I have been comprehensively looking back and re-reading threads regarding VFS in general and especially in conjunction with a Chryco-Thyroid Approximation and Thyroid Chrondroplasty. I have done much page peddling in the last several days.

I was wondering if any women that have had a CTA further back in time, in particular with Dr Haben, would care to post current updates or PM me with recent recordings of your voice and also pix of the CTA incision. I am hoping to get more long term input on the satisfaction with the result, both voice wise and appearance wise with the neck incision healing. The photo's I have seen here in a couple threads have been most reassuring and I wonder how the past of more time resolves in the appearance of fine line scar.

A CTA is a definite possibility for me this time when I go back to Dr Haben in December. Possible to the extent that the pre surgical consult specifically references the procedure. I have a level of anxiety (mostly manifested in poor sleep) that was absent from my initial procedure back in May of this year. I was hoping for more input from those that have previously undergone the procedure in hopes of allaying some of this anxiety. December seems to be hurtling forward on the horizon with each passing day...

BTW, THANK YOU so much for those that have posted comprehensive write ups of your respective VFS experiences and also to those that have posted thoughtful follow up questions and related information. It's posts like these that add a very valuable reference points for others considering VFS.

A lot of details are brought forward that may be missed by some and it has been most helpful and illuminating to be able to form a better checklist of questions and also supplies for one to gather when undergoing VFS.

I plan of doing a likewise with a similar follow up after my upcoming in hopes of having others finding some useful information on the process having started a thread outlining and referencing my previous experience to keep from simply clogging others threads.

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,198657.0.html

Thanks again in advance and my very best wishes to all.
Elaine

I didn't have CTA but I had a trachea shave about 35 years ago. There were and are no creases on my neck to hide an incision under and scar was made right at the surgical site. It healed to a thin white line that people see when it's pointed out to them but in normal day to day exposure it has never been mentioned. If you are uncomfortable about it, it can easily be covered with makeup. I did that in the early stages of healing but I haven't covered it up in a very long time.

The days of a visible line with thread holes on either side of it are long gone and it's possible with a skilled surgeon to have a scar out in the open and nobody notices it.

Do you think you would need a CTA as part of the revision of your glottoplasty with Dr Haben?

How do you scar in general - if you had any other surgerie sin the past years, you can take a look at the scars from them and make an estimate. I know for example that my scars usually are depressed - so I get a "dent" in the skin then and this is kind of annoying... I do not get much discoloring though, so I guess if I would need a CTA, I would make sure to think about lipofilling under the scar later.

Scars however always are missing color - so if you will be exposed to a lot of sun, there is the likelyhood that the scar will remain lighter. Again, this can be extrapolated from other scars you have so far.

I had CTA along with glottoplasty and tracheal shave around 8 weeks ago. The scar looks similar to what Runaway posted since she had her surgery a week before me. My scar is noticeable now since it's only been 8 weeks, Dr. Haben told me it will heal in 6 months to 1 year. I would also be interested in seeing a photo of the scar of someone who had the surgery 6 months or 1 year ago with Dr. Haben.

I had CTA as well because I was more concerned about the passability of the voice rather than the presence of a scar. A scar on the neck could be due to multiple reasons, not just voice surgery or tracheal shave. My friend was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had to undergo surgery, the scar on her neck is much longer around 4-5 inches and it's not even something I pay attention to. Both Charlize Theron and Brooke Burke had surgeries on their neck and have somewhat of a scar, so it's not just transwomen that have a scar on their neck.  

Like everybody who talks (or post to much), it's time for me to put up or shut up. You have seen this picture many times before if you have been reading everything I post and this is a cropped view of the picture my avatar came from. I think this is about 6 years after my neck was opened up and I put markers in the picture so you could see what's left of the scar. Click on the picture for a larger view.

Dena, I don't even see a scar!!

I agree, not noticeable whatsoever!

Yeah, that faded pretty well!

I agree that it is probably still better to have a scar on the neck than to have a huge adams apple or a very deep voice - its a trade - a scar on the neck is a lesser "sign" for people. It's a sign though just like being a bit tall or having a bit larger hands and all of these little things - it can all happen to any woman, but its one thing that gets added in the mix if people look for something... But again, a deep voice or an adams apple are definitely worse.

Dena:

Thank you for posting the pix of the surgical incision site. As others have said, I cannot see anything at all. I am very light skinned, though I do get a lot of sun from outdoor activities.

Dr Haben and I have it planned to help ensure a positive result. The pictures I have found of a recent CTA incision appear to be a "rose bush thorn scratch" looking scar concealed on a skin fold. While I prefer no scar at all, I am not willing to have to do this again and there is only so much time in life. I prefer to spend it living as much as possible rather than worrying about every tiny detail of my appearance.

Getting back to where my voice was before that darned stitch came out, or possibly a bit more, would be fine with me and it would put paid on that aspect of my self image.

Hopefully a few others with more mature CTA or Thyroid Chondoplasty scars will post a small pix to help form a bit better representation of what to expect a year or more post-op.

Well, off to have some needed coffee and start my last 2 weeks of riding. One month of no talking at all and minimally for the next month or 2 will be an unwanted but necessary adventure. Two months of no exercise and extremely careful eating is going to be tough to deal with though.

Audio books on some short road trips, Spanish & Italian language study but with no words spoken (boo hiss) and perhaps some messing around with guitars will help me from spending too much time in front of the telly.

Thank you again, and I hope everyone has a wonderful day.
Elaine