So I am a very sexual person , I enjoy sex very much but feel I need a vagina to really feel complete. I feel I am ready to have the surgery, and want to know which surgeon I should go with. I would like to be able to get wet in my vagina when I get aroused (self lubrication). it is also important for me that the appearance of it matches up with that of a genetic female. Having good sensation (being able to orgasm) in and around my vagina is also very important to me. Also I don't want really visible scars from the surgery.
I do not want to have to get genital electrolysis as the thought of that makes me very uncomfortable in more ways than one.
So what are some things I should be aware of as I do my research, which surgeons would you recommend to me..?
Are these your desires or expectations?? I am very happy with my results, but they come no where close to your demands. My surgeon has done over 1,000 SRS ops and darn few have been too unhappy. The surgeons who come closer to meeting your goals have a higher rate of un-happy clients in the long run along with some very happy clients who come close to your demands, but not really right on. Are these goals you have discussed with your therapist? How does the therapist feel, and do you have feedback on whether your goals are realistic. If you have any SRS, it will be some time before you know the final outcome since swelling and suture absorption are going to be lasting up to a year or longer. All of the doctors have that up front. I was a Bowers patient, and I self lubricate to a reasonable degree, my scaring is minimal and my OB/GYN thinks I look as good or better than most women my age. I am betting other posties who answer this will say largely the same about their surgeons if they are happy.
well it does not have to look exactly like that of a genetic girl, it just needs to come close in terms of appearance. scarring or the lack of is very important as long as the scar is not super obvious that is good. I don't think what I am seeking is that unreasonable. I am only 23 so my bodies ability to recover should be better than someone who is a lot older.
QuoteThe surgeons who come closer to meeting your goals have a higher rate of un-happy clients in the long run along with some very happy clients who come close to your demands, but not really right on
this statement confuses me.
I know it will take a while to heal I am aware of that. Are there different techniques out there..? that give different results..?
Full disclosure : I used Brassard, so I am only deeply familiar with his work.
I self-lubricate somewhat, I am similar enough to cis in appearance that several ER docs and one gynecologist couldn't tell, he recommends against genital hair removal, and I am fully orgasmic (first time, in my sleep, was 3 weeks after surgery).
However, I have 5.5" of depth, which I think is plenty but which is on the low end compared to what some Thai surgeons can apparently accomplish.
And my scars would probably still be slightly visible if I shaved off all my pubic hair, though by two years post-op they're very faint and white. Scarring, though, is a factor of what your skin and body do - nobody can guarantee anything there. (I'm a bit shocked they faded this much, actually, as I have small scars from mole removals that are still bright pink and puffy 10 years later.)
I hear very good things about Marci Bowers http://www.marcibowers.com/grs/gender.html , both from my gender therapist and others.
I am also a Montreal girl, I agree with Vicky and Jenna, they hold the same outcomes as my GCS
I think your expectations are a little in the dream realm.
Any of the more experienced surgeons will do the best they can do with what they have to work with. It is a cut and stitched surgery where complications do happen. If you hold to high of a expectation no matter who you choice you are going to be disappointed.
Me I wanted GCS surgery and that is what I got, my very own one of a kind vagina.
Isabell
Q: Can you muscularly "squeeze" your vagina?
I would imagine that would be possible because it's between the kegel muscles. so I don't see why not..?
what about suporn I have heard good things about him and the scaring looks pretty minimal.
Quote from: Evelyn K on May 12, 2014, 09:28:43 PM
Q: Can you muscularly "squeeze" your vagina?
Yep not a issue.
Izzy
Does the vagina self cleanse or do you have to douche every day?
Does it have the same pheromones and odor as a cis woman's?
I have very feminine wide hips so I will hope my vagina will look nice with those. I just want to be able to take all my clothes off and people not be able to tell I am trans as well as good sensation , and good depth all I need is about 5 to 7 inches, as that would be plenty. I guess there is always scar revision. I think a lot of the thailand surgeons will scrape the follicles. I don't have a problem using a little lube when I wanna have sex.
Quote from: Evelyn K on May 12, 2014, 09:48:33 PM
Does the vagina self cleanse or do you have to douche every day?
Does it have the same pheromones and odor as a cis woman's?
I would say what goes in will come back out. No to douche every day,
Yes.
Izzy
Quote from: JessikaBlackMage on May 12, 2014, 09:57:34 PM
I have very feminine wide hips so I will hope my vagina will look nice with those. I just want to be able to take all my clothes off and people not be able to tell I am trans as well as good sensation , and good depth all I need is about 5 to 7 inches, as that would be plenty. I guess there is always scar revision. I think a lot of the thailand surgeons will scrape the follicles. I don't have a problem using a little lube when I wanna have sex.
Any of the well known surgeons would make it look like a p...y with your cloths off. Now if they get all up in your p... then maybe could get clocked.
Ask questions, ask questions and ask the surgeon what your concerns are. I think its a good 90/10 in today's surgeons acceptance of there work. Mine was 100% happy with it all.
Izzy
Quote from: Evelyn K on May 12, 2014, 09:48:33 PM
Does the vagina self cleanse or do you have to douche every day?
Does it have the same pheromones and odor as a cis woman's?
Enough already, we have all seen this woman put on her lipstick.
Quote from: FrancisAnn on May 12, 2014, 11:19:03 PM
Enough already, we have all seen this woman put on her lipstick.
I don't follow , what lipstick..?
I am trying to develop a very accurate picture of what to expect from this surgery and there are no stupid questions. I thought that question was a very interesting one.
Just girls having a joke Hon
Brassard recommends against douching after the initial two months of healing are up, for the same reason it's inadvisable for a cis woman (it will get the vaginal flora out of whack). As far as I can determine, scent and internal texture are consistent with a cis woman's as well.
Reposted because I'm too lazy to type this up over and over :
In fact, I had essentially full sensation - clitoral, labial, and internal vaginal - from the moment I woke up from surgery. This was a downside during the initial days, as you can imagine, although the pain wasn't all that bad.
Yes, I am easily orgasmic. It took a bit of effort to relearn my body, but my first orgasm was 3 weeks post-op in a dream, so clearly the nerves all worked fine and it was my brain getting in the way!
Not sure about prostate sensation. I didn't ever experiment with prostate stimulation pre-op, so I wouldn't necessarily recognize it post-op. I do have an area of highly erogenous sensation in roughly the equivalent spot to the "G-spot," which I have been told is likely the prostate.
I am fully sensate inside my vagina. Again, not orgasmic from vaginal stimulation alone, but it's NICE.
Never any numbness, either.
In fact, the pain was less and ended faster than I'd expected. It was still probably 3-4 months before I wasn't a *little* sore after a long day, but less than a month before I was almost 100% pain-free.
Yes, I have labia majora which are aesthetically correct and properly located. Mine are pretty puffy, but I also had tremendous, ridiculous swelling right after (even the nurses were shocked), so I'm not convinced it's all gone away YET.
Ditto the labia minora. They're fairly small, but that's not atypical.
Yes, I have both a fully (extremely!) sensitive clitoris and hood. Incidentally, both the clitoral hood and labia minora have the inner portion lined with leftover urethra, which is mucosal tissue that is light pink and moist just as in cis women, a detail I appreciate.
Yes, my urethra is correctly positioned and functional. It's just barely distinguishable from the vaginal opening (ie, directly above), which matches what I see in my wife and on anatomical diagrams. There were some issues with spraying early on because of the severe swelling, but everything works fine now.
My vaginal opening is also correctly placed and looks normal.
I did not do hair removal, and have had no hair regrowth except in areas where I would expect it (pubis, outside of the labia majora).
5" of depth as far as I can determine. I'm content with that. I started with 5.5" but that half inch may have been swelling for all I know.
No serious complications aside from one stitch that pulled out early but healed cleanly. I did have a reccurring soreness and a need to massage/stretch the scar tissue around 3 months post-op, which I've been told is normal for any surgery (not just GRS).
I did have a devil of a time with the catheter, though. Again, bladder spasms are harmless and common, but that was AWFUL. I was so glad to see that go.
He offers free revisions for the first year but I was happy. It's quirky/not identical to other vulva I've seen, but hey, that's normal!
As a final note, I also do self-lubricate somewhat, and can "squirt" at orgasm on occasion. (But I have a female partner; my experience with penetrative sex does not involve men, if that matters.) All in all, I'm very satisfied.
I know this has been answered probably a million times before, but does circumcision take away any of the features you describe, Jenna?
Thanks :)
I called Brassard's office the other day and she said she was going to email me the documents. I haven't heard back though so I should probably call again!
Quote from: Jennygirl on May 13, 2014, 05:58:45 PM
I know this has been answered probably a million times before, but does circumcision take away any of the features you describe, Jenna?
Thanks :)
I called Brassard's office the other day and she said she was going to email me the documents. I haven't heard back though so I should probably call again!
I am not Jenna but I will say no as far as I can say. It is hard to really know with no way to reference.
Izzy
Quote from: mind is quiet now on May 13, 2014, 06:02:35 PM
I am not Jenna but I will say no as far as I can say. It is hard to really know with no way to reference.
Izzy
Thanks! I guess I was just curious about the clitoral hooding, for some reason I thought that was re-appropriated foreskin?
Quote from: Jennygirl on May 13, 2014, 06:39:01 PM
Thanks! I guess I was just curious about the clitoral hooding, for some reason I thought that was re-appropriated foreskin?
Dr.B makes the hood out of the urethra and lines the middle of the inner labia. The small section of the glans is then placed in the spot under the hood. That is why that area stays moist at the clitorus location
Izzy
My hood is based off penile skin ala labia minora. (yes I was snipped like everyone of a certain religion in the US) It's kinda overkill but that might just be the way the skin healed in me as I had some granulation tissue that needed to be removed by my gyno. A good surgeon will know what to do with materials available (as there is no "best" surgeon per se but ones that are known for aesthetic results and lack of surgery attributable complications).
Yeah, I'll ditto Isabelle; I don't know, but I do know I was NOT circumcised. (And she is correct, of course, that they use the urethral mucosa to make the clitoral hood.) I think it's another surgeon who does the foreskin = clit hood thing.
I only wanted to add that vaginas vary in appearance, so I'm not sure what "perfection" would look like. Whomever you have as a surgeon, if you have some very specific ideas about appearance, I'd suggest you share that early on. They have only what you offer them to work with, and each of us is different.
As to scarring, Brassard reminded me that it will reflect your experience with scarring elsewhere, but that they do their best to minimize it. This also depends on whether you need skin grafts (from thigh).
As to sensation/orgasm, I was told that your chances of satisfaction in that area are enhanced if you are able to orgasm easily prior to surgery. Many of us simply have not for ages, so it helps to "practice" even if takes some effort.
I'd also remind everyone that Brassard does his work WITH Dr. Maud Belanger, though he is the lead.
Quote from: Sabine on May 14, 2014, 01:23:52 PM
I only wanted to add that vaginas vary in appearance, so I'm not sure what "perfection" would look like. Whomever you have as a surgeon, if you have some very specific ideas about appearance, I'd suggest you share that early on. They have only what you offer them to work with, and each of us is different.
As to scarring, Brassard reminded me that it will reflect your experience with scarring elsewhere, but that they do their best to minimize it. This also depends on whether you need skin grafts (from thigh).
As to sensation/orgasm, I was told that your chances of satisfaction in that area are enhanced if you are able to orgasm easily prior to surgery. Many of us simply have not for ages, so it helps to "practice" even if takes some effort.
I'd also remind everyone that Brassard does his work WITH Dr. Maud Belanger, though he is the lead.
yes I am well aware of that. I look at a lot of nude pictures for research purposes. I will look at porn to find what I want mine to look like. I think I want mine to be an "innie" with the lips not protruding out. I still have time to shop for my vagina system though. I do think it's cool that I get to pick out what my vagina will look like.
I am able to orgasm now, I enjoy masturbation so with a bit of relearning I will be able to do it after things have healed up once I have the surgery.
What about Dilation in the first few months how often do I have to do that..?
Quote from: JessikaBlackMage on May 14, 2014, 07:55:38 PM
yes I am well aware of that. I look at a lot of nude pictures for research purposes. I will look at porn to find what I want mine to look like. I think I want mine to be an "innie" with the lips not protruding out. I still have time to shop for my vagina system though. I do think it's cool that I get to pick out what my vagina will look like.
You can make requests regarding appearance, whether the surgeon can actually do that is dependent on a number of factors. Porn vaginas are not a great source for reference material.
Quote from: kelly_aus on May 14, 2014, 11:52:22 PM
You can make requests regarding appearance, whether the surgeon can actually do that is dependent on a number of factors. Porn vaginas are not a great source for reference material.
when I say porn I just mean pictures of naked girls. I look at sites with post op transgirls as well.
Dr, Suporn in Thailand does one of the most complicated and intricate surgery routines that exists. The more intricate the surgery gets, the more chances for something to go awry, and that happens from time to time. When his surgeries turn out right, they are beautiful and very close to natal. He is the one who uses the foreskin for the clitoral hood and inner labia construction if the foreskin is still on the patient. When complications come up though, --- well, there is an ongoing thread about Suporn's less than perfect results. A good share of the problems can be linked to the patient but some are just luck of the draw. The greater the perfection you go for the bigger the chance that there will be problems. Hope that clears things up.
As I said above, I am a Bowers' girl and darn near as happy with my outcome as if I had good sense.
Quote from: Vicky on May 15, 2014, 02:20:42 AM
Dr, Suporn in Thailand does one of the most complicated and intricate surgery routines that exists. The more intricate the surgery gets, the more chances for something to go awry, and that happens from time to time. When his surgeries turn out right, they are beautiful and very close to natal. He is the one who uses the foreskin for the clitoral hood and inner labia construction if the foreskin is still on the patient. When complications come up though, --- well, there is an ongoing thread about Suporn's less than perfect results. A good share of the problems can be linked to the patient but some are just luck of the draw. The greater the perfection you go for the bigger the chance that there will be problems. Hope that clears things up.
As I said above, I am a Bowers' girl and darn near as happy with my outcome as if I had good sense.
can you link me to this thread..?
bump for interest
(If you look back through my posts, I had a long conversation with someone else who wants an "innie," and I've also posted my actual detailed dilation instructions a few times.)
Quote from: Jenna Marie on May 12, 2014, 07:28:24 AM
Full disclosure : I used Brassard, so I am only deeply familiar with his work.
I self-lubricate somewhat, I am similar enough to cis in appearance that several ER docs and one gynecologist couldn't tell, he recommends against genital hair removal
I'm confused, I thought most surgeons recommended to have hair removal down there?
Not all, depends on the method they use.
Junebug : As Ms. Grace says, not all. Brassard says he removes the hair follicles during surgery, and previous hair removal will be either unnecessary or actively hinders his ability to remove it properly (if hair removal isn't completed a minimum of one year before surgery, the follicles will be weakened and easier for him to miss).
I had no hair removal and also no hair regrowth, so I'm personally content with his method.
I don't wanna go with a surgery that would require me to have hair removal in the area prior to SRS. It would just be too much dysphoria for me.
As a general rule you get what you are given depending on what you have to work with most thai surgeons no hair removal required when dr sanguan does your skin graft on the 2nd stage you see the nurses scraping you scrotal tissue ss you are wheeled in to the theater thats a surreal moment.
sensation yes
lubricate outside yes
orgasmic nearly
pain yes quite a bit but I had a hernia done aswell
looks yes think it will look fine when the swelling has gone
depth was 5.5 now 5 inches thats fine.
sensation inside yes prostate
Labia senstive made from penile skin
dilation 3x a day for 6mths 2x a day for 6mths then 1x a day then as needed
everyones mileage is different as no two bodys are the same
good luck x
Can I just ask what is granulation tissue after srs? Is it bad? If someone could let me know that would be great :D
Granulation tissue forms after any major wound in the skin, and it's the body's way of filling in the gaps and helping it heal. However, sometimes, the granulation tissue continues growing after it's supposed to be done with its part in healing (when it would have blended back into the skin and finished healing up completely). It's not a big deal - it's a sign of healing *too well,* and it can be treated simply and easily with silver nitrate by any doctor or nurse afterwards. It's not ideal, and it can be pretty sore, but it's among the least scary of the possible complications.
Quote from: eggy_nog on May 18, 2014, 08:48:52 AM
Can I just ask what is granulation tissue after srs? Is it bad? If someone could let me know that would be great :D
[/granulation tissue (GT) is connective tissue that forms in the lining of the neo vagina. the body sees the neo vagina as a wound and is trying to heal it. This is why you need to dilate. if not it will close up.
They treat this with silver nitrate or laser. I don't know if anyone has died from it.
(GT) is a PIA. it can discharge blood, mucus , smell horrible , over grow, but eventually heal. healthy GT is pain free.
I believe Dr.Suporn uses GT to get extra depth from a skin graft by punching tiny holes in it stretching it out and lets the GT fill in the spaces.