Any downsides of waiting a long time before SRS?

[EmilyMK03]

To be clear, I definitely want to get SRS, but I don't know what my timeline will be yet.  I've been on HRT for about 5 months and am full-time for just 1 month.  I know about the "minimum 1 year of RLE" rule, but what if I wait longer than 1 year?  2 years?  3 years?

If I stay on HRT for a really long time, will my male parts "shrink" to the point where there isn't enough tissue to create the new female parts?  Is that something I need to consider or worry about?

[Serenation]

Hi Emily, some surgeons (Suporn) prefer you were not on hrt a long time for 'best results', but I wouldn't worry about it. I was on HRT for over a decade before I had srs. I did have to have a scrotal graft, but I couldn't tell if that was because of the HRT or not.

[TinaVane]

Hi Emily, some surgeons (Suporn) prefer you were not on hrt a long time for 'best results', but I wouldn't worry about it. I was on HRT for over a decade before I had srs. I did have to have a scrotal graft, but I couldn't tell if that was because of the HRT or not.

Wow that's my first time hearing that. So the longer u on hrt the shorter the neovagina will be. Interesting


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[Dena]

Wow that's my first time hearing that. So the longer u on hrt the shorter the neovagina will be. Interesting

That's not always true. If you continue to stretch the skin out with erections, you will still have enough material to work with. Some people even on HRT maintain enough functionality that maintaining skin size isn't a problem. If HRT shuts the erections off, you may be looking at skin grafts to get sufficient material to work with.

[EmmaD]

I had been on HRT for just over 2 years and Chet's comment when he saw me was "You are small"!  So graft it was and apart from a little additional cost, I haven't been troubled by it but then again, I don't have anything to compare it to.  I am just over 6 months post-op and I have maintained 6 inches depth so I am happy.  One reason I went to Chet was a nagging thought that I wasn't well blessed by mother nature in the size department!

If you do shut down as I did and shrink too much, you might need to have a surgeon who can manage the lack of material to work with.  What they use different bits for will also be a factor.  Meshing skin as Suporn does allows for limited material to go further.  A graft also does this.  Something to think about when you do decide it is the right time for you.  It shouldn't be a showstopper though.

[Raye]

I'm planning for GRS/SRS and will have everything saved up in about 4 years so financially I'm not worried. And I'm not worried about my size issues down there. I've always have a ahem 'bigger' grotesque thing downstairs. And after some months it's only shaved off a few inches and still a respectable size. I doubt I'll need any skin grafts with what I got. As Dena mentioned now and then if you stretch it out whenever you can it will help keep size for the surgery.

[Jenna Marie]

A lot depends on personal anatomy, obviously.

I had something happen that I had never seen mentioned before (although when I described it, I believe another woman chimed in to say she'd experienced it too): the shrinkage *reversed.* I'd shrunk to about 1/3 my previous size down there, but when I went off HRT 3 weeks before surgery, the thing expanded back to its original size within the week. So basically by the time the surgeon looked at it, I had the same size, flexibility, and functionality I'd had back when I was a cis guy. It was weird, but convenient for GRS, I guess (it was a pain in the neck and pretty miserable in that lead-up period, though).

[EmilyMK03]

That's not always true. If you continue to stretch the skin out with erections, you will still have enough material to work with. Some people even on HRT maintain enough functionality that maintaining skin size isn't a problem. If HRT shuts the erections off, you may be looking at skin grafts to get sufficient material to work with.

That's very interesting, I hadn't thought of that.  I've only been getting an erection once every 2-3 weeks or so, just an experiment to see if I could still do it.  I try to avoid it though, because getting and maintaining an erection now is quite painful (it was not painful before HRT).  But if it will help to stretch and maintain the skin size I might do it more often, as unpleasant as it may be.

[Raye]

That's very interesting, I hadn't thought of that.  I've only been getting an erection once every 2-3 weeks or so, just an experiment to see if I could still do it.  I try to avoid it though, because getting and maintaining an erection now is quite painful (it was not painful before HRT).  But if it will help to stretch and maintain the skin size I might do it more often, as unpleasant as it may be.

Atrophy?!
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php?topic=81330.0

[Shelly Maree]

Hi Emily,
I was on HRT full time for 3 years prior to my srs. My penis did not appear to shrink in size too much, but erections became nothing like they were before. It would not go completely hard or firm, it would enlarge but it certainly would not have been suitable for penetration. My biggest concern was that I never had much scrotal skin. It was always small (even before hrt), but hrt made it even tighter, as my testes were noticeable smaller. I had srs with Dr Chett, and did require graft, but that was no problem.My vaginal canal is just over 6" and I am living in long term relationship, inclide a healthy sex life.

My only advice is use the pre surgery period, to ensure yourself that this is what you need. I found by doing this myself, I was mentally and emotional ready to live my life post op with no regrets, and charge through any of life's problems knowing within myself srs was right for me, as there is no turning back, not that I ever would.

[karenpayneoregon]

If you have a surgeon in mind it would be best to ask their recommendation on this. Even so, everyone is different to how they will react to hormones where one person might be on HRT for two years and no issues while another has some issues. Then one must consider with what they were born with and while on hormones have they exercised the parts to keep them from shrinking.

Worst case is a graph would be in order. When I met with my surgeon one day prior she said I was fine, no graphing required and ended up with what I call average depth of six inches.