I have been doing a ton of research on Vaginoplasty and came across this comment from someone on another message board...
"For bottom surgery, we are literally trusting our surgeons with our feelings towards our genitals for the rest of our lives. Something super important."
Just thought I would toss this topic out there for discussion if anyone is interested...
That is very interesting.
For me, it is not that I need to fall in love. I just want to stop the hate.
A surgeon is just that, a skilled medical person who can perform procedures to high standards. They are not the person you would rely on for the decision to have bottom surgery. Before you talk to a surgeon, you should have critically assessed your needs, and if you can't do this by yourself, a gender therapist and other post op trans people should be consulted.
You select the surgeon who is best suited to the type of surgery you have already committed to. Not everybody needs the full reconstruction, and there are options which better suit different lifestyles. So the limit of trust in your surgeon is purely medical, and should not be related to your decisions (except where surgical options are significantly limited).
Hugs,
Allie
Quote from: Allie Jayne on February 18, 2025, 06:08:38 PMA surgeon is just that, a skilled medical person who can perform procedures to high standards. They are not the person you would rely on for the decision to have bottom surgery. Before you talk to a surgeon, you should have critically assessed your needs, and if you can't do this by yourself, a gender therapist and other post op trans people should be consulted.
You select the surgeon who is best suited to the type of surgery you have already committed to. Not everybody needs the full reconstruction, and there are options which better suit different lifestyles. So the limit of trust in your surgeon is purely medical, and should not be related to your decisions (except where surgical options are significantly limited).
Hugs,
Allie
I don't believe there is a one-size-fits-all approach to surgical gender transition. In terms of Bottom Surgery, the aesthetics of the final results are extremely important to me. The surgeon's technique, experience, skill, and previous results are directly related to the confidence I have in the outcome they can achieve. My level of trust in a surgeon's ability to provide a satisfactory aesthetic and functional result is a major consideration before I commit to this life-altering procedure. Like some, my relationship with my genitals now is complicated because of intense gender dysphoria. The final result a surgeon achieves can make that relationship much better. However, there is also a possibility that a surgeon could make that relationship a lot worse.
I think that the recovery at first isn't pretty. You will most likely not even see the finished product until healing has been done. There's also dilation that would have to be done afterwards.
I agree that aesthetics are important but I think that the work to achieve that would be important first and foremost.
I have to accept that I wasn't born with a vagina so there's just more work I have to do to overcome that.
That's the way I look at it at least.
By the time I was ready for my full bottom surgery my only true fear was that I would wake up from being put out for the surgery and I would wake up with the thing still down there. I was so afraid of that, that as long as it was gone, I knew I would be thrilled on whatever else happened.
Oh and btw, I was thrilled with it, but even then I still had a revision. So it's not like it has to be a one and done procedure.
Quote from: Nadine Spirit on February 18, 2025, 09:51:18 PMBy the time I was ready for my full bottom surgery my only true fear was that I would wake up from being put out for the surgery and I would wake up with the thing still down there. I was so afraid of that, that as long as it was gone, I knew I would be thrilled on whatever else happened.
Oh and btw, I was thrilled with it, but even then I still had a revision. So it's not like it has to be a one and done procedure.
I am glad you liked your results, especially so with version two!
Bottom surgery is not a small surgery, healing is uncomfortable, can be painful and takes time.
IT is a huge decision.
For me. it was totally worth it and I 1000% happy with the results
I went with a surgeon that came highly recommended (Dr. Bluebond-Langner, at NYU), and I was happy with the results (aside from the long period of pain afterwards...)
But I wasn't all that picky. I mostly wanted to look like some sort of woman, and women come in all shapes and sizes.
I decided not to do FFS because I spent a year or so looking at the cis women I passed, and decided my appearance was within that range; I'm hardly beautiful or sexy, but neither are a lot of cis women my age (60's at the time.) I also saw a presentation showing what surgeons do during FFS, and my gut reaction was, "nobody's gonna do that to my face!!!"
The same for the vulvaplasty (does anyone but a gynecologist actually look at your vagina?) Once the swelling went down and the stitches were gone, it looked like it would fit in in any of the online photo galleries of vulvas. I don't feel the need to qualify as a centerfold model or a porn star.
Bottom surgery is for me. The surgeon does their best which is why you research how good they are - medically speaking. No one looks the same anywhere. To go in with preconceptions of how you will look afterwards is a recipe for disappointment. Go into it knowing that you will finally be as you should be and don't fret over the "it looks different than others" we are all different.
FFS? I cannot do both, if I wasn't doing bottom then I'd consider it but not for a feminization change. Chin, primarily, it's too square to my preference. And my nose is too big. These are not due to feminization desires though, simply to make myself feel better in general - even as a 'guy' I didn't like them. My awesome eyeglasses take care of the slight brow ridge.