Transsexual Road Map Notes

Thursday, September 20, 2007

FFS on a scale from 1 to 10?

A reader notes:

I’m really more concerned about passing well even after the surgery… but I’ve gotten to the point that it doesn’t devastate me to not pass as long as I do the best that I can to present as a woman.  Part of doing the best that I can is to get FFS. 

Could you give me a few words on how much difference FFS typically makes in passability?  I guess what I’m fishing for here is, if 10 is complete passibility and 0 is complete non-passiblity, do you think FFS moves people from 2’s to 8’s or is it only from 2’s to 4’s? (Obviously everyone’s different, but your opinion since you’ve been through it would be very important to me)

My reply:

Obviously, everyone’s different in terms of results. I know people who have had minimal improvement, and I also know people who had even more astonishing results than I.

Based on your scale, I’d say FFS in my case took me from a 2 to a 6 on a passing scale, with voice and electrolysis taking me up to a 9+ in total. Remember, there’s a difference between passing and looking good. I know some beautiful women who are clearly TS, and some very homely women who are unclockable.

FFS is not a magic way to pass. Change the things you feel you want to, and don’t worry about the others. Voice is probably the second most important thing if your face is within female range.

Obtaining female hormones at 16?

A reader notes:

Hi, I’m a 16 (almost 17) year old MtF transsexual, I have a question about the age limit on receiving hormones or if you require a parent’s consent to receive a prescription for hormones if you are under 18. I already have a therapist but I haven’t discussed hormone issues yet. Thanks, great site btw

My reply:

Technically, you need your parents’ permission, but some people have gotten around that. I think it’s the best way to do it. If you think it will be a problem (sounds like your parents don’t know), you should at least try to get on an androgen blocker as soon as possible. And if you have a choice, I recommend getting injectible hormones when you’re ready. I think they’re more effective.

Talk with your therapist to see what they think. Maybe they can help you decide how to handle the parent thing. If you think your doctor will be cool, you might ask them, too, but they’ll probably require parental permission. Kind of like the ultimate field trip!

See also:
* Obtaining hormones and antiandrogens as a minor: overview

Passing as male after FFS?

A reader notes:

I’ve had an FFS consultation and would really, really, like to get facial surgery.  I need to work as a male for 4 more years until I retire and then can go full time.  (I’m 51) The surgeon has told me that passing as a male should not be a problem, but he seems to do such a wonderful feminization job that I’m afraid that I won’t be able to remain employed as a male after surgery.  It looks like you had similar concerns during your transition.  Do you think it’s possible to get FFS and still pass as a male on the job?

My reply:

Yes, I think it’s quite possible to pass as male after surgery. I could pass as male right now if I really wanted to. You may need to take extra steps. I found that I needed to use my male voice when I encountered people I didn’t know to avoid being ma’amed, but if you get the surgery and hold off on a face lift, the jaw work won’t be noticeable to most.

The main thing is to overcompensate after face work: masculine clothes, no brow plucking, no earrings or painted nails, etc. The longer you go, the more likely you’ll get ma’amed now and then, but with a conscientious effort on your part, the only thing you might need to do is explain away a nose job or something.

For most people, it comes down to whether you want people to notice or not. If you make a serious effort to pass as male, you’ll be fine. FTMs at all stages of transition do it all the time.

Plastic surgery and diminishing returns

A reader notes:

I pass almost all of the time, but I am considering getting some additional work done. The only thing is that it’s going to cost about $5,000, and that’s a lot of money for me. What are your thoughts?

My reply:

There’s a point when surgery is a question of diminishing returns. If you pass 90% of the time, is it worth $5K and a lot of recovery to pass 93%? Only you can answer that, but there’s a certain point where most of us pretty much reach our threshold.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

FFS complication with nasal packing

A reader notes:

My nose packing was suctioned out of one nostril through my mouth.  This occurred about 14 hours after surgery.  The night nurse set up a suction device, like dental hygenists use, soon after surgery so I could rinse blood out of my mouth/throat instead of swallowing it and vomiting (wishful thinking!).  The surgeon had to be paged—the gauze was being threaded from my nose through the back of my throat and hanging out my mouth (a nurse taped it to the side of my face until the surgeon showed up) and I was gagging.  Boy was the surgeon mad at that nurse for giving me the suction (I didn’t know what I was doing, my surgery had ended at 8 p.m.).

Anyway, the surgeon decided NOT to repack that nostril, the other side came out four days later.  Now, at over 6 weeks post-surgery, the “early-unpacked” nostril is caved in a little.  It’s not horrible, but it is noticeable and definitely not up to par for what should be a world class rhinoplasty result.  Although I haven’t sent pictures of it yet, the surgeon said that it should be repairable, but that they always wait a whole year before doing any nose touch up.