I cannot pass the way I am, without heavy makeup and bangs covering my forehead. Since I'm taking the stealth approach, I am considering a tracheal shave first, I don't think anyone close to me would notice. My electrologist has said she's seen worse than the size of my adam's apple. After that, I would like the very best the U.S. has to offer, if I can't afford it. If not, I'd go to Dr. Cardenas in neighboring Mexico. I feel it's safer than going overseas. I'd have a nose job, forehead contour, and jaw and chin reduction. I'd be pretty much set after that. 

I am planning on doing it all at once as it saves money and you don't have to keep making more trips back.

Allison

Like Christine, I am not very passable without a lot of makeup and even though I go light with it, it still helps to bring out my feminesse. Fortunately my adam's apple doesn't protrude much, so I don't think that a tracheal shave will be nessessary.

Gina 

I think the tracheal shave would be good for me first because A- compared to anything else, it's not that major of a procedure, B- stealthy, C- since it not as complex as FFS and would prepare me for the next big steps, as I've never had any surgery, hospitalization, broken bones (knock on wood) 

Yeah, but if its that stealthy, maybe you don't need to do it first. Meaning it was OK.

Its only when other signs point to being TS that the adam's apple is scrutinized.

Is there an order in FFS?  Thought it was only one surgery that involved several procedures to feminize the male face?  Maybe I'm wrong?  I would like to alter my jaw into a more feminine look but dunno if this can be done as a separate operation which doesn not involve full FFS.

Jeannette,
Yes, you can do it alone
Y mean reducing the jaw angle and flare I suppose.

Hey Christine, your lucky to have never  been hospitalized. But sure if you feel that a tracheal shave is necessary, than go for it. Like I said before, my therapist had looked at me and made mention that she couldn't even see my adam's apple. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but by going stealth simply means that you're going to start living full time as a woman and not tell anyone about your past life.

Jeannete, if you ant I'm sure that you can go and get everything done at once, but I'd hate to see the pain. I've seen pictures, and it takes almost six weeks of healing. Find a good plastic surgeon.

Gina 

I had FFS the day after I legally changed my name and went full time into transition.

I had a few consultants with surgeons 6 months before that time to get their perceptions (and give them mine) of what I needed / wanted, which was not to far apart from my expectations.

I left work on a Friday and had FFS on the Monday, which included, Brow bossing and forehead reconstruction, Open Revision Septorhinoplasty, Jaw shaving and angle of mandible reduction, Tracheal shave, Bilateral Otoplasty and upper and lower bletheroplasty.

I had a second round of facial surgery last year which included Face lift, necklift and scalp advance, before having hair transplants in March this year.

The surgeries where 5 years apart, why?.... It just worked out like that.

If you are having FFS, I would do as much as the surgeon is reasonably comfortable with in one go, my first FFS was 9 hours long.

Buffy

Buffy, was that in the U.S. (or the country you're in), or did you have to do alot of travelling? I think it would be difficult if I were to do everything at once, or maybe I'll just say the hell with it and painfully do it all.

Hi Christine...

I choose to go to Thailand for FFS.

I was in the UK at the time and travelled to and from Thailand, with a 14 day stay after surgery.

There are many good FFS surgeons in the US (but none I considered to be good in the UK), so that was why I went to Thailand.

The level of after care was exceptional, with nurse visits everyday and a weekly follow up with the surgeon in person. The surgeon I looked at in the UK basically said after 3 days you go home and go to your own doctor for any follow ups / stitch removal etc.

After 14 days, bruising was coverable by make up and swelling had gone down sufficiently (compression bandages had come off for example) to make travelling not a real issue.

Buffy

Ah, thanks, Buffy. I'm leaning towards somewhere in the U.S. or close if my finances are in order when the time comes. I was just worried about the after affects of staying in a country and looking totally different trying to get back home.

Excellent, morticia. If the timing is right, and I do enough research, I may go overseas. I am also considering Argentina: http://www.genderways.com/en/N2/facial_feminization.htm I think I found that link here on Susans. Full FFS is $13000 which is a fraction of what it is here in the US. I think I might stick with someone closer and cheaper though.

I had all my operations done at the same time.  Took me 12 hrs on the operating table.  Almost ten months to recover entirely.

Scalp advance
brow lift
Forehead reconstruction
Rhinoplasty
Cheek implants
Tracheal Shave
Chin recontouring (known as sliding genioplasty)
Top lip lengthening

~laugh~ why, thank you kindly.  ~blushes~

Quote from: morticia on July 19, 2007, 02:32:21 AM

Quote from: Butterfly on July 19, 2007, 02:11:47 AM
I had all my operations done at the same time.  Took me 12 hrs on the operating table.  Almost ten months to recover entirely.

Scalp advance
brow lift
Forehead reconstruction
Rhinoplasty
Cheek implants
Tracheal Shave
Chin recontouring (known as sliding genioplasty)
Top lip lengthening

Well, let me tell you that if that's you in the avatar, you more than got your money's worth!

Well, she didn't tell us how much it set her back (or who did it) Must have been a lot though, as she didn't have enough money left over for a blouse that fits.

Quote from: Christine Eryn on June 22, 2007, 01:51:34 AM
I cannot pass the way I am, without heavy makeup and bangs covering my forehead. Since I'm taking the stealth approach, I am considering a tracheal shave first, I don't think anyone close to me would notice. My electrologist has said she's seen worse than the size of my adam's apple. After that, I would like the very best the U.S. has to offer, if I can't afford it. If not, I'd go to Dr. Cardenas in neighboring Mexico. I feel it's safer than going overseas. I'd have a nose job, forehead contour, and jaw and chin reduction. I'd be pretty much set after that. 

Before heading down to Mexico I would join the FFS group on Yahoo. They are fanatics..seriously. There are a couple of butchers in Mexico you do need to avoid. I dont remember their names but you will get some really good advice from that group.

Quote from: melissa90299 on July 20, 2007, 05:00:56 AM

Quote from: morticia on July 19, 2007, 02:32:21 AM

Quote from: Butterfly on July 19, 2007, 02:11:47 AM
I had all my operations done at the same time.  Took me 12 hrs on the operating table.  Almost ten months to recover entirely.

Scalp advance
brow lift
Forehead reconstruction
Rhinoplasty
Cheek implants
Tracheal Shave
Chin recontouring (known as sliding genioplasty)
Top lip lengthening

Well, let me tell you that if that's you in the avatar, you more than got your money's worth!

Well, she didn't tell us how much it set her back (or who did it) Must have been a lot though, as she didn't have enough money left over for a blouse that fits.

~laugh~ That's one of my favourite tops.   FFS cost a lot of money but had to do it because I couldn't go fulltime as I used to look.  Just horrid, horrid. Estrogen wasn't kind to me at all.  Didn't go through the changes some peeps talk about.  FFS was my only way to get rid of all the maleness hormones couldn't.

Can't disclose the name of my surgeon for reprecautions that my own name could be disclosed.  Had it done in the States though.  California.

Quote from: morticia on July 20, 2007, 05:23:03 PM

dear dod you're just totally gorgeous!  I am so serious, you are just drop dead gorgeous!  Why aren't you in movies or a super model?  My god!  My monitor keeps catching on fire everytime your photo comes up on it because you're so hot looking!
You're a stunning beauty, you must have to carry a taser in your purse to keep the wolves at bay!
Oh how I wish I could look just a fraction as nice as you do!
Sigh..................

~blushes~    Thank you kindly

You get what you pay for. Mine was 64k but my gender is never questioned.