For background, I would like to do my FFS in January 2020...should I be starting to do consults now or can I wait a few more months?

Quote from: sarahc on November 10, 2018, 03:09:34 PM
For background, I would like to do my FFS in January 2020...should I be starting to do consults now or can I wait a few more months?

@sarahc
Dear Sarah:
Depending on where you live, how far you are willing to travel and how busy the surgeons are a 6 month to ONE YEAR lead time from consultation to surgery date is about what usually happens... 

If I were you I would suggest that you start exploring surgeons, insurance requirements, application and written details... and get a handle on exactly when you need to start the consultation process....  explore and do some research regarding these things soon.... better early than late.  January 2020 is just a little over 13 months away.

Obviously you will want to have some solid ideas about what you want to have done, and then at the surgery consult the surgeon can be better informed to offer their best advice.

Wishing you well... please keep us updated if you can.
Danielle

I would start right away. At least that's what I did and I've been seeing surgeons left and right for a few months now. How long it takes to find the "right" surgeon really varies from person to person.

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Start now. I started 18 months before my eventual FFS. Give yourself time to find the best surgeon for you. It might take time to find the right one so the luxury of time is a good thing. Most of them are booked up anyway, starting this early means you should get the exact date you want.

Quote from: sarahc on November 10, 2018, 03:09:34 PM
For background, I would like to do my FFS in January 2020...should I be starting to do consults now or can I wait a few more months?

@sarahc
Dear Sarah:
I think you are getting resounding advice here with all of the reply comments...
...get going on this ASAP, better a little early than late...
We will be looking forward to hearing of your future appointments and the hoops that you have to jump through.

We are you biggest fans ... we are all rooting for you.
Hugs,
Danielle

Thanks! My plan in the next couple of weeks is to make consult appointments for January and lock in a surgery date for the following January by the end of that month. I'll be starting HRT this January and I do want HRT to do some of its magic prior to FFS, because it may help some - many of my features are fairly soft already.

Focus of FFS is going to be the lower half of the face - chin (especially), lip lift, nose, maybe jawline. I think my forehead and cheeks are pretty good, so I'd like to avoid work on those if possible, but I might get a minor brow lift.

The quicker you start the better your options. Also find someone who does what you want done every day. No one place does all surgery places. GCS surgeons are not expect nasal surgeons, for example.

Also, I think you should try to find the surgeons that focus on the areas you want most. I know ffs surgeons usually do everything, or give you a packaged deal even. But there's a lot of information on here <reference not allowed> and surgery specific sites that will recommend surgeons for each specific area or feature.

Another thing, I think jaw(line) and chin usually are together. Nose is very seperate and typically would be clumped with "upper" face ffs procedures rather than "lower". Chin/jaw work is very complicated on it's own. I think lips is lower for sure too. But usually forhead (or brows) and nose are considered upper face.


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Just a follow up on this topic...I called a few surgeons about a Winter 2020 FFS date, and they all suggested calling back in the spring 2019 to schedule a consultation for later in the summer, which would line me up for surgery in the Winter 2020. The More You Know...