Susan's Place Transgender Resources

One thing I never felt informed about before GCS was what kind of scarring I should expect after surgery.  There are so few pictures out there about GCS results, and I think the ones we see are probably "the best of the best" outcomes. Dr. McGinn did my surgery.

I thought I should share what a GCS scar looks like, so other patients aren't too shocked after surgery and can feel more informed.  I read the forum rules, so to keep the photo PG I cropped out everything except the scar.

Basically there is a 6" scar on each side that starts halfway along the inner thigh crease, and goes down along each labia majora to the bottom.  This is one side:

(https://www.dropbox.com/s/hajt3kiiv8dps2u/scar.jpg?raw=1)

If you've had surgery, what are your scars like?

I had two visible scars, one on each of the labia majora, that were about 3" long and 0.5" wide. Over the course of the first year, they changed from livid red and super obvious to paler and paler pink; at this point (4+ years post-op), I can't find them anymore. I believe they folded into the creases in the labia. I haven't tried using a mirror and spreading everything apart as hard as I can, so I can't swear they're gone, but at least they don't stand out anymore. Your scars may also fade quite a bit with time.

I don't know how Brassard did it, either - there were about a zillion stitches, and he *must* have joined together other sections of skin, but those were the only visible scars (nothing in the thigh creases, either). Maybe I got lucky.

Hello Tiemet,

Can you please share when you had GCS? Also, can you please share if the scar has changed in appearance after the initial healing? Finally, did you have any unique anatomy issues requiring special consideration?

I'm one year post-op GCS.  My scars are visible on close examination.  Here's a closeup of the scar on the right side of my vulva.

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/f41u50fR_7f09W-MC72NwmrU9VBdVtng4mZjxN_DeEt_SCIfUlDOE6EKvi216r58Ieb6ovQUdw=w6400-h3600-no)

Quote from: Rachel Lynn on November 13, 2016, 07:36:15 AM
Can you please share when you had GCS? Also, can you please share if the scar has changed in appearance after the initial healing? Finally, did you have any unique anatomy issues requiring special consideration?

Hi, I had GCS almost 2 months ago.  The stitches dissolved and fell off around 4 weeks, and it hasn't changed much except flattened since then. 

Quote from: SadieBlake on November 13, 2016, 09:01:18 AM
Hmm I can't make out a scar, is it what looks like a crease in the photo?

It's the long dark brown/red lines on the right side of the photo, pretty obvious?  There aren't any creases really.

That is most likely proud flesh or granulation. It's part of the healing process and last a while but will fade given time. In my surgery, I had a wire run out the abdomen and to the top of the vagina and when the wire was removed, I had a large red area as the result. It had a name and it was called the Bibber belly button. Over time it faded and I currently have a tiny red pink dot that I can find only because I know were to look.

If you want, something I saw in the FTM section is silicon sheets which are used to treat scars. The FTMs get large scars from the masaecomhy and they have had great results fading the scars from their surgery. The strips are available in most any drugs store and ask for scar removal strips. There is also a liquid that come in a tube for the same purpose and it's an alternative to the strips.

Quote from: Dena on November 13, 2016, 10:12:54 PM
If you want, something I saw in the FTM section is silicon sheets which are used to treat scars. The FTMs get large scars from the masaecomhy and they have had great results fading the scars from their surgery. The strips are available in most any drugs store and ask for scar removal strips. There is also a liquid that come in a tube for the same purpose and it's an alternative to the strips.

That would be Kelo-cote.

QuoteSeattle Plastic Surgeon discusses the importance of keeping fresh scars out of the sun.

    [img This ankle scar would have turned out much better had it been protected from the sun.]

Seattle is enjoying a beautiful late summer with warm, sunny days and crisp and cool nights.  There's lots of skin showing out on Seattle streets and I am compelled to nag a little (again, for the bazillionth time) about sun protection.

Fresh scars are very susceptible to the sun and can turn permanently dark unless protected.  A "fresh" scar is defined as any scar that is still pink.  A "mature" scar is defined as any scar that is soft, flat and normal skin color or a little lighter.  Most adults have a "mature" scar by about a year.  Childrens' scars may take longer to "mature".

Read More (http://www.sowdermd.com/blog/keep-those-fresh-scars-out-of-the-sun/)


This would include tanning beds as well...

I've been post op for 3 years now and my vagina looks very close to cis vagina. However, I am one of those who had a lot of scars and pigmentations down there. My 2 horizontal line scars that supposed to be thin turned to be thick and looked really bad like stretched marks. I also had pigmentations somewhere at both sides and above the vagina. This is the thing that gives it away for men to think twice about my origin. Good thing is I can hid it with pubic hair for like 80% but then I really want to get rid of those completely.

Anyone here who has similar case like mine? Creams wont work for me (been there tried everything). I want a faster option too. What method you girls used to get rid of the scars?

Currently, I am trying Ndiag revlite laser down there. Just started 1st session a while ago but I have a feeling that this may not work. Can anyone help enlighten me if I am investing on the right approach?

I've heard about tattooing the scars too but my derma told me that tattoo ink may not completely sticked on the surface of the scars compared to the normal skin

This has been my major problem for years and I hope anyone here could help me advise what to do.