Funding FFS / Surgeries? Help?!

I don't want to delve into people's private businesses too much but I need help/advice
I wish to get a surgery done, between now and a years time currently that would be an endoscopic forehead lift.

Reason: Low set brows that rest on my eyelashes, and forehead wrinkles from extra skin/not being tight.
Thus giving me a more tired, and older look for being 20 - it's the only thing aside from my hairline is what makes me dysphoric and know FFS won't help that.

Attempt Made To Fix: I plucked them, and got them into a shape, this gave me more upper lid space which helped somewhat but can still see my extra fat laying on my lashes + doesn't show my make-up unless I lift my brows.

So My Question Is: How do I afford this surgery?

IMPORTANT Note:
I don't have a job - and getting a loan for university currently(which would probably stop me from being able to get a loan - esp. with no job).
I keep attempting to find jobs - but would only be able to work evenings (after 6pm- though weekends I could work all day, this is also rare where I live to find such a job) Also bare in mind I'm from the UK so things in the US could be not available here

Thank you - Tama xox

To be honest, if this sort of thing isn't completely covered by medical insurance (private or public) then you are going to need to acquire the money for it; I'm not being flippant when I say the only legal way to do it is win it, find it, be bequeathed it, or earn it. Since the first three options are unlikely then earning it is the only way. OK, you don't have a job, I get that. And I get that employment may be very hard to come by but it sounds like that is your only realistic option to get the money. Getting a job may seem extremely difficult and unlikely for you but I doubt it is actually totally impossible.

When I first considered transition I fretted over how I was going to find the money for GRS... there was no way I was going to afford it even with the job I had (especially considering how expensive electro was). The end result was simply that I didn't have GRS. Maybe I should have changed jobs or tried more lotteries I don't know. Now, some 25 year later I can afford it. I guess my point is you either move hell and high water to find a way to make that money or you readjust you timeline and expectations until you can actually afford it.

Thank you Ms. Grace - seems like unfortunately I will have to earn it - How? I don't know as my area doesn't have much in terms of 24 hour stores apart from 2 which both are only hiring 'seasonal' at the moment because of Summer break. So I have tried stores that are typically open til about 10pm just to get the 5 or 6pm - 10pm for 4/5 hours and then work whenever on the weekend - as part time is quite low hours and would take me 2/3 yrs + to afford the surgery which I don't think I'd be able to handle as my brows are probably the only thing that's always bugged me, before I even knew I was 'transgender'! Just wish I had the luck for my art work to be wanted and paid lots of money for aha!

All I know is for the next >5 years of my life I will have no money aha! Maybe if I can get a viral hit, aye?

I'll keep positive as I know I will get everything I want eventually! :3

Just remember that hairstyle can do a lot towards hiding the brow.

There may be other options for employment not yet apparent, or maybe you will need to move to another location - like most of us, myself included, finding, securing and keeping a job can be a tricky business even without the added "bonus" of being trans.

Yes, I understand brows can be hidden but my eyelids are low, and i'd have to cover my eyes to hide that, LOL.

My university is in the area I am at the moment so I can't move. Especially as I'd have to pay rent and would just be back to square 1, no money LOL.

My goal for a job is to be a teacher - in the art department; so my University is very important at the moment - it's a pain in the ass the timing LOL.

I put off surgery due to money and in the mean time the surgery actually got significantly cheaper. With more people coming out and seeking these surgeries more surgeons will go into these specialties and rates should drop. Silver lining.

Quote from: Ms Grace on July 18, 2016, 02:46:07 AM
To be honest, if this sort of thing isn't completely covered by medical insurance (private or public) then you are going to need to acquire the money for it; I'm not being flippant when I say the only legal way to do it is win it, find it, be bequeathed it, or earn it. Since the first three options are unlikely then earning it is the only way. OK, you don't have a job, I get that. And I get that employment may be very hard to come by but it sounds like that is your only realistic option to get the money. Getting a job may seem extremely difficult and unlikely for you but I doubt it is actually totally impossible.

When I first considered transition I fretted over how I was going to find the money for GRS... there was no way I was going to afford it even with the job I had (especially considering how expensive electro was). The end result was simply that I didn't have GRS. Maybe I should have changed jobs or tried more lotteries I don't know. Now, some 25 year later I can afford it. I guess my point is you either move hell and high water to find a way to make that money or you readjust you timeline and expectations until you can actually afford it.

Grace, Wonderfully frank post. +1 to your reputation for this.

I simply haven't been able to afford GRS surgery yet.

FFS I don't need as my facial results from hormones are super. I'm in my 50's.

When I can afford it some botox around my eyes and forehead this would help me to be honest.

Boob job to DD or DDD which has been my long-time dream, I should have earned the small remaining money I need from my work, about the end of this month of July. I am living now in a developing country, so the relatively low price for a skilled BA surgeon is actually quite reasonable. Although my earnings are at a developing country pay rate, so it is still expensive as all is relative to earnings and expenses. But I'm almost there financially for this.

< great happiness >

Jennifer xx

A great many of us want to get some work done, and have no way of paying for it. Therefore, we just do not get it done. The only thing I ever had to pay for (was far as "work done") was the tracheal shave. I could never afford anything else, and just let the hormones do what they could for me. Anything else, is waiting for insurance help, or funding.

There should be an information packet every trans person is forced to read ... saying that it is not easy, nor cheap.

Hi there, I'm American but I lived in the UK for much of 2015. Now still living outside the USA.

NHS in UK pays for much more stuff than insurance does in most of the USA. Like your hormones. Get a referral to the GIC and they'll pay for your hormones. U might have a long wait time however -- like 1 or 2 YEARS to get started is quite typical with NHS.

Go the the Facebook group UK Trans Info for great medical and legal advise in the UK.

One UK friend I know in person in real life even got BA (boob job) approved to be NHS funded but NHS only sometimes pays for boob jobs. Some of my UK friends have been denied free boob jobs from NHS.

Can you grow bangs ? Many beauty experts recommend bangs to hide / break up a high forehead. You should be young enough to grow bangs I would think ?? Bangs in the UK are called fringes --
so I should re-phrase that -- can you grow fringes ? And maybe avoid the need entirely for forehead surgery ?

Jennifer xx

Jennifer,

I've grown bangs/fringe, yes. Unfortunately I have quite wavy and curly hair so it rolls back on itself - it does give me appearance a much softer look so I do try it but as the length of my hair generally isn't that long it can look very bowl-cut esque.

For me, I will be saving money to afford the surgeries I want/need - just currently finding a job around my time-table is just unfortunately a pain - unless I did bar work which would be too dangerous for me to work in - as once people drink they can turn aggressive and well I'd be a target for sure - as I get abuse from drunk men in the street as it is. Sober people don't tend to bat an eyelid luckily!

I'm on hormones now - I pay my prescription which is like 8-something and I have 3 months worth so think it's pretty decent.

Lady Sarah
I understand it's not cheap, or easy. I knew it would be and knew others would be in the same predicament as me - but thought I would be able to get some insight from people on here - as apart from body surgery - my eyebrows / forehead(less important) and tracheal shave are the only things I need 'desperately' (in my mind) as to say.
My brow/lids isn't a whole 'transgender' thing for me either to pass - it's quite a general surgery I've been wanting since young and thought I'd ask some advice if there's other methods to be able to pay/afford the surgery.

While I cant give you any advice on funding... for eyebrow lift, there are few different approaches. One is endoscopic, you already mentioned. Then there is coronal incision approach, and lastly hairline incision approach. Which one best option varies from one patient to another. Endoscopic is least invasive, but it also have its limitations. If there is little extra skin, and you only need a subtle lift effect, you are ideal candidate for endoscopic approach. If you need more lift, and you have more sagging skin, the other two might be better choice, as strip of skin gets removed, either on top of scalp with coronal, or at hairline with hairline approach. With endoscopic approach your hairline gets set more back, with coronal even more back. With hairline approach, hairline can be lowered, aka hairline advancement. Correct diagnosis of problem is very important here. Another thing is, if you have extra skin in eyelid area, it might not be possible to resolve with only eyebrow lift. Surgeons often combine upper eyelid blepharoplasty with eyebrow lift to give the best results. Many aspects, such as shape of the eyes, orbital ridge shape and distance from the eye, distance between eyebrow and hairline, eyelid skin, underskin fat layer, etc, need to be taken into account.

Price for simple eyebrow lift isnt too much. Its one of procedures that can be done in surgeons "office" under local anesthesia and sedation, not necessarily in operating theatre under GA. So this reduces the cost. Im not familiar for prices in UK, but prices in Europe can be anywhere from 1000-3000 eur, or more. I suggest you consider if eyebrow lift is the only change you feel you need, in upper face area. You might only be bothered by soft tissue now, as this is what you are focused now. For example orbital rims, and forehead shape&projection...

There's not much you can do if you are in school and have no job.  You'll just have to wait until later when you can earn more money and start saving.

On the bright side, you're still very young, and if you're already on hormones, they will have a much greater effect on feminizing your face than on someone who is in their 50's.  Also since you're on hormones so early, the testosterone has not had as many years to masculinize your face across many decades.

So consider yourself lucky, and try to stay positive.  There are many who would be willing to give up a lot of money to be as young as you (myself included).  And someday, after studying hard, working hard, and saving money diligently, you'll get the surgeries you've always wanted and look much better than many of the late-onset transitioners here (myself included, I started late...

mmmmm
I've done some research into it - and didn't quite get a significant difference between endoscopic and coronal - apart from scar length. Now you've mentioned it moves your hairline back, I don't like that idea as my forehead is already quite big, as most of my facial features are on the south of my actual head - so big forehead, tiny chin aha! But that could be covered by bangs until I can afford proper FFS - or just general forehead constructing if I ever have money to fund that.

As you mentioned blepharoplasty, I was looking into it as well as the eyebrow lift because it's not huge amounts of skin that affect vision - (apart from I can see sparse eyebrow hairs from the top of my eyesight when properly relaxed) but for me it's not visually appeal - more vanity than anything which sounds bad but it's something that's always bothered me.

Emily
Yes, it's unfortunate I'm still in school - I had a bad 2 years deciding what I want to do otherwise I'd be almost done for my art course, with one year left but I don't regret it as I don't think I would of been ready for university.

I do appreciate my youth and transitioning at this age - and don't take it for granted - I feel I'm quite lucky as my testosterone levels were VERY much below average for a 'man' my age. It's just for me I've always put FFS on the back burner in my mindset (As I want to see HRT results first) - but my brows were always something I HATED and know that HRT wont fix unfortunately as it's probably just lack of muscle in that area, or too much weighted fat.

I'm happy that you believe in me, to study hard and so on - so I thank you for that. But I don't think you'd want to be as young as I am aha! If you were as bad as me at 20, definitely not. Always anxious, so much self-doubt no wisdom on anything so it's like jumping into something blind - it's scary. I think there's positives and negatives to my age and others; much like there will be with yours and others.

Every-one!
But yes, thank you every-one for your replies - it seems like I will just have to work hard in a job, which is what I thought but it's always nice to know if there's other routes and advice on what sort or work, and things I could do to help fund it!