I began the process of deciding who I wanted to perform my procedures, and selected three plastic surgeons that I had heard about, or been recommended. First thing I did was meet with the surgeon for a consultation. Most plastic surgeons charge a consultation fee, since they are providing a professional evaluation, recommendation and explanation of procedures. Be sure to ask about fees when you make the appointment. During the consultation, you will want to discuss your goals with your surgeon. Your surgeon will examine you and advise the best procedure to achieve your desired results. The surgeon should: answer all of your questions thoroughly and clearly; ask for your reaction to recommendations; offer alternatives, where appropriate, without pressuring you to consider unneeded or additional procedures; welcome questions about professional qualifications, experience, costs and payment policies; make clear the risks of surgery and possible outcomes; leave the final decision to you. Ask about the recovery time needed for your procedures, and if you will need help during that recovery time, and what sort of after care can you expect to provide. Most procedures require general anesthetic, and so travel to and from the site the surgery is performed will need to be arranged.
Your surgery should take place in a surgical facility or hospital that is safe and well equipped. Facilities with accreditation from a recognized accrediting organization have demonstrated that they have appropriate equipment and staff to safely monitor patients and deal with potential complications. You should ask whether the facility your surgeon uses is accredited, or is in the process of being accredited. Understand the limitations as well as the benefits of plastic surgery. No surgery can achieve perfection, and there is no guarantee that the results will look exactly as you envision them. An enhanced appearance after surgery may improve your self-esteem, plastic surgery will not solve career, marital or emotional problems, darn it. Time your surgery at a point when you don't feel exceptional stress and when you have emotional support available, and I know that is hard; plastic surgery is not suitable for people who are prone to mood swings or erratic behavior, who abuse drugs or alcohol, or who are receiving treatment for clinical depression.
As I proceeded with my interviews, we determined that I would benefit greatly from the following procedures:
Facelift (Rhytidectomy) a surgical procedure designed to improve the most visible signs of the aging process by eliminating excess fat, tightening the muscles beneath the skin of the neck, and removing sagging skin. Because of the amount of excess skin in my case, I will have to have the standard face lift procedure, which is much more aggressive in it’s execution than the endoscopic option. The endoscopic surgery consists of the surgeon making several small incisions through which the surgeon can insert a small pencil-like camera device connected to a television monitor, and is inserted through one of the incisions, allowing the surgeon to have a clear view of the muscles and tissues beneath the skin. Using another instrument inserted through a different incision, the skin is lifted and the muscles and underlying tissues are removed or altered to produce a smoother appearance. The eyebrows may also be lifted and secured into their higher position by sutures beneath the skin's surface or by temporary fixation screws placed behind the hairline.
Forehead Lift: "browlift" is a procedure that restores a more youthful, refreshed look to the area above the eyes. The procedure corrects drooping brows and improves the horizontal lines and furrows that can make a person appear angry, sad or tired. In a forehead lift, the muscles and tissues that cause the furrowing or drooping are removed or altered to smooth the forehead, raise the eyebrows and minimize frown lines and give one a smoother forehead skin and a more animated appearance.
Eyelid Surgery: (Blepharoplasty) is a procedure to remove fat--usually along with excess skin and muscle from the upper and lower eyelids. Eyelid surgery can correct drooping upper lids and puffy bags below your eyes. However, it won't remove crow's feet or other wrinkles, eliminate dark circles under your eyes, or lift sagging eyebrows.
Nasal Surgery: (Rhinoplasty) The nose varies tremendously from individual to individual and, of course, may be quite masculine compared with being desirably female. If one has thin skin, a significant size reduction can generally be completed. If the skin is quite thick (as is often the case in males), the contour can still be markedly improved, but there may be a definite limitation to the size reduction possible. However, contour changing alone greatly feminizes the basic nasal appearance.
All of these procedures are carried out under a general anesthetic, with a suggested recovery time of two weeks before returning to work, and four to eight weeks recovery time before major social events. How long these procedures will last varies from individual to individual, but in the event that additional work needs to be done, it is much simple following the initial surgery, and can generally be completed on an outpatient basis. I am excited by the possibility of having my face looking younger, smoother, and more feminine in an effort to have a smoother transition into the public mainstream.
Thanks for listening,
Allison
