What to Expect 1 Week After Facial Feminization FFS | MtF Transgender

Facial feminization surgery raises eyebrows even in the trans community. It essentially entails one or multiple surgical procedures in order to alter or change many of your physical attributes  that you perceive to be masculine.

As the name suggests, the goal is to ensure that such attributes are feminized so you can pass or alleviate symptoms of gender dysphoria. 

 

Facial feminization has a painful recovery period according to many trans women. The areas where you undergo procedures may look blue and swollen for a couple of weeks.

Especially the first day after the procedure is said to be extremely painful- nausea, headache, grogginess, and disorientation are just some of the symptoms that many trans women have reported experiencing after undergoing FFS.

The nausea, in particular, is said to be particularly extreme, which can be attributed to the potent anesthesia used during the procedure. This could make even the process of drinking water extremely stressful and uncomfortable.

The empty stomach obviously does not help either. It is said that the symptoms of nausea and headache tend to last for four or five days.    

 

Unfortunately, all you can do during this period is wait it out. The symptoms will gradually subside and the swelling will come down, demonstrating some impeccable outcomes. However, since it’s an extensive procedure, the swelling will persist for several days. It is important not to be disheartened or lose hope.

Typically, it takes over three months for the face to look how it is supposed to look. But once it is completely healed, you look younger and feminized, making the aftermath of this surgery particularly rewarding. 

 

You would no longer have a complex relationship with your mirror. In fact, many trans women have reported that during the first week following the surgery, they have noticed a shift in their relationship with the mirror from negative to neutral.

It is safe to state that it wouldn’t take too long for your self-perception to change further. 

 

One common experience during this week is the constant anxiety surrounding whether you overdid it or did not do enough. You may also worry that you did not cover all the problem areas.

This resembles typical buyer’s remorse. However, since all the details were most likely discussed with the doctor prior to the surgery, their recommendations would seldom involve overdoing the procedure. If you believe that you haven’t done enough, it might help to remember that you are not running out of time.

You can undergo this surgery again sometime in the future. Once you have saved up an adequate amount. Remember, money comes and goes. Here, you are investing in yourself and your peace of mind.       

 

During the first couple of days, you might find it challenging to eat food. However, it is important to be physically fit to recover faster.

We highly recommend eating comfort, pureed food until your body is ready to consume solids. But for better advice, it is best to ask your doctor for diet recommendations.     

 

Once the staples are out, things will start looking better as there are no restrictions with how you can sleep. Once you start getting more rest, recovery follows soon enough. Since the surgery is pretty intense, returning to normalcy might take some time. 

However, as stated above, it is all going to be worth it if this is something that you definitely want. Due to the harsh recovery period, it is important that you really think this decision through.

If you feel like you are already passing and your dysphoria is not intense, you may not even need this surgery. It’s completely your prerogative, since there are no wrong or right decisions here. 

 

We hope this article gave you an insight into what the first week following the FFS could look like. Good luck!!

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