Hi SP,

I am middle aged (50) and contemplating GCS later this year.  I had given some thought to partial vaginoplasty (aka "cosmetic"), but the surgeon covered by my insurance has never done it, and doesn't even seem to understand what it is.  I am starting to think that I would be better with having the surgery which he has performed in order to get the best possible result.

It's not that I don't want a neovagina so much as I am somewhat indifferent to it.  What I want in essence is to appear externally normal.  Cue up Michael Jackson--"I'm looking at the tran in the mirror..."

Anyway, it seems to me that many if not most post-op MTF's will eventually stop dilating at some point.  Speaking to these women, what happens as the vagina collapses?  Does it simply become tight and unusable for penetration or does it potentially abscess?  I understand that dilation is a necessary component of a "use it or lose" it situation, but is "losing it" actually dangerous or merely the loss of the cavity?

Thanks,

maddy

Welcome to Susan's Place. Dilation is critical in the first few years after surgery to maintain depth however after about the first year, the amount of dilation may drop to about once a week depending on your surgeon. At some point, if you stop dilating, you will lose some size however it is recoverable. I followed the once a week routine for about 20 years and then stopped for about 10 year. It took a couple of month at twice a week to regain what I had before. Also my doctors instructions was that sex was equivalent to dilation so if you have an active sex life, dilation isn't required.

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Brassard stated that dilation was necessary for the first six months to prevent health complications (infection is the only one I recall), but that after that, ceasing dilation would simply risk the loss of the cavity.

Personally, I dilate once every few months and haven't lost depth or width, so I also wouldn't assume that not dilating means the vagina will close up - so if you were *hoping* that it would be possible to cause the vagina to close up, that isn't guaranteed. Sometimes it does, but sometimes lack of dilation has no real consequences, particularly for very long-term post-ops. (This is not the same thing as advising that anyone do anything against their surgeon's recommendations, of course.)

First 3-4 yrs, dilated as per the instructions. Since, barely any dilating, if at all. I've lost some depth but Dr. Brassard, upon recent inspection assured me I hadn't lost much and that I could probably recover depth if I started dilating again, which he suggested.

I got lazy dilating ... I would dilate every 3 days when I was 7 to 9 months post op... and I definitely lost depth... I started dilating regularly again and hoping to gain it back!

I will be 1 year post op in 4 days and dilated as doctor directed. So I can not answer your question.

If I was to do it again I would still go to Dr. McGinn because of all the support and care she has provided me. She examined my genitals 5 times before my operation and 12 times after. She provided me with labiaplasty and closed off the top of my vagina at 3 months and will be closing off the bottom on my vagina Nov 20th. My vagina will look pretty good when she is done. Considering what she had to work with she did fantastic. She can do either procedure for you and is very skilled.

If I had normal genitalia I would love to have had a peritoneal graft. You can stop dilating after the initial healing (that is what Dr. Bowers said in September when I heard her discuss the procedure at a presentation) and it is self cleaning. She said the graft is from tissue that surrounds the stomach (which grows back) will not want stick back together like a scrotal skin graph.

That "peritoneal graft" sounds like the cats meow to me.

I wad wondering about this to. Like i forget stuff.  I mean I'm pretty sure i can remember while healing but later on for instance lol

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I'm 30years post-op, I haven't dilated since I got married. My well endowed hubby is now my dilator, my depth is still maintained, intercourse at least twice a week.

If you're not interested in penetrative vaginal sex, can't a cosmetic vagina be every bit the ticket, without the aggro and pain?

https://www.transgenderpulse.com/forums/topic/68583-the-cosmetic-vaginoplasty/

I'm interested in this, but I would definitely want the full sensation from the clitoris ...

Any thoughts folks?

xx