Would you entertain modifying your body to better pass

[Monica Frasier]

Seriously speaking, chondrolaryngoplasty is one thing I most definitely intend to undergo. And not just to assist in passing. Even in male mode, I'm very uneasy about it. Alan Alda would cringe at the sight of this baby!

[MariaT]

I'm very fortunate to have developed gynecomastia a couple of years ago. My breasts have enlarged through a natural drop in my testosterone and an apparent increase in estrogen.
When I was finally diagonosed...everyone suggested reduction surgery. NO WAY..... fortunately my wife agreed....i kid her now that she's a lesbian since I am now almost as large as she is

[Laura Bird]

Permanently modify? No way.

I enjoy CD'ing. It's fun. I wouldn't be insulted if it was called a "hobby." In fact, that's kind of how I think of it. I wouldn't want to permanently modify my body for many reasons, some of which are:

1) I like who I am and how I present when in male mode, as in, I look in the mirror and really do like what I see (ok, so I could lose a few lbs., but that's besides the point.) I wouldn't want to sacrifice this by ruining or lessening my masculine appearance (which is pretty good, if I do say so myself! :p) only to give myself a slightly more marginal (at best) female appearance. I'd rather have one good looking side, and one not good looking side - than two "eh" looking sides.

2) My wife loves and supports my CD'ing and is active and interested, but she married a man and a man is what I am and what I will be. If she wanted to be "with" a woman she would be. She loves my masculine side as much as I do. I wouldn't want to take any bit of that (no matter how tiny) away from her.

3) I would never do something permanent for a "hobby." I wouldn't modify myself for any of my other hobbies (or even my career, which at one point in the past, was also a hobby) so why do it here?

4) There is enough "hardware" out there (forms, corsets, etc.) that more than suffice. Sure, it might be cool to actually "fill out" clothes without this hardware... but that's not possible.

[Azurielle]

I would, but most surgeries aren't without an >5% complication rate and I certainly wouldn't have a bubble of foreign silicone in my body (no matter how medical-grade they are your body still makes a hard shell of rejection tissue around them.

[Carolynn]

Azurielle, if you get a BA, it is important to massage the new breast several times a day after surgery to prevent the surrounding tissue from forming the encapsulation. Some illnesses, like type II diabetes, can cause the encapsulation as well afer having them for a good while. Then, the implants themselves get harder with the longer they are in you, and the reason why you usually need them replaced after 15-20 years. Some have no problems at all. Saline implants also have drawbacks related to the sack containing the saline. So, it is not a perfect solution.

The worst thing one can do is have silicone directly injected into the body, as the stuff does bad things to the immune system over time.

[Davita]

Oh golly, I would do it in a heart beat if I could and there be no consequences. I want some more butt, a defined waist, a bit more boobs (I don't mind my forms really), some face cheeks (but just enough to show I have some) and maybe a brow trim to have better eyes. Do I leave anything out? I didn't mean to.

[Kayla_H]

I would DEFINITELY make some "alterations" in order to pass better. I know the very first thing would be a hair transplant since I'm starting to develop a horrible widows peak (think Jason Statham). The next thing would be a little lipo below the tummy and love handles, I just cant get rid of them no matter how much I try! Third would be electrolysis on everything except the top of my head. After that would be a trachea shave and BA putting me around a full C cup. I already have natural hips and a big butt so I don't worry about that, though I would like to get rid of some cellulite.

I think that would be it, but knowing me, I'd want something else at some point.

[Bernice]

I think of myself as a non-op TS. My dear wife married a man, and a man is what she shall have. I for many years thought that if she passed before I do, things would change.

I fully intended to get laser hair removal, but my beard began to grey before the disposable (inherited) funds were available, so there is little point now.

If I outlive my wife? I'm already too old for any hope of much success at SRS, so I might still be a non-op. After all, it requires an outrageously expensive series of psychiatric evaluations followed by a fairly gruesome series of operations, and a life sentence for hormone therapies, and then there is the vastly increased opportunities for UTI. It is not for the faint of heart.

If I was 20-45 years younger and single or widower-ed? In a heartbeat.

Hugs,

Bernice

[Carolynn]

Bernice, I do not know your age, but I am 67 and will be having surgery (SRS) next month. I am having surgery because it completes me. I will not be some young chick looking for a new life with some guy or gal, I will be having the surgery for me and no other. I can look in the mirror and not see that deformity between my legs, but see the parts I should have always had. Yes, I am not nor have I ever been married, no kids, nada. Still I spun through denial and depression for YEARS trying to suit the expectations of family and others before I finally reached the wall that let me know I would rather die than continue in that incomplete state.

At 67, I am not unique. One friend had her GRS this past July at 68, and the eldest to have herself completed was 71 at the time. It is simply not about being young or thin or anything else. You do the surgery for yourself, because there is no choice. The only surgery that is required is the SRS for you to be who you are. The rest is just window dressing. At least that's my view. There are some who are younger that would disagree and might chose facial surgery and BA over the SRS, so that they would be better accepted. I am old enough not to give a tinkers d---- what others think. I will be me and that is the whole point.

Carolynn

[Leeza]

Carolynn, good luck on your surgery. I wish you a speedy recovery.

Leeza

[Carolynn]

Thanks Leeza!

[Absaroka]

Carolynn I hadn't realized the surgery was in the near future, although perhaps you've posted about it and I forgot.

Good luck and I hope all goes well. Surgery of any kind is always a bit scary but we will be thinking of you. Please keep posting here even though you will finally not be crossdressing. Your posts have been of immense value in this forum I think.

[Robyn Katie]

Hi Carolynn,

I agree with Zari 100%. Your presence here has been of unique worth and inspiring to many of us. Please do keep posting.

Best of luck with the surgery. How exciting it is finally happening for you. May it go well and easily.

When time has passed and you're ready, I hope you will tell us as much about at last "becoming yourself" as you are willing to. I know I, and many others as well, will be interested to know.

Robyn Katie

[Susan]

Carolyn

Good luck - I know several people who have opted for SRS at around your age and to my knowledge it has not caused any problems. I know of one other member here about your age who is on track for her own in the not too distant future. I will leave this member to announce it herself when she is ready

[Carolynn]

Thanks to all for the good wishes. I will share what you would like about the surgery and the feelings following, though some of those may take awhile to be able to put into words.

I promise not to post pictures of the process though!!!

Carolynn