Facial Feminization Surgery

I went to see Dr. Lee for a consultation in September 2018. Prior and after meeting with him I had seen other well known FFS surgeons in California for consultations. I decided to go with Dr. Lee because he is triple board certified, and although he is known for doing some famous celebs, he seemed humble and down to earth but assertive in his work and ability to get me the results I was seeking. When he was suggesting what procedures in his opinion would feminize my face it was exactly the things I was insecure about/uncomfortable features I had. He explained exactly what he would do to correct the issue. I was very pleased with my consultation and his professional input.
Afterwards I spoke to Susan, the office manager, in regards to the total cost for Dr. Lee’s price and the operating room charges. Over time and before booking, I kept calling and emailing back-n-forth with her to add or remove procedures. I can’t say how grateful I am for her patience and her willingness to work with me. She understands that everyone’s financial situation is different and I appreciate her working with me. I finally decided to book for March 2019 for the following:
1) Hair line lowering
2) Brow-bone set reduction
3) Jaw reduction
4) genioplasty advancement ( I had a chin implant put in by a different surgeon, I didn’t care much for it as I thought it was too wide for my face )
5) cheek implants
As the surgery approached I started calling more often to make payments, find out about dates and times and that is when I had the pleasure of speaking more with Dominique. She has the most feminine voice I’ve heard in a while, apart from that she too is very sweet and kind. Any question I had she always made sure to get an answer for me and let me know via phone or email. I appreciate her for understanding how important this was for me and always getting back to me.
Finally the day before the surgery I went in to see Dr. Lee for a pre-op we discussed everything he was going to do and he made sure we were both on the same page, he also answered any last minute questions I had. This is also when I meet Vilma, another sweetheart who happens to the the surgical tech. She went over with me on what I should expect after the surgery and what I should wear over to the surgery center along with providing me with a phone number I could reach her at should I or my caretaker have any questions.
Finally the day of the surgery 01MAR19. I went in to the surgery center, the staff was very nice as well. Before the surgery Dr. Lee came in took some pictures and once again went over what he was going to do and asked if I had any questions. I was taken back and before I knew it I was in a wheelchair on my way to Serenity, the aftercare center.
The day after the surgery I went in to Dr. Lee’s office and saw Vilma who checked me out and again went over with me on what i should expect, what I could eat and how to take care of the wounds, surgical areas. She kept ensuring me if I had any questions or needed anything to not hesitate to call her. My face was really swollen, that was my only concern but she put me at ease. Everyone’s body reacts different so please keep that in mind.
On the third day after the surgery I went back to see Vilma and she took of my bandages and cleaned me up real good. She then explained how to properly take care of the the wounds and kept reassuring me if I needed anything or if I noticed anything out of the norm in myself to give her a call. Luckily, I never had to call her for anything bad just to confirm my meeting time with her.
I then flew back to TX to recover and came back to California about two weeks later to get the stitches, staples, and screws removed. Getting the screws removed was interesting.
As an active duty service member, I can’t thank Dr. Lee and his staff, Susan, Dominique and Vilma for all they did for me. I no longer have any anxiety about people knowing I’m transgender because to most I’m just another woman. If passing is important in the civilian sector imagine how much more in the military. Knowing I still had male facial traits and being looked weird or sometimes treated differently at work because of who I am.
To me choosing the right doctor was critical because I knew I only had one shot, and this is what I needed to feel complete and comfortable in my own skin. I’m glad I decided to go with Dr. Lee and will continue to go back for any future surgeries. Thank you again!