FFS, BA and Hair Transplant - Surgery with Dr Rossi & Dr Szyferman 2016

[deeiche]

Wow headaches. Are those common, do you know? With forehead work, that is.

Hope the swelling goes down fast!

I don't recall headaches, just a LOT of pressure from the swelling.  I stopped taking Tramadol 3 days after surgery, just continued with anti-inflammatory. 

[kitten_lover]

I don't recall headaches, just a LOT of pressure from the swelling.  I stopped taking Tramadol 3 days after surgery, just continued with anti-inflammatory.

I'm due at the moment to take my tramadol at the moment, but actually think I might skip this one and see how I go.

I'm on day four post surgery now. Slept ok with the compression mask last night and some swelling has subsided.

[deeiche]

Glad to hear you slept some.  I did not sleep well for days, between sleeping mostly upright and on my back.  I went outside the 5th day after surgery.  I know I looked like I was in a train wreck, but didn't care.  At least it isn't raining there.

Just remember, cold packs are your friend.

[Debra]

I actually alerted the surgeon to the fact that I don't sleep well after surgery due to weird required positions. So i ask for a couple week of a low dose of ambien for the first few weeks.

I had to do this with both my hair transplants and breast augmentation as well....and thinking about it now, I had a horrible time sleeping immediately following vaginoplasty as well so it woulda been nice.

[kitten_lover]

Hello fellow thread followers, I thought it would be a good time to provide another update to my journey whilst I'm bored.

I haven't actually been out of the apartment yet since surgery, that is, by myself, to explore or go very far. However today might be that day! One thing I have discovered this week, is that all food in Buenos Aires is horrific. I can't say I've eaten a single meal or dessert yet that I've enjoyed. Even the sweet food hasn't been great. When I'm able to eat a steak I shall hopefully be impressed with that. But having had jaw surgery, it makes it very difficult on chewing anything.

Over the past few days, since my last post, I've been struggling to cope with the headaches, dizziness etc. And as a result had thought I was taking too much medication to cause this, which actually probably hadn't caused me to think straight, and as a result had experienced the aforementioned problems. I've been having mild hallucinations and horrible dreams, persistently. Having felt very lonely too, I was so grateful to see Amanda who came to visit (during her day off) yesterday which put a smile on my face. I realised it could have been human interaction which was causing me to feel so down and lost. Despite having Skype and people to chat with online, it's never the same as a face to face conversation with someone who understands you.

So today I'm feeling more positive. The more I rest the better I feel. It can be annoying at times because I'd like to be entertained by something in the background whilst resting, but with ice packs over my eyes, I end up missing parts of a movie I'm in the middle of watching and then by the end, end up re-winding it to watch the part I skipped - and then it's a whole mess.

I havent found myself being very productive all this time. I had thought I'd be watching television series' in order, at least finishing my book or cooking delicious meals to pass the time. Instead, my eyes are too lazy to read anything, I can't even keep up with any series on TV and the kitchen...well.. I've just paid 80 pesos for the cleaner to clean it this afternoon. My arms are still weak from the breast implants I've had and so I can't scrub the dishes, hence stacks and piles of dirty dishes decorate the kitchen surfaces.

On a more positive note, the swelling has reduced, alot in my jaw area. I am constantly having to massage one side of my face to force all of the liquid caught between my gums and the stitching, to my palette so i can spit it out. Sounds yuk and it tastes (bitter) yuk. It's basically an accumulation of all the food I've eaten that gets lost in my mouth, but it's essential to get rid of, as bacteria can begin to grow in places you don't want them to, and staying hygenic is key after surgery.

Tomorrow I have my nose cast taken off. Yay! I can feel all the liquids that the cast is holding above my forehead which I'm waiting to be released once the cast is removed. It should help alleviate some of the forehead/sinus pain I've been getting and bring the bruising down too.

It's quite hard to make out what I might look like post op at the moment, and a little worrying. I think once the cast is removed I'll have a better idea, as I'll see the true shape of my nose. When I wear the compression mask, it slenders my face so I can see the outline of my jawline - which gives me some relief as my jaw is so puffed out without wearing the mask.

On Wednesday I have my hair transplant. Hooray! That should be the least painful of surgeries I've undergone, and it's being performed with local anaesthetic. I'll be housebound again for another three days following that mostly out of vanity. I wouldn't want to be walking around with my frizzy hair all over the shop and am I'm not allowed to wear any scarves or bandanas over my head for at least three days after.

Anyways, not much else to tell for now. Hope you've enjoyed reading some of my posts, and if you have any questions, feel free to post them to me.

Answering them would give me something to do at the moment.

Thanks,

Jenna

[Wynternight]

Thank you, Jenna and deeiche for sharing your experiences. It looks like I'll be in Buenos Aries next April so hopefully someone else will be there at the same time as I am.

How are you doing now, Jenna?

[SerenaOhSerena]

Hey Jenna,

I'm more of a lurker than a poster to these threads. I hope you feel better today than yesterday. Just think how fleeting this time is. Before you know it it'll be December and you'll be healing nicely and looking flawless~

[kitten_lover]

Hey again,

Thankyou Wynternight and SerenaOhSerena

Today I had my nose cast taken off. Wow. it looks perfect.

They couldn't have operated on me better. Clearly I'm quite satisfied. There's a little relief too in having this removed as the fluids have now moved from my sinuses and are right now probably draining through my face. Dr Appianni, who is a very nice doctor, removed my stitches and also replaced the cast with some tape to help control the swelling.

Last night was the first time, after having a shower, and drying myself off on the bed; that I looked at myself in the mirror, naked.

I was examining the size of my breasts, in proportion, in relation to my chest, the rest of my body. Considering my satisfaction with the size. How naturalle they feel and look. They do need to drop a little more, as they're a little tight in my chest and hard at the moment. But they will soften up and they will drop over the coming months. I'm told to wait at least 6-12 months to get a clearer image of what they'll look, more or less, like, during the next 10-15 years (until I have them replaced). I'm quite satisfied with the size. Without a T shirt on, they look smaller than I had imagined, in the flesh. That was the most unexpected thing to see. As, when I tried on the implants with a T shirt on in the shop, prior to deciding on which ones to choose, they looked - the perfect size on me. But I am happy with them overall. We have to be happy with them.

My jaw is veryyyy swollen still. There's a lot of hard tissue around my chin and jaw and I had actually thought it was bone, until the surgeons assistant, Amanda, pointed out to me today, that it was only swelling - and that it would too reduce to what it will finally look like at about the 6 month post op mark. That was even more of a relief, as it definitely looks out of proportion with the rest of my face.

Looking back at my old photo's on Facebook now. I feel like that was a different person. Although I don't look drastically different. There is a definite difference. I feel more free, more me, more feminine and naturally worry less about being 'clocked' judged, when I'm out an about. I, like others, see me as female now and for that I am happy. I feel like a whole new person, like I can move forward, onwards and upwards with life. Achieve things I've wanted to achieve. Explore life.

[kitten_lover]

Hello y'all

Just another update on my second surgery. Boy am I done with surgery

I had my hair transplant today..and I feel like writing about it.

First let me say that I am completely exhausted. I am now coming down from the anaethesia, my energy levels keep changing, one moment I feel like I need to get rid of energy, the next moment I can barely move. The best way I can describe it, it's like an exothermic reaction taking place in my body. If you recall chemistry from high school, you'll recall that when this type of reaction takes place, there is a release of energy due to 'excited' molecules and they release heat in the process. That's now it feels. And at the same time the release of heat is unsettling and almost sends me into a bit of a panic and an unsettling feeling that I might vomit. I'm trying to channel it in the right way and remain calm at the same time.

This is in fact the exact same way I felt after I had my major operation last week. The only difference is that today it doesn't feel as intense, and my body needs less rest to recover from the general anaesthesia, whereas today I'm readjusting to the aftermath of local anaesthesia and sedation. The surgery today took a total of 5 hours.

They removed a strip of hair from the back of my head and replanted the hair at the corners of my hairline.
But before all that, let me describe the process to you.

Initially after removing my clothing and dressing in disposable scrubs to enter the operating room I was given an anti-inflammatory jab in my glutes. I hate injections in my glutes, it really hurts, makes me go numb and I just hate the feeling. I have similar injections for testosterone blockers ever three months and know the feeling, it's painful. After that, the doctor shaved the donor site at the back of my head and I felt like lots of tiny needles injecting anaethesia into my head. I must admit, this part is also painful. It felt like it took about 5 - 10 minutes of unpleasant pain, but bearable...just. Admittedly it was more unpleasant than described to me previously.

Next, I couldn't feel anything. I began to dose off half of the time, and could only feel the odd prick in my head. I was awoken when they needed to re-inject anaesthesia to the area the hair would be transplanted to. Again, this was painful and I didn't find any comfort during this part of the surgery. The hair was transplanted without me barely feeling anything.

Part way through the surgery, Dr Szyferman notified me that he'd need to take more hair from the donor site to fill the area necessary.

After that, we were pretty much finished. He showed me the hairline, and since then I've been taken home.

___
___

[Debra]

Sounds pretty on-par with my transplants. I didn't get a shot in the butt though. They just did local anesthetic in the back and front of the head. The doc and nurses I had talked with me the whole time lol, it was kinda weird....and I could kinda hear the pin pricks when they put them in in front....which was kinda gross....but they also let me watch movies haha.

I don't think I had a lot of pain except for the needle for the anesthetic

[deeiche]

thanks for the update.

I had FUE, so the back of my head was shaved, then local injections.  All I remember is Dr Syzferman drawing a line for my new hairline, then laying face down.  The next thing I know they are waking me up, telling me it's over.  I hadn't been sleeping well since FFS, so I guess my body took advantage of the tranquilizer they gave me to pass out.  I don't even remember rolling over on my back.

When are you leaving Buenos Aires?

[kitten_lover]

thanks for the update.

I had FUE, so the back of my head was shaved, then local injections.  All I remember is Dr Syzferman drawing a line for my new hairline, then laying face down.  The next thing I know they are waking me up, telling me it's over.  I hadn't been sleeping well since FFS, so I guess my body took advantage of the tranquilizer they gave me to pass out.  I don't even remember rolling over on my back.

When are you leaving Buenos Aires?

Got 6 more days left and I'm counting them down.

Boy did i sleep awful last night. It' so hard to sleep at an upright 45 degree angle. I managed to actually fall asleep at around 6 - then woke up and 7 awake on and off half hour until 11.

I feel quite sad at the moment, like I've gone in reverse. Because everytime I look at my transplants I also look at my hairline and where they shaved a 1cm strip so they could implant the new hair right up againt my hairline. It really frsutrates me and I was actually in tears over it because it took me so long to grow my hair. It's like my whole hair has to start growing from scratch again now. From observing my face in the mirror, after FFS, which is looking feminine, I thought - this is fantastic - new life - new everything, experiences and I felt so positive. Knowing that I was going to have transplants, didnt bother me either because they'd scab and fall off and it would be new hair growing. But seeing them removing part of my own hair grrrrrrr, frustrates me so much inside and the fact there's nothing I can do about it. Gone, disappeared. I can't go out like this. My life is going to be confined to wearing bandanas for another year now until that strip of hair which even with a feminine face, I look ridiculous without, grows back; and it makes me very sad angry upset and annoyed at myself for not protesting more strongly when he did it. Dr Szyferman said he needed to but whhhhhy didn't i just say no, this has taken me ages to grow, I want to go back to England starting my new life. Not waiting forever too and plus at the rate my hair grows, grrrrr this will be so frustrating. I was thinking about what to do all evening yesterday and my only option is to wear bandanas. So that dream of hoping to walking out of here as a free new woman has just been blown away, and I'm going to have to wait another year at least for shaven hair to blend in.

Just not what you want to hear after you've saved up you're money for so long, been patient as ever with hair systems, hair growing, wearing wigs etc and then finally being able to wear your own hair and now you don't have the freedom to. It's the freedom to, that's the part which is important to me. The freedom

I feel like I'm going to be tied down to hiding my hairline constantly for the next year now whenever I need to take my bandana off and re-adjust it. I've been feeling that awkwardness for years because of having to wear wigs, and there it lurks again.

Hair has a unique quality to most people, whether you're male or female. But to women, it is so much more. Their beauty is rooted in their hair. A woman can exube her beauty from within without hair. But hair is what finishes off a woman's face, what frames it. Why do married women all or of most religions who are traditional or orthodox in some way cover their hair. Because it's their beauty, but concealing they're becoming modest and not attracting the same level of attention from the opposite sex. 

I know I'll look good with a bandana on, but it's just at those times I'll have to take it off that I'll reminded, of why I need to hide myself.

Any comforting words from ANYONE, advice at all, please, on this?

Mod Edit:Language

[deeiche]

You are being to hard on yourself.

The redness in the targeted area goes away in a month or so.  I recommend you change your hair style to one with bangs.

Do an internet search for "celebrity women with very high hairlines".  Some of them even have a band of vellus hair in front of their hairline.

You will be fine.

[confused_very]

look at what you have accomplished
look at what you have achieved to get this far
look at the ordeals you had to go through
you have stood above it all
you have already given your big screw you to society's expectation of you
the adversity you have faced, the struggles you have endured
YOU got through it all.
you made it
you already know that nothing can stand in your way and that you are a determined person
those looking from the outside into your life be damned
they have no idea how strong you are and how resilient you can be.
you already know how to make lemonade from lemons, just keep up that determination.
you have done the hard journey, and for that you know you can see your end goal now, home stretch, nearly there

own your new self, be the strong you that you already know you are.
discuss with a hair stylist when you return home about how you can work your new features to be a positive image for yourself. you know you got this, you had it all along, just another chance for you to show the world that you are strong, determined, and you love who you are. a unique and wonderful hair style that complements your overall beauty will be a piece of cake for you to pull off.

without turning this into a me post, I spoke to someone about hair transplants recently when working out my FFS journey which starts in a months time. They were just so thrilled at what they could now see was going to be their new hairline, they had also just had facial surgery about a week prior also and that overwhelming complete package was what they focused on they were so happy that combined with the ffs and the new hairline that, they were literally through the worst of it and it was literally improving to be their final result day by day.
You are seeing yourself at your worst surgery result over these two weeks.
as each day comes you will notice the improvements, and it will give you that inner strength that you already have to know that tomorrow will be even better and the next day and the next.
you are wonderful, don't forget that, and that is why you know you can work it no matter what.
Dami

[Debra]

Hugs. it's true the hairline will take a few months to come in...but as others have said, try to get some bangs taken care of to cover up for those few months. It will be tough for sure but doable.

I know that feeling of regret though....it's the WORST. Try not to let it consume you and try to look forward and do what you can with what you have until things fill out again.

The added stress of negative emotions can do a number on a healing body =(

[RubyAliza]

Hair has a unique quality to most people, whether you're male or female. But to women, it is so much more. Their beauty is rooted in their hair. A woman can exube her beauty from within without hair. But hair is what finishes off a woman's face, what frames it. Why do married women all or of most religions who are traditional or orthodox in some way cover their hair. Because it's their beauty, but concealing they're becoming modest and not attracting the same level of attention from the opposite sex. 

   So true and wonderfully put. Hair makes all the difference. Indeed, it's the topic that makes me think about how very socially constructed gender is. To speak to how you feel at the moment - I wish I could fast forward time one year to when you are healed and your hair is long again - then you will look back at this moment and only smile. It's so temporary. I speak not only from empathy but being in the same position as you, having taken a very similar path, including going to the super hot Dr. Szyferman . However, once the transplants grow in, and you see your new amazing hairline that is yours permanently, you'll feel it was all worth it

    And what would beauty be without your expressive, unique personality (which comes through in all your posts). Thanks for making this thread. Lately I haven't been on these boards too much but I do come back to see how you're doing. Thinking of you, wishing the best <3

- Ruby

[kitten_lover]

look at what you have accomplished
look at what you have achieved to get this far
look at the ordeals you had to go through
you have stood above it all
you have already given your big screw you to society's expectation of you
the adversity you have faced, the struggles you have endured
YOU got through it all.
you made it
you already know that nothing can stand in your way and that you are a determined person
those looking from the outside into your life be damned
they have no idea how strong you are and how resilient you can be.
you already know how to make lemonade from lemons, just keep up that determination.
you have done the hard journey, and for that you know you can see your end goal now, home stretch, nearly there

own your new self, be the strong you that you already know you are.
discuss with a hair stylist when you return home about how you can work your new features to be a positive image for yourself. you know you got this, you had it all along, just another chance for you to show the world that you are strong, determined, and you love who you are. a unique and wonderful hair style that complements your overall beauty will be a piece of cake for you to pull off.

without turning this into a me post, I spoke to someone about hair transplants recently when working out my FFS journey which starts in a months time. They were just so thrilled at what they could now see was going to be their new hairline, they had also just had facial surgery about a week prior also and that overwhelming complete package was what they focused on they were so happy that combined with the ffs and the new hairline that, they were literally through the worst of it and it was literally improving to be their final result day by day.
You are seeing yourself at your worst surgery result over these two weeks.
as each day comes you will notice the improvements, and it will give you that inner strength that you already have to know that tomorrow will be even better and the next day and the next.
you are wonderful, don't forget that, and that is why you know you can work it no matter what.
Dami

Hello

I read this the other day and felt so blown away, I didn't know what to respond.

Thanks. Your response made me feel so much better and victorious, despite the low I felt after my image changed once again after having the implants. My face began to settle after FFS and then I felt like I was being deconstructed again after achieving a positive result, post hair transplant results.

[kitten_lover]

Hugs. it's true the hairline will take a few months to come in...but as others have said, try to get some bangs taken care of to cover up for those few months. It will be tough for sure but doable.

I know that feeling of regret though....it's the WORST. Try not to let it consume you and try to look forward and do what you can with what you have until things fill out again.

The added stress of negative emotions can do a number on a healing body =(

Hi Debra and thank you for your suggestions. When I'm able to, within rubbing the new hair site, I'm going to just wear a bandana to cover my hair. It will probably become my best friend over the coming year hehe.

As I mentioned in the previous post, I think it was just the added stress of my image being deconstructed for the worse again, after feeling overwelmingly positive of the FFS result I've had. I really didn't want to look at myself and feel ugly because of my hair. I'm sure it will all be fine, I just let me emotions take over my senses.

[kitten_lover]

   So true and wonderfully put. Hair makes all the difference. Indeed, it's the topic that makes me think about how very socially constructed gender is. To speak to how you feel at the moment - I wish I could fast forward time one year to when you are healed and your hair is long again - then you will look back at this moment and only smile. It's so temporary. I speak not only from empathy but being in the same position as you, having taken a very similar path, including going to the super hot Dr. Szyferman . However, once the transplants grow in, and you see your new amazing hairline that is yours permanently, you'll feel it was all worth it

    And what would beauty be without your expressive, unique personality (which comes through in all your posts). Thanks for making this thread. Lately I haven't been on these boards too much but I do come back to see how you're doing. Thinking of you, wishing the best <3

- Ruby

Hey Ruby

Thank you so much for the reassurance. You're right, this year will pass quickly and I'll look back at it and realise I made the right decision.

I went to see the oh so hansom Dr Szyferman today, that smile... He told me that everything was normal with the hair transplants and that I just need to take extra care before leaving BA, not to rub my hairline against or onto anything.

My forehead looks even more puffed out today than it did yesterday and quite out of proportion with the rest of my face. Actually, having said that, my jaw/chin is also still quite stiff and swollen - so the two together aren't too badly out of proportion with one another. I just look like a ball of swell with one red eye. Haha, I wonder how long the burst blood vessel in my eye will take to heal itself too. I give off that demonic vibe at the moment... interesting how this will pan out when passing through customs.

This evening I went to buy some chocolate and milk from the local store. I told myself that I don't care and that I'm just going to go outdoors as I am. I am planning to go to an arts exhibition this weekend, so it was kind of in preparation for that. Although at the moment, I'm not so sure what I'm going to do. To be honest, I'd rather just curl up in a ball and stay indoors, than feel the anxiety and distress from the way I look right now in the public eye.

[confused_very]

Hi Jenna,
Just touching base to see that you are ok.
just concerned given your situation.
don't want depression to make matters any worse, so letting you know that i am thinking of you and how awesomely you have been able to do this all. you are one strong determined person.

Dami