I was wondering if anyone has had computer altered photos of themselves to use as a tool for determining what procedures they will need/want for FFS.  Today I sent three pictures to a woman who does just that.  She produces some very realistic facial alterations that surgeons can actually use to determine what's possible and what's not.  I figure this will give me something to work with when I go in for a consultation.  Otherwise you're at the mercy of interpretation.

Has anyone done this?  If so, did it help you?  Did it help the doctor?  I'm curious.  I'll get my pics back in about a month.

Julie

QuoteDid it help the doctor?

No the doctor is much more knowledgeable than the artist.

From my own experience, the virtual FFS
can't really tell you much.

The doctor's explanation of how it will come out,
without any picture, often are more vivid!!
He convinced me to get a nose job in 10 min
when I'd come in to consult for the brow bossing shave.

Julie, I went to VirtualFFS, I can't remember the woman's name who runs it, in Europe. I did the same thing, 3 pictures, front, profile and 45 degree angle. I am getting my consults early next year and I'm thinking about taking those with me to see what the Doctor's say. Like Keira said though, I'm sure the Doctor's will be better able to explain. I just did it because I completely couldn't imagine what I would look like with FFS, so it helped to that end. If it's the same woman, be absolutely sure you took pics from 6 ft. away, zoomed in, with a good camera. That's really important!

I'll second Meghan's post -- her name is Alexandra (http://www.virtualffs.co.uk), whose work is beautiful and stunning.  I had been quite fearful of how I would look to the world with fairly masculine features, and I was equally afraid of how I might be transformed into an unrecognizable feminine monster if I pursued FFS.  I was really, really pleased with the pictures, which is not to say, as Keira points out, that that's what your doctor will do with your face.  But what it did was give me and my partner something concrete to look at so as not to get overwhelmed with the vague and uncertain future. 

I've sent my pictures to Drs. Spiegel and Zukowski, both of whom wrote to say that they used Alexandra's work as a starting point to discuss my desires and possible procedures -- they certainly didn't dismiss the photos at all.

Julie, very nice picture. You are very pretty.
Sheila

yeah, I'd be unsure about it. Personally, I think seeing a doctor in real life could be more helpful -- although a picture service could provide motivation of some sorts, maybe?

Like, if you're like me you're unsure about "what needs work" and you're friends are going to tell you that you don't need surgery, including your doctors. But you some how feel that something is needed to be improved, even if you don't "need" surgery to pass, it might help you to feel better. It's like my ex really wants a nose job -- she doesn't "need" a nose job, but really is uncomfortable with her nose even though no one else thinks it looks bad.

It's like me working on my voice. People keep saying it sound female and I actually have people who do not like how I sound when I apply what I've learned in voice therapy because they are used to the way I sound now and claim I sound amazing. Yes, my normal voice seems to get me around and I haven't been sired on the phone, and people might be fine with it, but personally it's something I want to fix to feel more confident with.

So, I can see how a picture might help. I know I played with voice software to see what my voice would sound like at different pitches.

One of the problem of the picture is that it doesn't give you a real idea of what can actually be done, especially in the lower face where the result depends so much on the interaction of soft tissues and bone and the placement of internal structures like nerves and teeths.

Having to decide what one needs when it comes to one's face is probably perhaps the most difficult facets of tradition. If I had listened to "everyone's" advice, I would have done nothing.  (When I told my primary care physician that I was going to have FFS, she asked "Why would you wnat to do that, you are fine!"

One of things that helped me was that when I rode the train or had the opportunity, I would study female faces. There is something about the female face that defies any kind of precise scientific evaluation. I decided to have my FFS done by a surgeon based on my opinion that he had the proper artistic eye for femininity based on what he had done with others as well his reassurances he gave me  during  several consultations. (not to mention his track record for not having problems in the OR)

Quote from: melissa90299 on December 04, 2007, 01:18:55 PM
Having to decide what one needs when it comes to one's face is probably perhaps the most difficult facets of tradition. If I had listened to "everyone's" advice, I would have done nothing.  (When I told my primary care physician that I was going to have FFS, she asked "Why would you wnat to do that, you are fine!"

Yes, my doctor told me also that I don't need any facial work but there are times when the male markers just scream at me, like when I'm having my hair done and I sit in the salon chair with a spotlight beaming down on me.  With my hair pulled back the bossing is pretty obvious.  I want to be able to go swimming and come out of the pool with my hair slicked back and still look female.

Alexandra wrote me back and said the upper lip needs attention but the chin is well within normal female ranges.  Bone work scares me the most but I know it's the soft tissue work that hurts most during recovery.  Oh, the things we do during transition!

Julie

Quote from: Julie Marie on December 02, 2007, 07:46:16 PM
I was wondering if anyone has had computer altered photos of themselves to use as a tool for determining what procedures they will need/want for FFS.  Today I sent three pictures to a woman who does just that.  She produces some very realistic facial alterations that surgeons can actually use to determine what's possible and what's not.  I figure this will give me something to work with when I go in for a consultation.  Otherwise you're at the mercy of interpretation.

Has anyone done this?  If so, did it help you?  Did it help the doctor?  I'm curious.  I'll get my pics back in about a month.

Julie

I never took any altered photos and thus never showed the surgeon any.  But, I can't think of why it would hurt to do so.  They want you to be happy with the results, so this would give them a good idea of what you want.  I know my doc asked me what kind of a nose I wanted, if I had anyone in mind of whose nose I wanted it to look like.  (in the end I just let him work his magic). 

I don't think it's a bad idea.  I would almost guarantee they will say you will not look exactly like the photos, but they should be able to temper what sort of expectations you may have.

At the risk of making this "needing FFS" issue beyond tiresome. I will say that those who need FFS the least (In some sense) like Julie and myself are the ones who come out totally gorgeous AFTER FFS.

Quote from: Julie Marie on December 02, 2007, 07:46:16 PM
I was wondering if anyone has had computer altered photos of themselves to use as a tool for determining what procedures they will need/want for FFS.  Today I sent three pictures to a woman who does just that.  She produces some very realistic facial alterations that surgeons can actually use to determine what's possible and what's not.  I figure this will give me something to work with when I go in for a consultation.  Otherwise you're at the mercy of interpretation.

Has anyone done this?  If so, did it help you?  Did it help the doctor?  I'm curious.  I'll get my pics back in about a month.

Julie

I know of a facial surgeon who used complexed computer generated images to assist with his determination of what a patient might look like after surgery. I think this kind of tool will be used more and more in the future..