Cosmetic vagina: advantages and disadvantages?

[Mandy M]

Having had an orchiectomy some years ago I am now on the verge of wanting the final stage of GCS. However, I'm not sure that I can relate to the need for a full GRS vaginoplasty. My reasons are these:

- I don't intend having sex with a man. I'm a lesbian.
- I don't particularly wish to dilate every day for every year of the rest of my life
- I don't particularly want massive surgery again, so if I can cut it down great

BUT

- I do more than anything want to retain fabulous feeling down there. Looking authentic would be a decent bonus.

Any thoughts from anyone? And who knows where one can get this procedure, and what it is like?

xx

[Charlie Nicki]

I'm interested in the answers.

[AnonyMs]

The disadvantage is that some people seriously regret doing it.

[sarah1972]

I am debating the same issue. A cosmetic vagina is a quick survey and recovery with very little after care.

I would really love to go for the full surgery but for a few reasons I cannot take the 4 - 6 weeks recovery at the moment. This is about 5 Years out. And I really do not want to wait that long.

This made me think about the cosmetic surgery instead. A week of recovery is doable much easier. But then...

We will see what comes out of it.

[Faith]

I don't have any experience in the matter, I have thought about it though. I don't think I could do a cosmetic version. If I went that route I'd want everything to be what its supposed to be. If that means extra work on my part, so be it. My opinion may change if/when I get closer to doing anything.

[Dena]

Most surgeons offer this option so finding a doctor who would do it isn't difficult. As for how it feels, probable a whole lot less work than I went through and if your sure you will never want a vagina, it's a good option. In my case, I wouldn't have been sure of my future need for a vagina so I went with better safe than sorry.

[Dee Marshall]

I thought about it but my desire for GCS is driven by two issues. The minor issue is that, if my marriage fails, I, like you, am a lesbian and I would hate a shallow vagina to out me. More importantly, I'm getting to an age where a retirement home is a real possibility. I would hate to be discriminated against or abused mentally or physically because a penis or a shallow vagina outed me as transgender.

:

April 22, 2015, the day of my first face to face pass in gender neutral clothes and no makeup. It may be months to the next one, but I'm good with that!

Being transgender is just a phase. It hardly ever starts before conception and always ends promptly at death.

They say the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train. I say, climb aboard!

Think outside the voice box!

[Sydney_NYC]

Having had an orchiectomy some years ago I am now on the verge of wanting the final stage of GCS. However, I'm not sure that I can relate to the need for a full GRS vaginoplasty. My reasons are these:

- I don't intend having sex with a man. I'm a lesbian.

I'm just over 3 weeks post op, lesbian and had the same thoughts.

- I don't particularly wish to dilate every day for every year of the rest of my life

At first it's a lot of dilation. Every surgeon is different, but it's 15 min each dilation session and the schedule for me is:

• Month 1 - Dilate 4 times a day 3-4 hours apart
• Month 2 - Dilate 3 times a day with next size dilator if possible
• Month 3 - Dilate 3 times a day with next size dilator if possible
• Month 4-12 - Dilate 2 times a day with largest dilator if possible
• Month 12+ - Dilate 1 - 3 times a week with largest dilator if possible[/li
  

Once I'm at 2 times a day, I'll be pretty happy with that and easy to schedule. 1-3 times a week for the rest of my life is pretty manageable and is a lot better than everyday for the rest of my life.

- I don't particularly want massive surgery again, so if I can cut it down great

Recovery would have been a little faster with a zero depth vagina, but it's a small sacrifice for having something that feels right!!

BUT

- I do more than anything want to retain fabulous feeling down there. Looking authentic would be a decent bonus.

Any thoughts from anyone? And who knows where one can get this procedure, and what it is like?

Even though I never intend to have sex with a man, I want the option to have fun with insertable toys. Having had GCS, I can say that everything feels right finally. If I had a zero depth GCS, I would say that it would have mad me feel incomplete.

[Devlyn]

Having had an orchiectomy some years ago I am now on the verge of wanting the final stage of GCS. However, I'm not sure that I can relate to the need for a full GRS vaginoplasty. My reasons are these:

- I don't intend having sex with a man. I'm a lesbian.
- I don't particularly wish to dilate every day for every year of the rest of my life
- I don't particularly want massive surgery again, so if I can cut it down great

BUT

- I do more than anything want to retain fabulous feeling down there. Looking authentic would be a decent bonus.

Any thoughts from anyone? And who knows where one can get this procedure, and what it is like?

xx

I'm a couple months post-orchi and the scrotum has reduced to practically nothing. Is it the penis that's bothering you? Would a penectomy be an option for you?

I like the idea of a cosmetic vagina, although I don't plan on seeking one.

Hugs, Devlyn

[KathyLauren]

I recently asked the same question in my support group.  Only one person had anything to say on the subject.  She, like me, is a lesbian.  She had her GCS about 17 years ago.

She had the full-depth surgery.   In hindsight, she said that she wishes she had had the cosmetic option.  She finds the continuing need for dilation to be a nuisance.  Not a huge big deal at this point, but a nuisance nonetheless.

I wonder if I would feel regret at not being "complete".  But from a purely practical point of view, I have no need of a vagina.  Just the idea of using it for its intended purpose gives me the shudders.  And the shorter recovery time and lack of ongoing manitenance are definite pluses. 

Apparently, with less skin required for the internal parts, the surgeon can give better results on the external parts.

[Mandy M]

Some absolutely fascinating and brilliant insights shared here so far. They do confirm my own feelings about this. Re, regretting if I don't have the full works, well I do know through a trans counsellor of a significant number who have had full GCS and regret the amount of aggro that has come with it: some in constant pain, others with urinary tract problems and many who are fed up with the constant dilation. I am sure that set against that are many who don't see a counsellor (think here how Freud erroneously projected from his couch to the general population) and who love what they have done.

The point about being outed as trans is something I'd never considered. That's a brilliant point but I suppose it lies at the extreme end. When I'm at that stage of life will I mind so much? I don't know.

I am also wary of chasing after any particular operation or technique as completing me as a woman. I think I'm psychobiologically female already, regardless of procedures. But that's another topic.

I'm increasingly feeling that this is the step I'd like to go down: a superbly crafted 'cosmetic' vagina. So ... who performs this? I wonder how good it is? How much experience is there? And how much less invasive is the surgery and therefore re. the recovery time, I wonder?

xx

[AnonyMs]

If anyone wants to read a post about regret have a search for this "Cosmetic SRS/GRS Regrets and Cautionary Advice"

[Michelle_P]

I had considered going the cosmetic route for quite a while as I personally have a dislike of men's bodies and a strong aversion to penetrative sex with a man. (Childhood abuse issues, sorry guys)

Some intimate discussions with close lesbian friends helped change my mind. They enjoyed both sides of penetrative sex, by hand or with toys, and didn't care for the result of the cosmetic version.

In addition I was concerned with a possible psychological sense of being incomplete or "not real" and the difficulty of a later revision from shallow to full depth if I did need it.

My personal decision was to opt for full depth vaginoplasty.


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[Megan.]

I really appreciate this thread. This is a topic foremost in my mind,  as I try to decide if and what route to take.

It's obvious that whatever the choice, the mental and emotional impacts will likely be far greater than any physical changes.

Thank you to everyone for sharing your thoughts.

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[Mandy M]

If anyone wants to read a post about regret have a search for this "Cosmetic SRS/GRS Regrets and Cautionary Advice"

In the interests of balance it's fair to say that they are far outnumbered by the reported regrets of those who have full SRS vaginoplasty.

<MOD EDIT: Link to questionable content removed>

Although Bevan (2015) says regrets are rare, <MOD EDIT>others suggest that some regret the surgery.

This takes us into a different area. However, I would suggest humbly that the following be considered:

1. Dilation. With full vaginoplasty you need to maintain this regularly for the rest of your life
2. Pain and complications. With full vaginoplasty you increase the chances of long-term pain as well as complications such as UTI's and hair growth inside the vagina
3. Unless you opt for sigmoid colon, it is a closed non-lubricating vagina.

4. Most importantly, I do worry if we chase after a vaginoplasty as the Golden Fleece to womanhood. Is there, and can there ever be, such a thing? Don't we play straight into the hands of the likes of Germaine Greer and feminists there? Gender identity is surely a complex matrix of interwoven elements, some physical, some psycho-biological, some neurological, some behavioural? I can totally appreciate that it really is a key moment for many on here, and that means a complete vaginoplasty and for you who choose that route I say 'bravo.' But I do so urging that we also embrace wider gender pointers than this or that part of the physical body.

Anyway, I started this thread for another but related reason. If I don't want penetrative vaginal sex, which I don't, what's the point of the extra hassle, pain and complication if at least as good, if not better, a partial vaginoplasty can be achieved giving me good sensation and appearance?

[Mandy M]

Having said that, there's a terrific, but harrowing, post here about regretting the cosmetic version of the op:

https://www.transgenderpulse.com/forums/topic/72186-cosmetic-srsgrs-regrets-and-cautionary-advice/

The points 1-3 at the end seem like excellent sound advice.

xx

[alizia.sumi]

I was having the same question when started searching for the options, I have recently shared my experience regarding my srs surgery here:

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,231123.0.html

It was not my desire but the financial problems that pushed me in getting Cosmetic SRS. I was in great confusion,what if I had cosmetic srs and then further nothing can be done with it.

I had all the options on the mind from borrowing some money to get my surgery for full vaginal depth, to having simple cosmetic srs.

But finally choose Two Stage Sigma-Lead method, main thing about the procedure was that you can have cosmetic srs in stage one and if you wish to have full depth surgery, Stage 2 of sigma-lead SRS can be done at later point in your life (Depending on Medical Fitness).

I had my cosmetic SRS surgery few months back and now I am eagerly waiting to have my Stage 2.

And yes!!

Dilation is not the issue with stage 1 and I have sensation.
Cosmetic look is well defined with Labia majora and labia minora....

[Megan.]

I was having the same question when started searching for the options, I have recently shared my experience regarding my srs surgery here:

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,231123.0.html

It was not my desire but the financial problems that pushed me in getting Cosmetic SRS. I was in great confusion,what if I had cosmetic srs and then further nothing can be done with it.

I had all the options on the mind from borrowing some money to get my surgery for full vaginal depth, to having simple cosmetic srs.

But finally choose Two Stage Sigma-Lead method, main thing about the procedure was that you can have cosmetic srs in stage one and if you wish to have full depth surgery, Stage 2 of sigma-lead SRS can be done at later point in your life (Depending on Medical Fitness).

I had my cosmetic SRS surgery few months back and now I am eagerly waiting to have my Stage 2.

And yes!!

Dilation is not the issue with stage 1 and I have sensation.
Cosmetic look is well defined with Labia majora and labia minora....

Aliza, this is very interesting to hear. Can I ask who did your stage 1 SRS, and if you know, are these two-stage procedures done often?

X.

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[warlockmaker]

I am bi and a couple of my thai gf have the cosmetic version, even the cosmetic version can offer a 2 to 3 inch depth. Both have regretted this and please read Anony's suggested post. One friend has saved enough for a sigmoid colon, the other is saving for another year for sigmoid colon..So there is an option for later and I suggest a 2 to 3 inch depth, it easy to dilate this short depth and will give you an option for the future.

From my experience even as a lesbian playing with dildo and having that intense orgasm inside the vagina is amazing. If its the time needed for dilation I can only talk about me and my thai friends. We dilate 2 times a day for the first year of 15 to 20 mins. After the first month or two dilation is easy, painless and with good imagination very sexual. After a year, if you dont have sex then daily or altetnate days works.

I have many Thai tgs that look drop dead georgeous and have kept their penis. So there are many options. The Thais pay for work on their face, Breast, hip and butt impants. The srs comes last. What is a tg who likes to have sex with a tg with penis?- lesbian?

[Mandy M]

I have many Thai tgs that look drop dead georgeous and have kept their penis. So there are many options. The Thais pay for work on their face, Breast, hip and butt impants. The srs comes last. What is a tg who likes to have sex with a tg with penis?- lesbian?

What a great post, Warlockmaker. Your advice seems incredibly wise and will be taken on board and heeded.  It's good to hear that dilation can be more pleasure than pain

I'm really interested in what you say about Thai tgs. It reminds me of that old joke, that the prettiest girls in Thailand aren't. Although, of course, for tgs they are girls. And it's so interesting that the SRS often comes last in their process. I guess that's partly for funding reasons? But it must also be because they can look so convincingly female and feel female too I guess, whilst still retaining their penis. Perhaps it's not quite the same gender signifier as it is in the west?

x