Hi all,

First post, but a long time lurker of these forums. I had FFS less than a week ago with a recently well known and reputable surgeon in South America. At some point soon I will write up a detailed account of my experience. My interactions with the liaison and doctor have been great, and I trust him to get great results, and haven't heard of any of their patients having serious complications.

That being said, I am and have always been a hypochondriac and worrier. I know it's far too soon to be concerned about these things, as I haven't had time to heal, but it would make me feel much better if anyone out there has experienced something similar and could soothe my fears.

I had type III forehead reconstruction with a coronal incision, browbone shaving, open rhinoplasty, and jaw/chin work. I noticed yesterday that if I lightly brush the inner half of my eyebrows with my finger, they set off a twitch on my scalp in front of the incision, and sometimes an irritating little zap. Most of my forehead is numb, so I'm hoping things just haven't a had a chance to right themselves, and the nerves will reconnect to the correct muscles. My fear is that I won't ever be able to scratch my eyebrows without getting a very uncomfortable zap to the scalp.

My other more serious concern is that I stupidly tried to exhale through my nose hard enough to move some of the mucus clogging it up. This caused a large air bubble to form under the skin on my forehead right above my nose. I pressed it flat and haven't noticed anything since, but that means air is escaping through my sinuses. I'm hoping the bone will heal together, but should this be happening at all? It's really got me panicking and depressed.

Again, I know it's too early, and I know I shouldn't have tried to exhale so hard, but it would make me feel worlds better if you have any similar stories that resolved themselves. I'm used to feeling young and invincible, and now I'm scared I'll have these issues for the rest of my life.


Thanks all 🙂

I would definately express your concerns with your doctor/surgeon.

Yes, of course I'm going to do that at the earliest opportunity.

Welcome to Susan's Place. Talk to your surgeon but something to consider as after my reassignment surgery I needed intensive dilation to keep things open. Should there be a leak in the sinus, it will probably close up on it's own over time. The important thing is not to blow your nose so you don't disturb anything else. I know how hard that can be as the passages in my nose were opened up and I spent several weeks not being able to blow my nose. I carried a kleenex around constantly dabbing the drip.

Nerves reconnecting can be real exciting. After SRS I constantly had itches on parts of my body that weren't there or in the same location. It fades over time but sometimes it takes a long time.

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Thanks Dena! That makes me feel a bit better. I'll ask the surgery liaison tomorrow. Everyone is off today.

I recently had FFS, in addition I had my right nasal valve repaired.  I can relate to not being able to blow your nose.  The FFS surgeon contact brought me saline solution for my nose, it helped a lot.  I also inserted a moistened Q-tip a tiny bit in to help clean out some of the mucous and dried blood.

As far as zapping, you nerves can take quite awhile to function normally.  I get an occasional sharp tingle on my head in front of the coronal incision, I've gotten used to them.

Let the liaison and surgeon know exactly what is going on.

Thanks, Deeiche. The liaison emailed me back to say that I shouldn't worry, as this is expected to sometimes happen. Of course I shouldn't have been trying to blow so hard though, and to wait at least a month as the bones fuse together. Thank you everyone who gave me words of comfort. Sometimes that's all you need 

Although it has been more than a few years since I had FFS, I do remember that it took me quite sometime to get my feeling back in all areas that were altered.  I remember I could not feel the front part of my scalp for probably six to nine months.  There was also a straight line down from the exact middle of my bottom lip to the bottom of my "new" chin where I had no feeling for probably two years.  The numb area was not very wide but was directly down from the lip.  I was told both were from nerves that took more than a little while to activate again.  But you have to expect that when they drastically alter the structure of your face.  I agree, if the problem with the nasal area continues for any extended amount of time I would definitely get back in touch with my surgeon

Quote from: Karen5519 on November 16, 2015, 09:56:42 AM
Although it has been more than a few years since I had FFS, I do remember that it took me quite sometime to get my feeling back in all areas that were altered.  I remember I could not feel the front part of my scalp for probably six to nine months.  There was also a straight line down from the exact middle of my bottom lip to the bottom of my "new" chin where I had no feeling for probably two years.  The numb area was not very wide but was directly down from the lip.  I was told both were from nerves that took more than a little while to activate again.  But you have to expect that when they drastically alter the structure of your face.  I agree, if the problem with the nasal area continues for any extended amount of time I would definitely get back in touch with my surgeon

If you don't mind my asking, who was your surgeon and what kind of procedures did you have done?

Quote from: iKate on November 17, 2015, 07:49:50 AM


If you don't mind my asking, who was your surgeon and what kind of procedures did you have done?

Dr. Ousterhout in San Francisco did my surgery. At that time, he was considered the best in facial feminization.  He has now moved into semi-retirement and has brought on a partner, Dr. Jordan Deschamps-Braly.  I had almost the whole menu which included:

1,  Adams Apple shaved
2. Chin feminized.  (included three plates and screws)
3. Jaw shaved
4. Upper lip moved closer to nose
5. rhinoplasty (nose feminized)
6. forehead recontouring
7. scalp advanced
8.  brow lift

I recuperated with other patients in a home his practice owned in downtown San Francisco.  I was in town about ten days if I remember correctly.  The complete experience and associated care was excellent.

Three months later, after the swelling had gone down, I had a facelift and work done on my eyelids.

When I got home from having the heavier face work done it really became apparent that I had to have breast augmentation quickly to complete my look.  I waited a little less than a month and contacted a local plastic surgeon and had that done in his office one afternoon.  You have to be careful not to have multiple surgeries in a very short time frame where  you are put under anesthesia as it can increase the risk for a number of health related problems.


Also, you many want to know that if you are going through facial electrolysis during the time you have facial surgery you need to not schedule a visit with your electrologist for a least a month, if not more, after your surgery as infection can set in.

As I am sure you have read many times on the forum, although you see a major difference in your appearance immediately after the initial heavy swelling goes down you really begin to see the facial changes three or four months after surgery.  It can be stunning.

Good luck......I wish you well.  You will find out that it is well worth the time and expense.  As important as SRS is for many, the facial surgery is in many ways just as or more important as it allows you to live your day to day life with much less stress and concern for your overall look.

Quote from: Dena on November 15, 2015, 04:04:40 PM
The important thing is not to blow your nose so you don't disturb anything else. I know how hard that can be as the passages in my nose were opened up and I spent several weeks not being able to blow my nose. I carried a kleenex around constantly dabbing the drip.

I had my FFS with Facial Team just shy of three weeks ago. I was really good about not blowing my nose for two weeks, then after that they said you can blow your nose lightly, which I did a few times, and then I got sick this past Monday, so while I've tried not to blow my nose too aggressively, it's been occasionally impossible these past few days. I emailed FT and they said not to worry, and just to try my best. It probably would have been more of an issue if it had been the first week or so postop.


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