Quote from: Tess2016 on August 13, 2016, 03:19:57 AM
Heya.. Well.. Dr. Dimaggio does seem to have some great talents. It seems to me that there are so few options in FFS surgeons anywhere in the world, but thankfully they are there, whereas when I was younger they were not. One thing I really love about their website, there are a huge number of natural before and after photos..
Some comments were made about Argentina was better for westerners to get their FFS, but that would also be true with the USA, Canada and the UK.
I have a short list of FFS doctors, and to my surprise those who I thought were top notch, after research, seem to have some hidden history (horror stories), which are only revealed by their past patients. I realise that FFS is a very very specialised area of surgery. Even the best surgeons might have some issues.. But I really do believe they all have their patients well-being at heart and probably feel just as bad about their failures, as their patients would. After all, its their reputation on the line...
Argentina seems to be the most affordable locations for FFS. But they also provide some of the most stunning results. Karma Girl, you look beautiful, no doubting your surgery was a success..
May I ask, what was the total cost..
Where there any negatives. I can see there are many positives.. Anything unexpected and any surprises.??
I understand your concern. But here's what I say in regards to "horror stories".
Yes, ANYTHING can go wrong with these surgeries. Anyone that tells you it's a piece of cake is lying to you. Think about it. You are allowing someone to take your face, open your scalp up, mess with your orbital rim areas, your brow, nose etc. It's MAJOR surgery! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Will there be problems? Most of the time, there won't be. BUT, there is that small percentage that will have to deal with bad situations. Most of the time, it's not the Doctor's fault. It's your body's fault and the way it deals with the Op.
I remember reading about someone that had issues with their jaw or something. What they didn't tell you was that they already had issues with their jaws and hadn't told him ahead of time. This of course, caused some issues for both Dr. DiMaggio and the patient.
So I recommend you telling the doctor ANY ISSUES you already have.
And in regards to what people say--really examine what they are claiming. I've found that there are always several stories involved.
Again, people like me, that have really really bad facial dysphoria, can sometimes never feel 100% satisfied. There will always be something that needs to me corrected. Through therapy, I've learned to deal with it and keep myself from going overboard with these surgeries. It'll take around 6 to 8 months to really see the semi-final look of your face.
SO here's honesty for ya...
The op kicked my ass. I wasn't in the best of shape. After the surgery, I had to deal with some Sciatic issues. These were not his fault. This was because I didn't take his advice and trained and lost some weight.
Then, one of my eyes was taking it's time to heal. You know that muscle around the orbital rim area. This again was NOT his fault. Thankfully, it's much better. I had my eyes checked (yesterday as a matter of fact) and slowly but surely, it's getting back to the way it was before.
And this I say to everyone on here--This is really a big operation, where anything can go wrong. I'm not saying this to scare anyone. I say it because a lot of us that have gone through this want to just show the before and afters and not share how tough this op can be on you. Maybe it's better for the "youngsters" in the group. ;P
Dr. DiMaggio is very aggressive with his faces, but his results are amazing. Just look at his website. He's also trained a lot of doctors that NOW perform FFS in Argentina.
I would say that most of my friends were in awe of his work. They were sooo afraid I was going to look like a Barbie, or like I have " had work done". My own family doctor was impressed!
Now, I'm not saying that I'm any different than anyone on here who's had FFS. Or that my face is better than anyones...I would say that most doctors are very knowledgeable when it comes to FFS. It's really a matter of what you prefer. Me personally, I was just looking to create my "female twin". I wanted it to look natural.
I was rarely clocked before, but when I did get "clocked" it was sooooo depressing! Now, I NEVER get clocked. I do get the occasional "My you are tall!" or a few whistles here and there...but I never get clocked.
As far as cost goes, I think it was around $18,500.00 US? Maybe a little more, give or take. We were smart enough to book our apartment for a month and some days. I loved having an apartment there. That was around $999 a month ( you can most definitely find cheaper apartments there). I would not recommend getting a hotel or motel. Too expensive. Food was cheap too. Look into Air B&B.
It's a very beautiful city. I never expected it to be so beautiful. ALSO remember that there on the other side of the equator, so if it's winter here in the U.S. it's Summer there. Lol I went in May, so it was starting to get really chilly. That's also during a time where people get sick...I did, and it didn't help my healing process out. Lol
And when it comes to cost, I would not try to think too much about "the bargain" you might be getting. Look at their work...ask questions, and really think about your final decision. DO NOT RUSH INTO THINGS. I see too many people looking for "bargains" only to get FFS and then STILL not being happy with the results. And remember too, that even the more expensive ones are not always the best. I live in L.A. there is a reason why I went all the way down to Argentina...it wasn't because of the "deal" I got. It was because of his work. It was just an added plus that it wasn't as expensive as some of the U.S. Doctors.
My Disclaimer: No doctor is perfect. But, you should find one that is perfect for you.
I am not paid to come on here, nor am I trying to promote Dr. DiMaggio (ie, I get no money or special deals with him for coming on here). I'm just letting you know things from my perspective. If I encountered ANY issues or future issues, I know I can email him and get an answer right away. Ximena, his assistant is impeccable and so wonderful too!
I hope this helps a little. Feel free to PM me.
Hugs!