FFS and HRT - Which first?

[LaurenA]

Are there any recomendations on having FFS before or after starting HRT?

[Jackie C.]

Personally, I would recommend taking HRT and seeing what it does for you. You might decide that you don't even want FFS once you've settled in a little.

 

Hugs!

[Jani]

Start with HRT and see what changes come.  You may be surprised and eventually need less (or no) surgery.   

[Bri2020]

Absolutely HRT.  It's probably going to make you feel "right in the head" which if you feel "wrong" like a lot of transgender people than changing your appearance won't the impact you hope for.  Also, most plastic surgeons won't do it without having been on HRT  or at least living in your gender role for some time.  I know Kaiser won't do it unless a mental health professional recommends it and says you are ready. 

Estrogen also helps redistribute fat into the cheeks so absolutely don't get cheek implants if you plan on doing HRT at some point or you may regret it.

I'm trying to get my FFS set up for this fall which will be a little over a year on HRT.

[Jackie C.]

What Bri said. My avatar is all me. No FFS required.

 

And my cheekbones are amazing thank you very much. ?

 

Hugs!

[Ann W]

A prominent FFS surgeon here in California says he doesn't like to do the surgery until the patient has been on HRT for at least a year, preferably two.  They want to see how the tissue changes before making decisions about the bone underneath.

[KathyLauren]

I hadn’t made up my mind on FFS, but I waited until I had some idea what HRT would do for me.  I was astounded!  One day, I looked in the mirror and saw a woman’s lips on my face.  A month or so later, I saw a woman’s eyes looking back at me.  My cheeks are a more feminine shape now, too.

 

HRT won’t change bones, but the changes it can make on soft tissue are amazing, even though they are subtle.

 

Definitely HRT first.

[LaurenA]

Thanks for all of the advice.  Looks like HRT first for at least a year.  I suppose it might take that long or longer to get an appointment anyway.

[Jani]

3 hours ago, KathyLauren said:

HRT won’t change bones, but the changes it can make on soft tissue are amazing, even though they are subtle.

Yes!!  I recall speaking with my doctor about my weight and how my face had gotten so thin as I aged.  My weight hadn't changed at all.  Years later when I started HRT I saw my face fill back out to a point where I was happy again.  

 

I will also add that although expensive by itself getting a trachea shave can be done without any mental health recommendation.