Facial Masculinization Surgery Recovery
The FMS recovery process largely revolves around the amount of swelling that occurs during treatment. Fortunately, the swelling is more of an aesthetic issue rather than a functional issue, meaning that patients recovering from FMS shouldn’t experience any functional limitations.
The amount of swelling that occurs is largely down to the type and number of procedures performed. That said, there are general postoperative guidelines that can help to estimate the amount of swelling to expect after treatment. Approximately 50 percent of facial swelling should subside within 10 to 14 days after surgery. Close to 65 percent should subside within three weeks of treatment, and virtually all swelling of significance should be gone by six weeks after surgery. But the final results of the surgery cannot be fully assessed until at least three months after surgery, at which point swelling has subsided and the overlying soft tissues have contracted back down over the augmented facial framework.
As one gets through the early recovery phase from FMS, it is important to point out that one’s initial concerns are largely going to be the opposite of FFS. In reductive FFS one is focused on whether the face has been reduced enough and the early swelling makes one feel that it is still too big in many areas. In augmentative FMS, one will feel early on that the face is too big and has been over corrected.
Complications and Risks
FMS procedures are generally very safe with high success rates. However, as with any medical procedure, there is the potential for complications. Because of MFS surgery often uses implants to create the desired changes, this makes the most significant medical risks as that of infection and permanent numbness of nerves close to the implanted facial areas. Fortunately these complications are not common.
The aesthetic risks of FMS surgery are usually of greater relevance and are how the facial outcome appears and how it is perceived by the patient. For example, augmentative changes may be more (or less) pronounced than expected. As a result, there is always the risk of the need for revision of the procedures to optimize their aesthetic outcomes.
Facial Masculinization Surgery Cost & Insurance Coverage
The only way to get an accurate assessment of the cost of FMS is to schedule a virtual consultation and have your pictures assessed and imaged. The cost can vary greatly depending on the number of procedures performed, the cost of the implants used (if any), the operative time required for the surgery, and the location at which it is performed.
The cost of FMS may be covered by insurance in cases of documented female-to-male transgender surgery. However, for the more common instances of men seeking to improve their natural genetic appearance, the treatment is viewed as purely cosmetic and therefore not covered.
Consult a Qualified MFS Surgeon
Here are some tips to consider when consulting a surgeon about MFS:
- Create a list of the facial changes you think would be most helpful for the best transformation to discuss with your surgeon. This will help the surgeon understand your expectations and develop a treatment plan.
- Ask where the surgery will be performed, the extent of the procedure and whether it is going to be done as an outpatient or overnight stay.
- Ask about complications and possible side effects of the procedure. (they can and do happen)
- Ask the recovery period and your activities after surgery so you can plan properly for the time needed.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana