of endoscopic approach for forehead FFS. And Then there is a big discussion still about burring vs reconstruction and an even bigger about placement of the incision for forehead FFS - at the hairline or behind - hairline shape versus hairline advance.

Interestingly I see little discussion about nose or chin/jaw surgeries

[deeiche]

When Yahoo rolled out their new 'Neo' format in 2013, it destroyed the vast majority of groups including FFS Support.

I did all my research into FFS back in 2003/4 and back then it was an awesome group.
SNIP                        

I first heard about FFS in 2004, discovered Yahoo FFS Support group, subscribed and proceeded to read every post in the group during a week long year end Holiday.  The amount of information there was incredible.  Nothing available today comes any where near what FFS Support provided to trans community.

Thats sad - I am not sure I understand why users would abandon a group just because of a different format...
SNIP

The Neo format switch was awful, as Paula wrote Neo negatively impacted many Yahoo groups, not just FFS Support.  It is VERY painful to use.  As I wrote earlier I read every archived post when I first joined the group, with Neo that would have taken 10x as long.

There is possible another reason for the yahoo group to break up. I was a member of another non trans group for technical information. They implemented a policy where if you weren't an active user, your logon would be deleted after some period of inactivity.
SNIP

Nope, not the case.  Post Neo I did not go there for a couple years, however when I saved enough funds it was still there when I went back late 2014 to see current state of FFS.  I logged in just fine, but the group was dead.  Instead I found this space for current FFS info.  With current info I made my decision on an FFS surgeon.

I tried to contact Rebecca, she does not respond.  This is bad as she is the only moderator.  Yahoo rules state only a moderator may make changes to a group.  If I remember correctly there have only been single moderators to that group, Rebecca took it over from someone else.

FWIW, the information there is so dated, it probably makes more sense for another private group be created, with 2-3 moderators.

As an aside I moved a couple financial groups from Yahoo to groups.io.  groups.io was developed by the same guy who developed the original Yahoo Groups, before it was Yahoo Groups.  It works great.

[Female2female]

Thank you for sharing, Susan's place is the best information resource I have been able to find.