Welp — An Additional Facial Feminization Procedure
NB: It is encouraged that you read my two (2) previous articles here on how my facial feminization surgery (FFS) went to get a better scope of everything in this article, but not necessary as I’ll try to give a brief rundown of things so far for those who don’t keep up with my journey.
Ok sports fans, as promised this article is my third update regarding my ongoing saga that is my recovery from facial feminization surgery (FFS). A quick recap, I really really underestimated FFS and its recovery time from my eyes swelling shut so I couldn’t see to not being able to eat for a period of time (detailed in Part 1 above) and then a possible screw coming loose in my jaw almost causing me to be rushed to the OR to have emergency surgery because of an infection that I had that was thought to be the result of a malfunction of the hardware in jaw (all detailed in Part 2) And if you’re thinking at this point “This all sounds so crazy!” well yeah it is and I detail everything in the above articles, lol.
So without further ado, I had my most recent postop with my surgeon this time and not just the PA (Physician’s Assistant). The surgeon first confirmed that everything was fine in my jaw. He said the CT scan didn’t show any faulty hardware or screw loose to cause the infection that I had. The infection was probably a fluke occurrence that just happened to be near the sight of one of the screws in my jaw from the FFS. So in all likelihood the ER doctor that I had overreacted which is fine, I would rather have them overreact and treat everything seriously then underreact and I experience some unexpected complications because of their under reaction. But seriously, this is GREAT news as I can’t fathom them going back in and having to repair things.
My surgeon then looked at my scarring from where they did a facelift at the top of my forehead and he said it looks great (and is honestly barely noticeable anymore). I told him I recently felt two (2) bumps spaced apart on the left/right side of my head which I asked about and he again nonchalantly just said “Oh those are just a couple of anchors I put in your skull to shore things up…they’ll dissolve in about a year from the surgery date.” Me just sitting there as he’s telling me there’s anchors in my head that I didn’t know were there had me thinking of that meme where everything is on fire and there is a dog in the room saying “This is fine.”
Oh but then my surgeon added, “After about a year, there me be a slight overgrowth of bone in either of those places which is totally normal, nothing to be concerned about.” So what you’re telling me I may grow unsightly horns now, lol? Welp I guess my Halloween costume is set for the rest of my life if they grow in, lol. Oh and speaking of overgrowths, that brings me to the final diagnosis/assessment of my surgeon.
In looking at the interior of my mouth where they went intra-oral to laser down the bones in my jaw and chin line, the gums in the front of my mouth as my surgeon put it “healed too much.” There is an overgrowth of my gums that when he was poking and prodding them with his finger asking “Does this hurt? Are you sure? This should hurt…” and I’m just sitting there like “Nope, not at all…it’s honestly still kinda numb but there is zero pain.”
My surgeon looked at me and was like “Yeah we’re going to have to do a procedure, go in and cut out the overgrowth and then cauterize the wound because it should not be like that. I make that incision 50 times a year and it’s never done that. The procedure is fairly routine, should only take about 30 minutes and we’ll numb everything up so you won’t feel a thing and you won’t have to under anesthesia.” My surgeon is also going to send the cut out gums/tissue to a lab to see why it healed like that which I think a) is kinda cool; and b) awesome because maybe he can learn something from it and as you all know, I am always trying to pay it forward to the next transwoman or surgeon as the case may be!
I told him “I can definitely tell there’s an overgrowth there…I can feel it with my tongue and I have noticed it in some photos recently as my chin actually looks bigger than it should be. When can we do the procedure?” So I met with the scheduling person and my procedure is set for November just before Thanksgiving. I forgot to ask the surgeon about recovery time/eating…because ya know of all the underestimating I’ve been doing regarding FFS and was still kinda dumbfounded I needed another procedure. So I followed up with the PA and she said I should be fine to eat later in the day after the procedure, recovery is 1–2 weeks and that I can drive myself there and back. So hopefully all goes according to plan…fingers crossed.
News of this procedure inspired me writing my most recent article that I am angry I wasn’t born a cis gender woman because I wouldn’t have to undergo any of this is if I was just born in the right body from the get go. I’ve echoed this in the past that with any kind of surgery there is a risk, even with this “routine procedure” there is a risk but it’s worth it because it will give me piece of mind that I’ve done everything I can to be the best woman I can be…inside and out. I know people will remind me that “You are beautiful just the way you are!” or “You don’t need surgery to feel like yourself or to be trans!” but for me it is because that’s just how I feel and see myself…to each their own is my motto.
Rest assured stay tuned for hopefully the exciting and suspenseful conclusion to this FFS saga I have going on most likely in December when it’s all healed up.
All the Best!
- Amber
NB: Did you know you can clap more than once? If you weren’t aware of that fact and you really liked my article, please give it as many claps as you deem worthy as it’s my form of payment and paying it forward as well as it let’s me know what I am writing is worthwhile and valuable. Thank you for your support!
