Quote from: Hayley74 on January 23, 2016, 09:05:56 PM
has anyone had hair transplants to create a feminine hairline and reduced brow INSTEAD OF going the FFS brow-lift etc. route?
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So, anyone had this kind of thing done? If you did, how much did it cost? Did you get a good result? Were there things you didn't consider?
I have not had any transplants or forehead work/lifts performed, but I've had some of the same questions as you. I'm no expert so please temper what you hear from me.
What I understand for myself is that each person is different so the viability of a transplant-only hairline lowering depends on your starting point and overall goals. If someone wishes to pass and also has an Ousterhout Type III forehead (typical forehead protrusion) then transplants alone will typically not be enough. In such a case, doing transplants alone could end up wasting time/money depending on how the subsequent forehead work is performed (which depends on the surgeon you go to and your starting point).
And note, I'm including transplants in the notion of surgical "forehead work." That's because it is. It should be looked at as surgical forehead work that is one of many things which can be selected from the suite of feminization procedures.
The really short answer is I've learned I can't touch the upper third of my face via surgery (including transplants) in an efficient manner without knowing all that I want to do up there. This is because most all procedures up there are interdependent in various ways which can effect aesthetic outcome, surgical costs, downtime, and so forth.
Let's assume I have a Type III Ousterhout forehead starting point and lower male brows and mildly deep eye sockets. Let's also assume I'm a good candidate for a hairline feminization from an excellent transplant doctor's perspective. Let me then ask myself a variation of your general question "Can I get a feminizing hairline lowering via transplants alone, no other procedures/surgery?" while considering several possible transitional goals...
- Am I doing it to work toward passing 100% of the time? If so, then this approach will likely not be enough.
- Am I doing it to feminize where I'm certain I don't care for any more forehead/brow work in the foreseeable future? Likely okay.
- Am I doing it as a typical incremental step in my transition process so that I can try a little upper facial surgery (meaning transplants here) with the idea that I'll do more if that's not enough? Hmmm, this where it gets tricky because the answer, at least for me, is that doing just transplants now, where I decide a year later to do more forehead work, could lead to wasted money, excessive downtime, or incompatible approaches which can itself lead to subsequent undesired tradeoffs.
The above is meant to be an abstract of considerations I've pondered. As someone else alluded to, each person is different. That is key.
So I think the very short answer is Yes, it can be done, but whether it's right or not for depends on whether or not I'll be fully satisfied with it alone.
If I think there's a reasonable chance I'll want more work, that I'm trying a step with transplants which will likely not be enough, I'd be wise to pause and consider things carefully before jumping in. The idea, at least for me, is I want to touch the forehead area once only if possible, perhaps twice if I get other forehead surgery followed up shortly after with transplants, not an uncommon approach (assuming one doesn't get transplants as part of the other surgery a la FACIALTEAM's coronal/transplant approach).
I think one thing to take from this is that there's a greater likelihood of a larger penalty (of some kind, financial or otherwise) if one falls short of one's goals with forehead surgery, including hairline. From what I can see, the same is not as often the case with other areas, or even many other transition steps such as hair, clothing, etc. All of the latter can be adjusted, tweaked, etc. But the forehead, while you can technically visit it surgically in a piecemeal fashion, it hardly seems a good approach unless professionals are recommending it for good reasons, or you simply know what you're doing.
I think a great way to find one's answer is by learning about oneself aesthetically, and how that knowledge is connected with long term goals. There are tools to do this. One is to have simulation photos created so you can see how your face might look with various procedures. One service which offers this is Virtual FFS
http://www.virtualffs.co.uk/. I'm not sure, but it wouldn't surprise me if they'll do a transplant only "what if" simulation in a set photos you can order. You can always ask. As well, that site is an excellent resource of FFS info. Check it out.
You might pick up Ousterhout's "Facial Feminization Surgery" book. Even though surgeons have different approaches, his book has some good concepts which may help to absorb other material. I found it to be helpful. Even though you're asking about transplants alone, his book touches on forehead hairline and transplants for other reasons, but it could help inform your question. Other surgeons have sites which explain things as well.
Note, you can also take your own photos and try to gauge whether a lower hairline by itself is enough for you. If you get the feeling it might but, but are not sure, then that may be enough to caution you before jumping to do that. If you think it will be workable for at least 5 years or some such, maybe the expense can be justified. Once again, as others alluded to, each person is different. I think this means the answer to your question is it depends on the person's goals.
That's my 3.5 pennies.
