I am having a consultation with Dr Bart in London in April regarding facial surgery and was wondering if anyone on here has had surgery with him now that he is in Antwerp?

I had my FFS done in 2012 in Ghent and thought that when I returned for the next stage of surgery (a MacsLift) at least I would be familiar with where to stay and where the clinic and hospital were.

If anyone knows of a good place to stay close to the Piccard clinic and hospital in Antwerp it would be much appreciated. Ideally, somewhere which has microwave facilities to heat up soup and ready meals. Also showering facilities are a must.

We will be flying from Birmingham, UK to Brussels, then by train to Antwerp and taxi to the accommodation

Dr Bart has a list of places to stay on his website, which are all B&Bs and possibly not really suited for someone recovering from surgery who needs to warm up soup and soft foods etc. In Ghent there were several listed places to stay which catered for a lot of Bart's patients' needs and whose owners were very helpful if you had problems.

Any recommendations regarding self catering type accommodation close to the Piccard Hospital would be very welcome.

Caroline

Caroline, it's Antwerp means that there are plenty of hotels but i don't think that it is the ideal place after surgery.
And they are expensief and you just have a room nothing else.

If you wish i can call the B&Bs and ask them to put a microwave in your room but i think that the B&Bs know what you need if you say Dr. Bart is my Doc and i'm having surgery and i think every house in Belgium has a shower if not we have a bath with a shower head.

I will ask Dr. Bart about the B&Bs tomorrow, or if there is another place to stay near the Clinic.
So be patient and tomorrow you will have all the information you need about the B&Bs and other places to stay.

Xandra

Thank you very much Xandra. I've been worried about this ever since I booked the appointment with Dr Bart. He did a wonderful job on my FFS, but being that bit older, it was decided to wait until the swelling had gone down and I had some money to spare. So, now's the time for that Macs-lift.

I was worried that the bathing/showering facilities might be down a corridor and shared with other guests. My husband says I worry a lot!!

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks so much

Caroline

Hi Caroline,

I asked Dr Bart about it and they are looking to buy a housing in the area where patients can recover and stay.
It is not for in the next couple of months, but you can ask Dr Bart about it in April when the house will be done.
If i where you i would wait for the housing to be there, because the way he talked about it he isn't a fan himself of the B&B's.

If you do still wish to go before then i would first call with the B&B and ask them about the shower and microwave.
If you can't or they don't understand English (you never know) then just send me the phone number and i will give them a call.

And yes he is a nice man and i would not mind say'n that he is handsome.
Damn, i have to admit that i'm starting to look at man in another way then before. 

Quote from: Xandra on March 21, 2014, 07:23:21 AM
Hi Caroline,

I asked Dr Bart about it and they are looking to buy a housing in the area where patients can recover and stay.
It is not for in the next couple of months, but you can ask Dr Bart about it in April when the house will be done.
If i where you i would wait for the housing to be there, because the way he talked about it he isn't a fan himself of the B&B's.

If you do still wish to go before then i would first call with the B&B and ask them about the shower and microwave.
If you can't or they don't understand English (you never know) then just send me the phone number and i will give them a call.

And yes he is a nice man and i would not mind say'n that he is handsome.
Damn, i have to admit that i'm starting to look at man in another way then before. 

Hi Xandra
That's fantastic news. The odd thing is I said to my husband last night that it would make sense if Dr Bart had some accommodation set up in Antwerp for his girls with a small kitchen with a microwave and fridge, plus a hand-held shower head ideal for avoiding getting nose casts wet.

I dare say it could be some time before he has that set up, but I will ask him when I see him in London. Thanks for the offer to help me with checking alternative accommodation should I need it.

Glad you liked him.

Love Caroline

Np. Caroline, if you go way back we are all one big happy (from time to time) family.

About the accommodation, It all depends when they find a place and if they have to redo a lot on the inside (paint,...).

I've also heard the secretary speak (nice if you understand everything they say  ) that more nurses (4) would be recruited in the next couple of months.

Keep us informed and i will help you in every way i can.

Hi Xandra,

Sounds like Dr Bart is planning to grow his business and it makes sense to make it easier for his patients to not have to worry about finding suitable accommodation.

I have sent you a PM.

Caroline

Hi Caroline!! I am thinking of going for a consultation with Dr. Bart, I have learned a lot about the experiences you've had from your posts, so thanks for sharing that with us all, I live in Manchester so I have been holding off for a consultation until I had 1. Done more research and 2. Saved more money, my bf and I both have been really working hard on saving money and although we were thinking of a little new car for me. I think I am really seeing the necessity in ffs and I rather get a little old car instead. I am a tall girl and I think the extra feminine facial features are a must for me and after 2 rhinoplasties and a breast augmentation, although much happier I can see what the brow bossing is impeding me to achieve. I am new to the site and need to upload pics and stuff but I will do ASAP.  I have heard many good things of dr Bart and have been through his site and before and afters and it really has me intrigued but I don't know the price ranges for surgery... I need to get connections with more women who have undergone ffs to research and help make this happen for myself ...

Hi Calicarly,

Welcome to the forum. You can never do enough research when considering FFS, but at some stage after seeing several surgeons it will be a gut thing, you'll know when you've got the right surgeon.

I saw three surgeons - two in UK (Brian Musgrove and Keith Altman) and Belgium-based surgeon Dr Bart van de Ven in London.

I take it you live in Manchester UK and not Manchester, Tennessee, USA. If you're in the UK, Manchester-based Brian Musgrove would be the convenient choice. But convenience should not be a consideration with FFS. He charged £120 cash for a consultation in 2011.

I saw Mr Musgrove in November 2011, but I knew straight away he was not for me. He also refused to show me photos of any of his work despite the fact I had said I would only book the consultation if I could see before and after photos. He also contradicted himself during the consultation. I was not comfortable with him.

Later that month I saw Mr Altman at his Saturday clinic near Gatwick Airport (operations were done at a Brighton Hospital). Lovely man and a very capable surgeon judging by the work he did on a friend of mine. Unfortunately, he doesn't do soft tissue work but is wiling to recommend another plastic surgeon should you need it.

I knew I would need soft tissue work at some stage and had already decided I wanted the same surgeon to do the lot.

Then I saw Dr Bart. He came across as very caring, he listens to what you say and will then tell you what he proposes to do. As you have already discovered, he has a fantastic website with lots of before and after pics.

Here is what I had done and the prices at 2011/12 in euros:

Frontal bossing reduction, hairline lowering and browlift                €3,900
Jaw angle reduction and chin recontouring                                   €3,650
Liplift                                                                                        €800   
Rhinoplasty                                                                               €500
Anesthesia                                                                                €1,125
Hospital costs (incl one night stay in hospital)                              €1,700

Total                                                                                         €11,675

I was quoted from between £12,000 and £13,000 by the other two surgeons and that didn't include the rhinoplasty or liplift procedures.

Bear in mind these prices are relevent to 2011/2012. Also, Dr Bart's prices were in euros.


I transitioned in the 1980s and passed 100% female, but age was catching up with me. I was lucky as I only had slight bossing, but even so, two years post ffs op I am still amazed how much difference the brow bossing makes. Even now, I sometimes stroke my brow and love how smooth it feels. The downside is when I shower wash my hair the water goes into my eyes a whole lot easier.

I don't know anything about the way you look, if you pass etc, but take my word for it, if ffs was around when I transitioned I would have had it done in a heartbeat. I now feel so much more confident when the wind blows my hair and have had so many compliments from people, none of whom even know my secret.

I've never looked my age, but I visited a former boss of mine a few weeks ago and was waiting in reception. A woman I used to work with walked past and smiled. On her way back she asked if anyone was looking after me. I said: "Rachael, it's me Caroline."
Her response made my day. "OMG Caroline, you look fantastic, you look so young. God, I can't believe how good you look."

So, make do with an older car. A new car will soon be older, while your ffs will still be making you look feminine and younger.

I'm seeing Dr Bart on April 12 about the soft tissue work I had planned.

I'll also check with him about accommodation, but there is a website
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/ which has plenty of self catering apartments in Antwerp at reasonable prices.

I think you'll need to make 15 genuine posts on here before you can use the PM system. So in the meantime, contact me through this thread.

No rush, I'll hold your hand.

Caroline
x

Forehead recontouring with browlift €4.300 Titanium screws €80
Rhinoplasty €2.900
Chin recontouring €2.000 plates and screws €200
Adams apple reduction €1.555 CT scan of trachea €200
Liplift €800

Total cost material, hospital and anesthesia €3.335
Total Cost honoraria €11.555


These are the prices for my ffs with Dr. Bart

Quote from: Xandra on April 03, 2014, 08:44:52 AM
Forehead recontouring with browlift €4.300 Titanium screws €80
Rhinoplasty €2.900
Chin recontouring €2.000 plates and screws €200
Adams apple reduction €1.555 CT scan of trachea €200
Liplift €800

Total cost material, hospital and anesthesia €3.335
Total Cost honoraria €11.555


These are the prices for my ffs with Dr. Bart

Hi Xandra,

That's a nice surprise, the prices are not much different to mine two years ago. I would have thought they would have been somewhat more expensive. My rhinoplasty came in cheaper than yours possibly because he was correcting rhinoplasty done by another surgeon some years ago which had left me with a slight bump on my nose.

I bet you're happy with that price, Xandra.

Caroline
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Yeah i'm happy i thought it would be more then that my guess was €20000.
And the Rhinoplasty is a lot of work that needs to be done that is the only part that i hate more then the thing between my legs 
Your price was a big suprise for me, it seems Dr. Bart kindoff kept the same prices and that is great news for all of us.


And compared with the prices from Dr. Cardenas in Mexico
Upper FFS Category:   
Forehead Bone Contouring - Includes Hairline Advancement and/or Eyebrow Lift if indicated for the patient.   +US $ 3,600.00
Mid FFS Category:   
Rhinoplasty - Applies to patients who have not had Rhinoplasty before.   +US $ 2,800.00
Cheek Augmentation with Cohesive Silicone Gel Implants.   +US $ 2,500.00
Lower FFS Category:   
Upper Lip Lift   +US $ 1,350.00
Fat Infiltration to the Lips - For patients paying for liposuction separately.   +US $ 500.00
Chin Reconstruction - Includes both osteotomy (cutting of the bone) and shaving.   +US $ 3,050.00

Total with hotel,... would be $16170 (without plain ticket)
So that would be +/- €11800

Then i don't need to go there if i can get it done here for the same price.

Hug

Xandra.
x

Quote from: Xandra on April 03, 2014, 08:44:52 AM
Forehead recontouring with browlift €4.300 Titanium screws €80
Rhinoplasty €2.900
Chin recontouring €2.000 plates and screws €200
Adams apple reduction €1.555 CT scan of trachea €200
Liplift €800

Total cost material, hospital and anesthesia €3.335
Total Cost honoraria €11.555


These are the prices for my ffs with Dr. Bart

Hi Xandra,

How's this for a money-saving idea?

No doubt Dr Bart will have asked you to get an X-ray done for the chin work so that he can avoid the mental nerve. I found that I had to get a referral from my own doctor before the hospital would do the X-ray for between £200 and £250.

Instead, I contacted my dentist who, like all dentists, has an X-ray machine. I asked how much would it cost to X-ray my chin. We agreed on the same price for a normal dental X-ray which was £36.

She lowered to X-ray machine to get my chin, but wasn't happy with the first two attempts which didn't show the mental nerve clearly enough.

Third time lucky and we had the mental nerve in clear view. She saved it as a jpg and put on my memory stick.

Dr Bart was happy with the quality and I had saved over £200. Result, a very happy Caroline.

Calicarly, make a note of this one.


Best wishes
Caroline
x

Strange he did not ask for an x-ray but yeah i could ask my local dentists as he has the same machine that turns around the head, and i do need to go one of these days for a dental check up anyway and then the x-ray is payed by my health insurance.

You also get a discount if you pay a % before hand. But i don't know what it was anymore.
And then there is €500 if he can use your before and after pictures.

Caroline, do you have a pain-saving idea

Love
Xandra
x

Quote from: Xandra on April 04, 2014, 11:13:36 AM
Strange he did not ask for an x-ray but yeah i could ask my local dentists as he has the same machine that turns around the head, and i do need to go one of these days for a dental check up anyway and then the x-ray is payed by my health insurance.

You also get a discount if you pay a % before hand. But i don't know what it was anymore.
And then there is €500 if he can use your before and after pictures.

Caroline, do you have a pain-saving idea

Love
Xandra
x

It could be that he will not need an X-ray for the chin reconturing if it doesn't go anywhere near the mental nerve. It may be worthwhile checking with him.  I know some surgeons, especially those in America, insist on the area being X-rayed from three angles. Some even want a 3D X-ray which, I would imagine, costs quite a bit.

Hopefully, my dentist X-ray idea will help save somebody on here some money.

Regarding the pain-saving idea! Sorry, can't help there. Unfortunately, it's the price we have to pay to be beautiful.
Caroline
x

His results are actually quite amazing! I kind of ignored him long time ago, since the results he had on his website about a year or two ago were kind of mediocre and not really impressive, but as soon as I saw this: http://facialfeminization.eu/portfolio/lydia/ I was like woohoo! He's got some amazing skills.

He is cheaper than Chettawut, but only if you're having more procedures done, since if you only do forehead for example, or only jaw/chin, the anesthesia + hospital costs, are gonna come out to be about the same

Good luck!

Well, that's somewhere a long the lines of what I had expected or slightly lower, which is a good thing considering little costs that go around it can mount up, thank you Caroline and xandra.
My bf and my uncle, both of whom I've recently mentioned about wanting facial surgery think I'm the newest member of the Jackson family (of course) lol . But I have researched this for a while before I mentioned it. And it took me a while to convince my boyfriend that we needed to save for more important things in life and cut back on nights out, etc. I'm 29 yo, funny you mention Manchester in the states, I'm from California ( actually born in Mexico, but raised in the US from later childhood) but in the UK since I met my bf on a visit here. I've been in the uk 4 and a half years now. To be honest I get really good vibes from everyone's feedback for Dr. Bart so, for now, I am mostly interested in him, although I didn't even know of the one located near me... I have been on hormones since fairly young so I'm not worried about passing as much a s some of the older ladies, but of course I still want that extra confidence though,and as I am a whopping 6'1 I think that it would just give me that extra little confidence that matters soo so much. I wanna pull my hair up all day if I feel like it, and not wonder wether my forehead is there , reminding me of my teenage years when I wasn't on mones. It just is there... You going to see Dr. Bart April 12th? I'm thinking of going for my consultation may 10th, my bf feels like I'm restricting our spending too much for saving but, hey he has his expensive boy toy car and I agree soo much with you they just get old quick, and ffs will last a lifetime, It will still be some more months before I can really go for it, but I can see it getting closer so it's time my research kicks in full-gear. I haven't ravel to the rest of Europe so to me it's also an adventure to go to a new European Country anyway. I am keeping my expectations of ffs realistic and although I don't have any particular masculine features I am still certain I would greatly benefit from ffs.

Thanks for the heads up about the X-ray situation. These type of things are exactly what I am looking to make sure I am aware of and fully prepared for.

Quote from: Caroline2000 on April 04, 2014, 01:55:04 PM
It could be that he will not need an X-ray for the chin reconturing if it doesn't go anywhere near the mental nerve. It may be worthwhile checking with him.  I know some surgeons, especially those in America, insist on the area being X-rayed from three angles. Some even want a 3D X-ray which, I would imagine, costs quite a bit.

Hopefully, my dentist X-ray idea will help save somebody on here some money.

Regarding the pain-saving idea! Sorry, can't help there. Unfortunately, it's the price we have to pay to be beautiful.
Caroline
x

Well Caroline my dentists uses a x-ray device that runs around the head so i think it is in 3D, it is kindoff a strange machine but it works wonderfull.

And so no pain no gain  I will think about that when i had my ffs done thanks 

Hug.

Xandra
x