Hello everyone!
I took my wife for a consult with Dr. Kuzon today at the University of Michigan. There's still so little info about this doc's surgical practice and what to expect, so I wanted to share some of the information with you all. I know for a fact that if we had known some of these details, it would've greatly influenced our decision.
PROS:
- They take insurance. Several major providers, though you'd have to check with them directly to ensure they cover you specifically. We had a unique insurance case (covered through a university) and they were still willing to work with us. The consult was even billed through insurance. With some consults costing $100+, this is probably good news for some.
- There's a 5-6 day hospital stay on a floor that deals with trans patients often. I can't guarantee everything will go smoothly for everyone. However, I've heard second hand accounts that the hospital staff are very affirming.
- The Gender Services Program do have their own therapists on staff. If you've had difficulty getting letters or need a second letter, they're happy to accommodate you. I can't speak about the price or the process, since we came with two letters, but the office staff are very friendly.
CONS:
- He requires electrolysis around the surgical site. This was pretty surprising to hear, considering how many surgeons do not require electrolysis/laser hair removal. In fact, they will not schedule you for surgery until hair removal is complete or your electrologist can provide the office with an end date to treatment. So if you're the pioneering type to do electrolysis at home (ouchies!), keep this in mind.
- LONG WAIT TIME. Besides the fact you won't get scheduled until hair removal is complete, the wait time is incredibly long. Expect approx 1 year at minimum. We were told that a the next client up for a surgery in December had originally consulted in January. Part of this delay is that Dr. Kuzon does tons of other surgeries. GRS doesn't seem to be the top priority.
- They can be very particular about your psych letters. They have a format they specifically prefer (thankfully, her therapist was familiar with that format). The Gender Services Program at University of Michigan handle the referrals before you'll even be able to speak to Dr. Kuzon's office. They have been known to contact your therapist and request more specific details if the letters aren't exactly what they want. This isn't a huge deal for most, since the letter requirements are fairly standard from surgeon to surgeon. I do want to mention this, however, just so people are aware.
- All of this information I've given was NOT told to us when we originally started asking about the surgeon. I think the office staff honestly meant well. Perhaps the different departments don't communicate much. For example, we were given a wait time from consult to surgery of approx 4-6 weeks from the Gender Services Program when first turning in the letters. The surgeon's scheduler had very different news.
I don't mean to discourage anyone from pursuing Dr. Kuzon if that's what you prefer. I think a lot of people simply don't know much about him, so they're wary to even consider him as an option. For the right person, I certainly wouldn't turn away simply because there aren't hundreds of 5 star reviews. That being said, had me and my wife known some of these things, we probably wouldn't have wasted our time getting in. The bottom electrolysis is her biggest turn off (way too triggering), so we're going to continue the search for someone that doesn't require it. And possibly has a shorter wait list.
If you have any other questions about the consult, feel free to ask! I'm not promoting nor turning people away from this particular surgeon. I just want to share information.
