Is it possible to lose depth with regular dilation a year or more after surgery?  Has anyone ever heard of this happening?

Thanks!

Dunno a direct answer to the actual question.
But dilation isn't just about girth - an important part of dilation is to apply quite firm pressure against the end of the neovagina to prevent it gradually closing up from the inside outwards.
Of course, some will post to say that they don't do that or that they only dilate once a month etc and they're fine - but people are different in their healing abilities and one is surely best to not take that chance?

To be frank Kristyn, I will strongly advise you to write to your surgeon.

Now I hope I don't sound patronising, that's the last thing want, but seem to me, after all the trouble and heartache you and our other, wonderful post girls have gone through, letting down the dilation routine, even for a second seems so silly.

I know its unpleasant. I've heard it described as about as interesting as pulling a tooth. But it's the final chapter in achieving what you've worked for for so long.

Write to the surgeon. Tell us what he says.

I've seen one woman claim that she did close up, but I question the credibility of her story regarding her dilating patterns.

      When you look at what different civilizations have done with soft tissue, from inserting plate-sized objects into their lips, to stretching out ear lobes, it would seem that keeping your vajayjay stretched out wouldn't be that difficult.

       Constant pressure on the tip of the dilator would be needed and "regular" dilating would depend on the individual as to those needs.   It has generally been said that, after a year, once a week is enough.   That may not be enough in your case, or perhaps you got slack about doing it often enough.

       I've read several accounts of losing some depth and then gaining it back through an intense therapy campaign.

        This would be a highly YMMV issue. 

Quote from: Re: Joyce on February 12, 2012, 06:07:05 AM
I've seen one woman claim that she did close up, but I question the credibility of her story regarding her dilating patterns.

      When you look at what different civilizations have done with soft tissue, from inserting plate-sized objects into their lips, to stretching out ear lobes, it would seem that keeping your vajayjay stretched out wouldn't be that difficult.

       Constant pressure on the tip of the dilator would be needed and "regular" dilating would depend on the individual as to those needs.   It has generally been said that, after a year, once a week is enough.   That may not be enough in your case, or perhaps you got slack about doing it often enough.

       I've read several accounts of losing some depth and then gaining it back through an intense therapy campaign.

        This would be a highly YMMV issue.

I'm not asking because I've lost depth, I'm posting because I'm moving from 3 times per week to two and am concerned whether or not the possibility exists or whether or not it's too early.  Following surgery, I was about a half to three quarters of an inch beyond the last dot on the dilator and now I sit right at the very last dot--5.5 inches just what Dr Brassard said he gave me.  The last dot measures right at the outer labia.

Thanks for clearing up your question.

       Dr. McGinn, who I've heard is the toughest on her patients regarding frequent dilating, says in her written literature that twice a week after 53 weeks is good.   Those of us who are careful and diligent will want to do our best job to protect what we have.   I've watched my progress carefully and I'm at 11 months.   

        We may look like we're losing depth when we're actually seeing the reduction in swelling change the reference depth on the dilator.  I think you're fine where you are.

        Even though I'm supposed to be still at once a day, I'm skipping a day now and again to see what the effect is on my experience.  I'm working into twice a week and won't do it suddenly, in the event it isn't right for me.

        Based on what you're saying, you could try changing from 3 times a week to twice a week and see how it works.   I understand that very brief losses in depth can be overcome if done right away.   Apparently, intercourse with an organic dilator (a man) can be substituted for the plastic ones.   

        I think you'll not only be fine, but could have done this a few months ago, based on averages.

Quote from: Kristyn on February 12, 2012, 11:13:02 AM
I'm not asking because I've lost depth, I'm posting because I'm moving from 3 times per week to two and am concerned whether or not the possibility exists or whether or not it's too early.  Following surgery, I was about a half to three quarters of an inch beyond the last dot on the dilator and now I sit right at the very last dot--5.5 inches just what Dr Brassard said he gave me.  The last dot measures right at the outer labia.

Maybe the swelling went down around labia so it seems less depth.

Myself i have probably 80% of the same depth of 7 inches from surgery in 98 and i haven't dilated in over 8 yrs.. i have used a measure in the last 6 months to find my depth.. I have thou lost girth a lot like pencil thin which doesn't bother me since well if i ever get involved it will be with a female bodied person and fingers are enough for me 

@ReJoyce
@Amazon

Thanks, I've noticed and still am noticing a reduction of swelling around the labia--even after a year and a half.  Amazon, I'm surprised you've managed to retain your original depth after all this time without dilating.  As for girth, I've never had a problem with it--I seem to be pretty pliable in that department.  I'm not really sexually active/interested but the idea of it tightening to accommodate nothing larger than a pencil would really freak me out.

Thanks

Quote from: Re: Joyce on February 12, 2012, 02:07:35 PM
        We may look like we're losing depth when we're actually seeing the reduction in swelling change the reference depth on the dilator. 

I didn't even think of that.

Quote from: Kristyn on February 12, 2012, 03:29:31 PM
@ReJoyce
@Amazon

Thanks, I've noticed and still am noticing a reduction of swelling around the labia--even after a year and a half.  Amazon, I'm surprised you've managed to retain your original depth after all this time without dilating.  As for girth, I've never had a problem with it--I seem to be pretty pliable in that department.  I'm not really sexually active/interested but the idea of it tightening to accommodate nothing larger than a pencil would really freak me out.
Thanks

Actually it relieves me because i know no dick can enter me 

and as for my depth i was big and well had a lot of depth around 7 inches and i also didn't move out of bed for 8 days which allowed it to heal in place and not get dislodged by getting up too soon from walking. I also walked bent over for a month to keep from potentially pulling it out or dislodging it then too.

I do believe I lost depth in the 12 years since SRS.  There were times when I lapsed in dilation (the worst of it was in 2010 when I hadn't dilated for half a year), but I know I had already lost depth earlier when I was still dilating regularly.  I did get to regain almost my inch of lost depth through daily dilation last year, but it is high maintenance; if I go back to once a week, I can definitely feel the effects.  One thing that has really helped me in my dilation is internal estrogen cream; it has helped make the tissue much more elastic.  Also, it is definitely easier to gain back width than depth.  I feel like I have to fight for each millimeter of added depth, whereas I can get back to accommodating my largest dilator fairly quickly.

To the best of my knowledge:-
Width can be recovered by patient dilation, and if necessary a stretch under anaesthetic  (unless the hole has really shrunk)
Lost depth is lost for good and surgery is needed to get it back.

- obviously, how we define "lost" is important.  Some amount of depth might be recoverable as the post above suggests, but if the hole through the muscle has been left to close up and heal from the inside outwards then that is not going to come back.

Yeah, I thought depth was unrecoverable, but I discovered that it was.  I had a gradual, measurable increase in depth over a six month period.  But I needed to be dilating daily and using estrace cream.  And there is probably a limit as to how much depth I can gain.  But a difference of an inch (one-fifth of overall depth) was very noticeable.  And it was really comforting to know that I could get it back without surgery.  But as I said, it is still high maintenance.  And yeah, I didn't have more drastic complications like prolapse or loss of the vaginal cavity.

I haven't dilated for  some time, I found that it has got tighter, but the depth is still there, not lost any at all really.

I had quite impressive swelling due to having to have a colovaginoplasty so the surgeon showed me the full depth I had as soon as dressings were removed. 
One year on and i've lost maybe an inch of swelling and probably the same depth but I think the far end of the vagina is still just as far in as before and the loss of depth is really loss of external swelling.
Dilating is definietly at least once a day and preferably twice or else its painful and bloody.

Really depends how much "depth" you want, Really not that many guys are that "big" anyway, think average size of a male penis is like 5-6" maybe 7 ? That should be easily achievable. Regular dilating or sex I suppose, would prevent loosing depth anyway.