Dr.Dimaggio FFS PICS! Karmagirl revealed!

[Debra]

Yep, in your case it might be just a tweak or fine tuning what hormones gave ya!  Lucky girl!

Yeah exactly. Just forehead and nose this round. We'll see in a few years if I want to fix my 'ultra-weak' chin or not....less about feminization at that point and more about beautification/normalization.

[KarmaGirl]

As I promised, I would tell you all the good and the bad when and if it were to happen.

1) My eye seems like it's getting better, but I still see a little out of whack. I was told by two ophthalmologist that it is due to the surgery...the trauma, not the surgeons skills.
   
I DO NOT blame Dr. DiMaggio for this. I understood the risks going into it.  I'm told that it if it doesn't get better (and it has) I may have to get some surgery done. It would be covered by my insurance and it's not a big deal according to the eye doctors. STILL, it sucks.

2) I cannot tell you how important it is for you girls to be in good shape before getting your FFS done.  I had a little belly (love handles or whatever they're calling it) and being under anaesthesia  your body obviously is just dead weight.  Well, apparently I messed up a disk possibly.  It's causing a heap of Sciatica and leg issues.  Again, not Dr. Dimaggio's fault.

So, please think about preparing your body before you get FFS.  It will save you from a lot of discomfort later.

3) Keep using the lotions and creams for your scars.  So important to keep that up.  You don't want the scars to get red and stay that way. Use Vitamin E cream too and ALWAYS use sun block.

Just my two cents.

[confused_very]

seconded. i am low to mid 20's BMI and walk almost religiously every day for 5+km and i am still feeling being knocked around substantially, especially the second time, which surgically wise, was much less invasive and demanding. but the emotional and wellbeing toll just compounds so much.
You had 2 surgeries also,  and i am guessing the second took so much more energy to recover from than the first for you as both yours were invasive.

The other thing is whether you are mentally prepared and healthy as well, because you WON'T look crash hot afterwards and you need to prepare yourself for that mirror experience which IS NOT your final result but you have to live with it for the time being. You most likely WILL have to face the world while you recover so you also need to prepare for that period also....and if you are in a foreign country where you don't speak the national language, have some pre-prepared phrases ready when the locals motion to your face as though asking what had happened to you. Politeness and graciousness are all you have at that point.

[AoifeJ]

Beautiful! Very intense pictures.. you healed amazingly! 

[KarmaGirl]

seconded. i am low to mid 20's BMI and walk almost religiously every day for 5+km and i am still feeling being knocked around substantially, especially the second time, which surgically wise, was much less invasive and demanding. but the emotional and wellbeing toll just compounds so much.
You had 2 surgeries also,  and i am guessing the second took so much more energy to recover from than the first for you as both yours were invasive.

The other thing is whether you are mentally prepared and healthy as well, because you WON'T look crash hot afterwards and you need to prepare yourself for that mirror experience which IS NOT your final result but you have to live with it for the time being. You most likely WILL have to face the world while you recover so you also need to prepare for that period also....and if you are in a foreign country where you don't speak the national language, have some pre-prepared phrases ready when the locals motion to your face as though asking what had happened to you. Politeness and graciousness are all you have at that point.

DITTO!!!


..and thank you AoifeJ for your kind words. Very sweet of you to take the time.  HUGS!

[R R H]

So so much truth above about getting fit for surgery. If you have the time in the build up girls I'd thoroughly recommend working out a bit. It helps in all sorts of ways: it makes for safer surgery.

[Debra]

Sounds about right.....re: getting fit.

I'm pretty fit already, I workout daily and eat fairly healthy. Normal BMI.

Been eating out too much lately though so probably will cut that out in October since surgery is in November.

[Rhonda Lynn]

I'm late to this thread, but you look great Karma Girl! I especially like the profile picture of June 9. Your forehead and nose look so beautiful!

Sounds like good advice on the fitness thing and I am working on it by running every day. I remember just walking up and down the hall after GRS. It's amazing what general anesthesia and a couple of days in bed will do to you.

Besides, waiting for FFS is hard! This gives me a positive thing that I can do to help my recovery right now.

[Rachel]

Si am late to the thread too.  You look amazing in your pics. The bone was neat to see. I am very happy for you. You do look younger too.

[KarmaGirl]

Thanks for all the kind comments!!! Very sweet of you to take the time.   

I'm finally seeing some of the all around swelling go down.  That's when you really start to see the results.  I know it's probably my Facial Dysphoria playing with me, but I still feel like my nose it not the size I want to see...but, I ALSO know that alot of that is the swelling since noses (depending on the op) tend to take longer time to heal. I'm also considering getting a lip lift.  I got a little bit done but I wanted it to be a little more open ( I know, I'm terrible).  My wife wants me to also wait on that.

When I contacted Dr. DiMaggio he said for me not to worry.  He wants me to wait the 8 months first then we can SKYPE in case I feel I might need any revisions which he said he would do for free if need be.  I'm glad he's willing to back up his work.  But he also told me that he would be very honest with me if he felt it was more of my FD playing tricks or not. He said that he along with my wife would chat about things with me, to make sure it's what I really need.
SO FAR, I'm not really needing anything.  The tip of my nose bugs me still, but again, it's the way I see things. 
My ear area is healing well.
And my eye issue seems to be going well...slowly but surely ( I was sooo worried about that!).

As I have mentioned, I'll keep posting things as I continue to heal.  I will also answer whatever questions I can from all of you via PM or on here.  Again, I don't work for or promote Dr DiMaggio.  So feel free to ask whatever.

Thanks again for all your support ladies. 

[KarmaGirl]

Hi everyone!  I thought I would pop in here and let you know as I promised how things have gone with my FFS since MAY 2016. (PLEASE refer to the first post on this thread to see the results of my FFS).

So as we reach the 6-month mark this is what has transpired both GOOD, AND NOT SO GOOD.

Before I go on, I have to say that Dr. DiMaggio has been more than amazing with me.  Admittedly, I have some pretty bad Facial Dysphoria (FD). So, I cannot say if some of what I feel is amplified by that.

So let's start with the NOT SO GOOD...

I am STILL having some issues with my Left eye.  When I chatted with Dr. DiMaggio, he told me that he did not think it had anything to do with his Op.  But, "my truth" is that I have NEVER had ANY problems with my eyes...ever.  This started right when I woke up too. I was told that eventually, it would settle...it still hasn't a 100%.

Now, do I blame Dr. DiMaggio? No, because I really don't' know if he had anything to do with that to this day. Could it be the way my body took the whole op?  When I went to the Eye doctor, I was told that my eye was slightly shifted to the side, BUT it was almost nothing. However, that nothing makes me see double if I look up high and sometimes messes with my depth perception.  My eyes are very important as I work in the film industry.

Again, Dr DiMaggio has ALWAYS answered my questions and has gone out of his way to try and find answers for me and any theories . 

For a minute, we thought I had MS.     This is because there can be some eye issues and I had some excruciating sciatica. At this time, the MRI shows that I do not have MS.  So that is ruled out.

My theory is that maybe in the process my eye suffered a bit of Trauma and it's not healing well or hasn't yet.  I have seen only a small improvement.  My eye doctor has told me that I can get that operated on easily and it's not such a big deal since the eye has only moved a tiny bit.  I'm currently looking into it.

Right now there is a small dip right below my chin.  It is getting better, and the more I massage it the better it gets. Again, I contacted doctor DiMaggio and he was the one to tell me to massage it aggressively and it's worked.  It's not nearly as bad as it looked.  And when I compare my Chunky Fat face to what I have now...let's just say it is a deep improvement.
The left side of the mid face lift is ok, but the scar on that side is still looking Meh.  The right side is starting to disappear.  I'm not too worried about it, since I know I have so many alternatives that will help that look better.


The tip of my nose is finally going down.  Would I like it to be smaller...let's hope it goes down a bit more. Again, not worried.

When I swallow, it feels like it's grinding slightly on something.  Have any of you with Trache shaves experienced this? I'm going to see an ENT for this.  I'm not sure if it is because I am still a little swollen there or what. I've been massaging it as much as I can and it has helped a bit. I wonder if it's related to any potential scar tissue?
When I talked to my Family Doctor he said it was not a big deal either if they needed to go in briefly to take care of that...but I don't think I wanna get worked on for a long while.  My allergies are pretty bad and they were sure it was adding to the effect.

So, do I blame Dr. DiMaggio? NO.  I know that everyone has their own way of healing. Some do better than others.  And the truth is, our faces are not granite or clay...you can't just cut here and paste there.  There will always be some imperfections.

AND NOW FOR THE GOOD THINGS...

I have regained feeling almost everywhere. My left ear is almost done with that (since I had the mid lift). I don't hurt anywhere. My face looks happy instead of droopy and sad. Most people think I'm 15 to 20 years younger and the other day I was carded! Not bad for someone middle aged.

Okay, so I'm going to really open up here so bare with me.
I have REALLY REALLY BAD Facial Dysphoria (FD). My FD can really affect me some days. I've been able to hold back since I know it's really my problem.  I'll look at my face and go " Urgh! my nose still is too big"...or something like that.  I thought it would get better and it has thanks to my FFS. But it's still a bit of a battle.  Luckily my wife is understanding, she is my voice of reason.

There are days, like some CIS women, that I feel unattractive and yucky.

Yesterday was one of those yucky days.  But that changed as I got out of my house and went to the store to buy a few things. Before I went out, I took some time to pay attention to my makeup (I'm still learning a few things about this art form) and I was satisfied.  I went to the store and was just shopping for a bike seat when a man approached me and told me he thought I as very beautiful.  Now, I have to let you know, I do not agree with him. I just feel lucky the world sees me as I should be--a woman.  He went on to chat with me about how he came to the U.S. from Italy and that he was living in Malibu BLAH BLAH BLAH.
I was probably not really paying too much attention to him because I was stuck in my mind thinking things like "Oh, is he going to realize I am trans?"  "I hope my voice sounds okay?"  "Thank God I put on makeup".  At the end of the conversation, he wanted my number and then I woke up. I NEVER ever anticipated a "can I get your number"!  Plus, I'm married and I am so incredibly in love with my wife of 12 years and we are even getting married again so I can experience what it feels like to go through that! SO I feel blessed in that sense.
For me, it was just so validating from the perspective of being treated as a woman.  I know, I should not care, but I do --somedays more than others. And I'm working on that and the FD. So it was nice. Then a few hours later, the same thing happened to me!

My life has really changed for the best.  FFS was that one thing that I needed to place me right over that edge.  My friends have especially loved the changes too. My BFF said she thinks the changes have made an impact on the way I am perceived.  Even my wife's friends said, they couldn't believe how great my face looks--and that they would never imagine me being a guy!  In fact, they have been more than special with me.

Where I am now...

My face is really starting to (finally) look the way I wanted it to be. I'm glad I didn't get the bigger cheek implants too. It would have made my eyes look more deeply inset. My chin was chopped off a bit and originally I didn't want to get my chin done but Dr. DiMaggio went ahead and worked on it and he was right. Def made a difference overall.
The Mid lift made a huge difference too. I now have a chin, and no fat under it. HOORAY! Was it worth the pain...yes.

So overall I can say that now that I have seen my 6-month results I am happy. Yes, I'm freaking bothered by the other issues, but all in all, I'm doing fine. So I'll give Dr. DiMaggio a "A".  I didn't give him a A+ since I have those hiccups I mentioned above and none of those issues were there before.  Would I go again? Sure. Although I'm not sure about returning to Argentina, not because it wasn't a beautiful city, but just because it's a LOOONNNGGG haul and if I want revisions it's going to cost the same to get there, and I'd rather not put my body through that so soon. Maybe in a  year or two. If I had to do revisions, I'd maybe find someone local (if I trusted someone).  I'm not saying this because of Dr. DiMaggio, I'm just saying that for me, that  trip kicked my butt. The revisions, if I do decide to have them, would be soooo tiny that it wouldn't be worth going and spending all that money for traveling and such. Now, if he moves to New York (he's been working with University of Columbia), I may pay him a visit!

I don't want any of you to deter from seeing him. Again, I don't blame him (at this point LOL). But, like with anything you will always have your pros and cons.  My Pros at this point, out weight the cons by a lot. He did a great job overall.

I see too many girls on here with such high expectations.  I can tell you that most of your expectations (or all for the lucky) will be met.  Just be aware of the reality of the situation. FFS is some serious stuff.  You will be under for more than a few hours. Be as healthy as you can be before you get it done. Make sure you know exactly what you want done! Don't leave the Doctors guessing. Concretely tell them "THIS IS WHAT I WANT!" 

And also, be patient with the results.  I know it's easier said than done.  Don't panic.  Enjoy the ride and rediscover yourself.

I hope this helps those of you contemplating on getting FFS.
HUGS!
KG

[Debra]

Thanks so much for your post! Such a positive outlook despite some negative events. And feeling validated is always a good thing too. So happy for you!

I'm almost 3 weeks post and definitely discouraged with how slow the swelling is in coming down....I still have a bruiser under my right eye too, not to mention the hairline scar and bumpiness just below it.

It's good to hear about 6 months results at this point =)

When I swallow, it feels like it's grinding slightly on something.  Have any of you with Trache shaves experienced this?

I had my trach shave back in 2011 with Marci Bowers (got GCS with it) and never experienced that sensation , just wanted to chip that in for you.

[Miss Lux]

Pretty pre and post op surgery but prettier post op... But I must say I agree with you not needing d lower face surgery.... Just my opinion I prefer the before chin and jaw but overall beautiful!!!!

[CallApril]

Wow KG, I really love these no holds barred posts from people that don't try and ->-bleeped-<- and sugar coat. Really appreciate this level of honesty and integrity.

You look super cute in your profile and so young, I had no idea you were middle aged you're totally working it!

Would be lovely to see how you're looking now you feel your face has settled and developed but completely respect your privacy.

All the very best.

xx

[Rhonda Lynn]

Hi KG!

I really love your posts. It is good to get an honest an open perspective.

I'm sorry to hear about the complications with your eye. Hopefully there will be a fairly easy fix for it.

I'm definitely reading with interest about how you are continuing to see changes. At six-weeks post-op myself, my nose seems very large for my new face. I hope that it shrinks a little over the next 6+ months.


 

[KarmaGirl]

Wow KG, I really love these no holds barred posts from people that don't try and ->-bleeped-<- and sugar coat. Really appreciate this level of honesty and integrity.

You look super cute in your profile and so young, I had no idea you were middle aged you're totally working it!

Would be lovely to see how you're looking now you feel your face has settled and developed but completely respect your privacy.

All the very best.

xx

I think people have to understand that it is INTENSE Surgery. And things can always happen.  You just hope it doesn't happen to you. My eye is doing better, but not as fast as I would like it to go and the surgery to correct it is minimal. We are talking millimeters when it comes to that.  But yeah, it can be a little frustrating when I am trying to frame a shot and I'm seeing a little double at certain angles.
I just want the girls getting their FFS to know that they should really make sure they are in good health and also know that this is major surgery.

And once again, thank you for the kind comments. I'll try to post more recent pics in a bit.

[CallApril]

My eye is doing better, but not as fast as I would like it to go and the surgery to correct it is minimal. We are talking millimeters when it comes to that.  But yeah, it can be a little frustrating when I am trying to frame a shot and I'm seeing a little double at certain angles.
I just want the girls getting their FFS to know that they should really make sure they are in good health and also know that this is major surgery.

Great to hear that you're doing better and this is the kind of insight that makes your posts so valuable.

I think it would be easy to get swept up in the euphoria or post-surgery emotions and see things through the rose tinted glasses.

I find your journey very inspiring so thanks once again for sharing.

[KarmaGirl]

Great to hear that you're doing better and this is the kind of insight that makes your posts so valuable.

I think it would be easy to get swept up in the euphoria or post-surgery emotions and see things through the rose tinted glasses.

I find your journey very inspiring so thanks once again for sharing.

Thanks so much for those kind words. 

I went to my Family Practitioner and we reviewed my face. He said all the scars were doing very well.  He said he still saw my nose a little swollen, but based on other nose jobs, he thought I should NOT worry about it since noses (the tips) tend to take some time to heal...even up to a year and a half.
We then talked about my eye issue again, and he thought that the op to fix it wasn't a biggie. I'd be in and out and able to work in a day or two! So YAY! He was telling me that it's not too far off, but when you are seeing through them and little goes a long way.
I'll be going to see an ENT. He'll be checking my throat (we think I might have a little scar tissue that might be rubbing around). My Doctor thinks it's probably my allergies drying my throat at night. He's not worried at all about that, but he thinks it's still a good idea to get an ENT involved to check on that and to see if I have a deviated septum that is causing me to breath through my mouth at night.  So it's good to know that the throat issues are not related to the operation.

Some of you asked me if I would see Dr. DiMaggio again? Yes, I would (if it was my first time...I think I'm just too tired to return all the way down there at this point IF I HAD TO..but I don't think I do. It has nothing to do with his skills). 
He gave me a long talk about ALLLL the issues that can happen in an extreme surgery like I (and many of you) had.  I think the work he did around my eyes is really good.  They pop now.  I have not been clocked (that I know of LOL) and I continue to pass without problems.

I am so confident now. I was becoming slightly agoraphobic and depressed. Now, I can walk out and not even worry about make-up! I get a "Miss" or a "Ma'am" out of most. I walk into the women's restrooms without worry (but I still get a little nervous when they talk to me in there LOL).  It's a whole new world for me in some ways. I NEVER worry about whether they can tell I'm trans or anything like that.  I just go about my day as any woman would. Sometimes, it hits me
I feel sooo blessed to be able to live the life I have wanted since I was 3.

DiMaggio's work has also turned the clock back for me.  Most think I'm in my early to mid 30's! I'm middle-aged so that's a HUGE bonus for me (although I need to tell you that the MIDLIFT hurt for a long while. But, it was worth it). 

So all-in-all, I'm not worried about things if my friend and family doctor isn't either.

I think those of you contemplating FFS should really do your research.  Of course, there are a lot of cheerleaders here. And most of us will cheer for our doctors.  I am not here to cheer for anyone but YOU all!  You don't have to go for Dr. DiMaggio. You have to go with who you think will be the best for your face. And that would mean you all have done your research. You've compared notes, you shared your concerns etc etc. It's up to YOU to pick who you think is best for YOUR face. I felt that Dr DiMaggio was the best for MY face.
And again, I will tell you THIS IS MAJOR SURGERY! Make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. Ask and ask and ask! There are a lot of qualified FFS Surgeons out there. 

I was thinking of maybe posted a few pointers on prepping for FFS.  I wish I had listened to some of you.  I think my excitement clouded my mind a bit and I didn't ask as many questions as I should have on prepping and healing.

If you have any others concerns or questions, I am here for you.

HUGS!
KG

p.s.  I'm going to be posting more recent pics soon and also some "WAY BEFORE Transition pics" because I think I haven't been fair in some respects by not posting my Guy pics. Lol  It will give those of you just starting your journey an idea of what HRT will and can do to your face before FFS.  - XOXO

[2cherry]

Karmagirl, at which moment (what week/month) did you see the (close to) final result? or at which week/month were you satisfied?

[KarmaGirl]

Karmagirl, at which moment (what week/month) did you see the (close to) final result? or at which week/month were you satisfied?

Well, to be honest with you, it was less about what I saw and more about what others seemed to be seeing. Does that make any sense (LOL)? Ok, so maybe a little bit of what I saw too.

Before my FFS, I was rarely Clocked.  I practiced my voice (that was a little tough for me) and my female gestures (not hard for me or most I think).  My body had developed curves as well, and that was a plus in some respects.  What good is my face if I sound like a Greek sailor right?  So the whole package helped me out.However, 4 years later I was in San Francisco with my spouse for business, and we were eating out and I saw this woman looking at me. I later overheard her say something like "Is that a man?".  Her husband scanned the room and replied, "maybe".  Now, this is something that had happened around the time that Jenner had come out and it seemed like people were just scanning for Transfolk all over. And it's also SF, where there are more than a couple of us.  That had NEVER happened to me before.  I actually walked up to them and complimented them on their adorable baby.  Once they heard me talking, I think it threw a wrench in their hypothesis! They were really nice.  Admittedly, I went home depressed.  And that's when I thought " I think I DO need FFS to get me past that little hump".

I can tell you that I really don't have ANY issues anymore. Dr. Dim and also Facial Team had said I really didn't need a lot of help--Just fine tuning a few things since they thought HRT had done a great job in Feminizing my face. My friends (who can be BRUTALLY HONEST with me), were also very happy.  They had seen a few pics of people with FFS and they were not always impressed with the results (I showed them tons of FFS websites). But, after a few weeks, when the swelling went down a bit, they were relieved with what they saw.  They were afraid that my face would look to "Plastic" and different.

It's been since May of 2016.  And I do miss some of the puffiness...only because it concealed some micro lines on my face and all. Now that the swelling had gone down, I'm STILL happy. I mean, will I pick on my face? Sure, we always see imperfections...like I said before FFS can only do so much.  There are soooo many parameters involved--like your health, skin, how well you heal etc etc.  We're not Clay, or Granite where we can sculpt away things so easily. Each person's body handles things differently. I know that sometimes we tend to want to blame the doctors for things that don't turn up exactly as we wanted. This is not to negate what others have said in regards to mistakes that have occurred.  Again, it's about researching who you think is best for YOU.

And now the short version (lol)...

I think by the 6-month mark, you will see most of the changes you were looking for.

When I see Doctors doing videos of their patients right after the surgery, I don't think it's fair.  How can you say you're happy when your face is so swollen? And things might happen in-between that amount of time. That's why I told Dr. Dimmagio that I would not film or write any testimonials until I thought most of the results were in.

However, when it comes to my nose, it may take up to a year.  The nose tends to heal a little slower when it comes to FFS/Nose jobs.  I promised my Family Doctor that I would not do anything to my nose until a year from now. Meaning; if I didn't like the end result, I would go for revisions (my nose still looks swollen a bit).  But who wants to do revisions?  They can be a pain. But sometimes, we do have to fine tune things. 
And the truth (for me) is, if I don't get any revisions, I'll STILL be happy.  I feel like I don't have to worry anymore and be "On Guard". I don't have thoughts of "Do they think I am Trans or whatever?" 

FFS has truly been life changing for me.  I can go into bathrooms without fear of being clocked. I can have conversations with people without thinking "Do they think I am trans?". I recently came out to a few, and they could not believe it.  I showed them my Guy pics and their jaw dropped.  Not that I do that with most, but I thought that I could add to a semi-negative conversation about Transfolk they were having, and turn it into something more positive. They had no idea.

I think that FFS is not necessarily needed for everyone. And I think, that if you are happy and healthy mentally and physically with what you see, then maybe it's not really for you.  If you are not passing but feel good about yourself, then why get it. 
We were really blessed since my spouse had done well that year, and that was the ONLY way and reason I was able to afford FFS.  I really wasn't counting on it. Although, I did think about it.

And there are times when I think if society was kinder and more accepting of Transfolk would we even think about FFS? I think that people who have Facial Dysphoria like me are constantly fighting with ourselves in regards to that.

We (Transfolk), need to learn that it's a journey that starts from within, not the other way around. You can change all you want on the outside, but if you are not feeling it on the inside, you can spend thousands of dollars and never be satisfied. 

Sorry, I probably wrote a little too much here. 

Maybe by Wednesday, I'll post a condensed visual version of my journey from Guy to Gal.   

I hope this helps,
HUGS
KG