Is FFS overrated?

[Krissy_Is_A_Gem]

Not overrated at all. I would do it all again. I went in with no expectations and really there is not that much pain at all. Yeah sure it takes a while to settle and is very uncomfortable putting up with people staring at you. But well worth it.

JMO

[LifeInNeon]

I'm looking forward to it, but to be fair, the stuff that's on my list was already there even before I started transition.

[Michelle.]

Work with what you have, don't over do it.

[Susan Kay]

At 65, I'm definitely taking this in steps. In my case: therapist, hormone therapy, real life, second therapist, finances, genital femination surgery (in 6 weeks). Trachea shave at the same time is the only optional surgery, at this time at least. Lucky for me that the breast development has been satisfactory. I can look in the mirror every day and see things that would benefit from improvement. They just are not important to me, at least for now. If you look in your mirror and see things that are important to you - go for it. If you have to look at that mirror the rest of your life, it should reflect the best you that you can be to be happy.

Susan Kay

[girl_ashley]

I think a lot of trans women feel that they need FFS in order to pass.  Afterall, we are our own worst critics and I think these trans women somehow get it in their heads that the only way to fix all the nuances that they see in the mirror would be to go under the knife.  So while I do think there is a substantial portion of those who undergo FFS do so unnecessarily, I do believe that in the end it can have a therapeutic effect once the operation has been completed (albeit an extremely expensive one).  I am not one to tell someone that they can or cannot get FFS if that is what they feel will make them happier in their lives.  I have recently had SRS and a trach shave.  I do not consider the latter as part of FFS.  If I did not have the further resources to get a trach shave, then I would have been just as passable as I am now.  I absolutely do not think a trach shave is necessary to pass.  It's all about one's personal priorities in order to relieve the pain from our own gender incongruity.  Some go straight for SRS to get the sexual parts fixed while others go straight for the FFS in order to feel like they can better "pass" in society as their target gender.

To answer the original poster's question, I do believe that FFS is overrated.  I think that many trans women put too much emphasis on their perceived facial flaws and get blindsided to the real issues that they face as to their self confidence and self esteem when expressing themselves as their target gender.  Again, I do not deny the often times therapeutic results FFS can have at resolving one's gender incongruity, it just so happens that my experience and priorities are different.

[Staci3336]

I really dont think you can put a "blanket" answer on this.. My experience is that people dealk with GID in different ways. Some need different things than others. Everyone looks at themselves through a different kaliedescope, so there is no way way to say if it is "Worth It" or not.. Personal Choice,, whatever makes you feel better about who you are
I've seen TS's that have transitioned simply by going full time,, no HRT, Electro/laser, anything! but they are happy becasue they see themselves as the percieve themselves.. I also have seen others where there is no end to the modifications they would make..
Its all about the balance,,,,, balance to look how you feel most comfortable..

[Staci3336]

BTW as I wrote this,, I saw my picture and thought arrrrgghhhh  I need to get my chin done! LOL

[Myself]

I hold to the belief (which is based on experience) that FFS can have a great positive impact on one's life.

In short: no.

[Gabby]

Some are lucky and HRT will rejig to female I hope so once I start, others need some adjustments for their own personal gratification.

Weight is a big consideration my therapist said why do I need to lose weight? I'm a 5' 10" 200lb athlete, it's a compliment and says alot about what can be acceptable but I want to slim my face down alittle then again maybe not ^^  I'm shaving off 14lbs to go for sexy

So hair transplant (necessary if required) and get my nose tip redone (more cosmetic but still not completely so.)  I'll still be happy with my nose tip truth be told if I don't have it redone.

[Saskia]

No it's not overrated !!

I had mine done 2 years ago and although I've been stealth for a long time and you could say I didn't really need to have it done for passing reasons, I felt that as I was getting older my face was losing some of what I perceived to be my best feminine traits from when I was in my 20's. So after doing a ton of research, I ended up picking Dr Zukowski in Chicago. I'd seen what he'd done for other girls and spoke to some as well and I was really impressed. Dr Z has taken 10 to 15 years off my age and has removed all those things I hated about my appearance. I'm absolutely thrilled with the results. For me personally, it was worth every last cent.
Many women have plastic surgery done to help themselves look beautiful and feel younger and I'm no different in that regard. 

[Krissy_Is_A_Gem]

No it's not overrated !!

I had mine done 2 years ago and although I've been stealth for a long time and you could say I didn't really need to have it done for passing reasons, I felt that as I was getting older my face was losing some of what I perceived to be my best feminine traits from when I was in my 20's. So after doing a ton of research, I ended up picking Dr Zukowski in Chicago. I'd seen what he'd done for other girls and spoke to some as well and I was really impressed. Dr Z has taken 10 to 15 years off my age and has removed all those things I hated about my appearance. I'm absolutely thrilled with the results. For me personally, it was worth every last cent.
Many women have plastic surgery done to help themselves look beautiful and feel younger and I'm no different in that regard.

Exactly Saskia

Im completely happy as well. No dreading getting those passport or drivers licence shots. FFS has had a huge positive impact on my life

[girl_ashley]

No it's not overrated !!

I had mine done 2 years ago and although I've been stealth for a long time and you could say I didn't really need to have it done for passing reasons, I felt that as I was getting older my face was losing some of what I perceived to be my best feminine traits from when I was in my 20's. So after doing a ton of research, I ended up picking Dr Zukowski in Chicago. I'd seen what he'd done for other girls and spoke to some as well and I was really impressed. Dr Z has taken 10 to 15 years off my age and has removed all those things I hated about my appearance. I'm absolutely thrilled with the results. For me personally, it was worth every last cent.
Many women have plastic surgery done to help themselves look beautiful and feel younger and I'm no different in that regard.

It would seem to me that your impetus for getting facial surgery was more to look younger as opposed to become more feminine appearing.  Your story in this case does not seem applicable in regards to what the original poster is asking about.

[Saskia]

It would seem to me that your impetus for getting facial surgery was more to look younger as opposed to become more feminine appearing.  Your story in this case does not seem applicable in regards to what the original poster is asking about.

Actually no. If you re-read what I wrote, I said that as I was getting older I felt my face was becoming more masculine looking (in my mind anyway) and I was worried about that. So naturally I looked at FFS as a means to halt and reverse these changes.
The happy result of FFS is that not only it has made me look younger but has removed completely those things I hated about my looks.

I think it's important to point out that some poor results from FFS are not completely the fault of the surgeon. The patient has a tough regime of hard facial massaging to do for many weeks after surgery. Skipping these sessions will lessen the results and healing/recovery will take much longer.

[azSam]

I haven't had FFS. I think unnecessary for most people, although some people would definitely benefit from getting it. We look at ourselves and expect some huge change to occur, like going from Keanu Reeves to Jennifer Love Hewitt; when that's not the case. We still look like ourselves, just a bit different. The changes do come, but they come so gradually that we have a hard time noticing them. Best thing to do is to document your changes, so you have something to compare your changes to later on.

We all get so focused on our imperfections that we don't notice our qualities. FFS is hard to resist. But, try not to get so caught up in fear and don't let yourself miss the beauty that you already have.

[Maddie Secutura]

In my opinion, a tracheal shave is pretty much a must to be passable. Unless you already have a small Adam's apple, which is pretty uncommon.

Mine is tiny.    But if I were to get anything at all it would be an upper lip lift.

[Smith]

I think every person has different condition, is depend on how effect E of our face, how bad T of our face.
for me, if I have a lot of money why not? FFS is needed for me 

[justmeinoz]

I guess it depends on what you think needs to be done, and what you start with.
   In my case I would probably just settle for a hair transplant, and an age reduction minor facelift of the sort a woman of 58 might have anyway.
Karen.

[Padma]

I guess there's a whole spectrum of things people find themselves compelled to do in order to get their right body back - everything from getting their eyebrows plucked to getting their face reshaped. It's scary how expensive FFS is, and I'll never be doing it myself because of that, but I can't say I don't want it at all - but that's in a bit of a fairytale way, I want someone to just make me look like a girl instead of a big bloke, and that's not going to happen. I may do the hair transplant thing if HRT/finasteride doesn't help enough, because it turns out that's important to me (I didn't think it would be).

A friend who transitioned a few years ago tells me that when she did voice therapy to get into her upper register for her speaking voice, a side effect of this was that her adam's apple receded due to change in muscle usage. This might also be to do with fat redistribution in the neck, but it's interesting. Of course, I'm not sure I want to change my voice much either.

Somewhere along the line, though, we'll each have to decide to be content with how we are, or the "but if I could just change this..." will go on forever.

[Dana Lane]

I think it depends on the amount of testosterone damage. I am going to have no choice but to repair at least some of this damage.

[Constance]

I think it depends on the amount of testosterone damage.

This pretty sums up what I was thinking, too.