Facial Feminization Surgery (FFS)
Nose, Lips, Eyebrows and Cheeks
Complete facial feminization surgery will involve enhancements to the nose,
lips, eyebrows and cheeks.
- Eyebrows - Can be lifted by tightening the muscles
attached to the outer third of the eyebrow. One incision is made during
scalp advance or brow-bossing reduction, or two very small incisions are
made in the scalp.
- Nose - Standard rhinoplasty techniques can be
used and involves changing the nose’s contour to make it appear more
feminine. Nasal surgery is usually completed under general anesthesia, and
rarely requires a night in the hospital. Complete recovery takes ten to
twelve days
- Cheeks - Cheek augmentation is achieved with
solid implants or bone-filler paste. Solid implants are available in several
shapes and can be placed over or under the cheekbone or closer to the nose.
Bone-filler can be molded to its desired shape. The patient is sedated and
the implants are placed through a tunnel, into a pocket under soft tissue
over the cheekbones. Certain bone cuts and bone segment repositioning is
useful for this facial feminization procedure. Pain, swelling, stiffness
and temporary numbness may occur. Tenderness in the teeth may also occur
and smiling and chewing might be affected.
- Lips- To shorten the distance between the nose
and top lip, an incision is made just under the nose, a section of skin
is removed and the gap, which raises the lip. During a lip lift, the lip
can be rolled outwards making it fuller, and an entire section of skin from
lip to nose can be angled back slightly if necessary. Natural or synthetic
and solid or injected implants can also make the lips fuller. Alternatively,
an incision can be made at the Vermilion Border (the edge between the red
and white parts of the lip).
