POSTED UNDER Transgender Facial Feminization Surgery REVIEWS
FFS , Facial Feminization Surgery ,forehead Reconstruction, Forehead "Type 3", Jaw Reduction, Sliding Genioplasty
ORIGINAL POST
I am a MTF transgender woman in my early 20's, who...
nicky2.0March 8, 2017
$13,613
I am a MTF transgender woman in my early 20's, who undergone FFS (forehead reconstruction type 3/sliding genioplasty/jaw reduction) by Dr. Bart van de ven of 2pass/o2 clinic or whatever the name is now in Antwerp, Belgium. I am writing this review not to bash anyone but to help my fellow transwomen have more insight based on my experience because i wish i read more reviews before undergoing the surgery. Pre-op Consultation: was fine but Dr. Bart prefers to talk than to listen but i didn't mind as long as i will have a good result. Also, i came to find out that i am the 2nd patient to undergone surgery on the day after the 1st patient who will be under for more than 5 hours, i already felt uncomfortable about that as the doctor might be a bit tired by then. After Surgery: I have noticed that i have bruises and scabs on my forehead area and my forehead looks bulging like a dolphin shape but i figured it is just swelling, but i know that the forehead should be the first to heal but as soon as i got home it is getting worse , it seems the bossing is not entirely removed and the contour irregularities were becoming more apparent as the swelling has gone down ,the forehead looks flat on some angles but a bulging flat looks like huge amount of bone cement was added on the upper nasal root/glabella & above the pre-op bossing to disguise it and make it APPEAR flat but a bulging flat which looks like a dolphin even though i paid for a type 3, now it is really heavy on the frontal sinus area where the pre-op bossing was (post-op dr bart told me at the beginning that it was probably the muscle lol do nor know where that came from, then he changed it and said it must be allergy to the bone cement, but if its bone cement allergy , the problems should be all over the forehead where the bone cement was put not just on the frontal sinus where the pre-op bossing was) but in hindsight on my 1 week post-op consultation with the dr. i already pointed out to the doctor that my forehead is bulging especially on the frontal sinus but he just ignored it and want me to focus on the shaved orbital rims which is the only thing that looks good but is also the easiest thing to do as it is just shaving and is not worth 5000 euros to have a great looking orbital rim with a ridged dolphin forehead, lesson is if the forehead looks like a dolphin on the first week , it will most probably stay looking like a dolphin. i have tried messaging the doctor to seek help but the answers were vague and don't make sense. 3 months post op i could not leave the house without full bangs as the forehead looks very bad and i get clocked more as the forehead is really bulging out of my face. i feel like i did not get the proper forehead type 3 together with my asymmetrical chin it feels my surgery was rushed. hence,i lost trust with this doctor. he might be a few thousand euros cheaper than the others (although i paid 5000 euros for the forehead "type 3" alone) but now i have to undergo a fresh PROPER type 3 in the future maybe in 3 years time as i am only in my early 20's and i had already emptied my funds and is still currently paying bank loans after undergoing this FFS failure with no insurance no support from my government nor my family i have paid everything myself. In the end going for the cheaper option almost always end up with you get what you paid for and will have to pay
more in the long run. every patient may have different experiences with this surgeon but this is my experience and i would like to share it.
more in the long run. every patient may have different experiences with this surgeon but this is my experience and i would like to share it.
Replies (26)
March 9, 2017
Hi
In your contract or proposal with Dr Bart he promises to correct with further surgeries if thats what you need. Have you discussed having further surgery with him to correct your bulging? I have seen allergies to the materials that can be used as the plate in the type 3 reconstruction and that allergy usually is large bulging from swelling and you really must get this looked at, have you been to see anybody yet and are going to see Dr Bart for a follow up?
March 10, 2017
Hi , i do understand that revision is unpredictable but if 2 out of 3 procedures i did needed major re-do not a revision as revision is for small tweaks. I no longer trust this doctor to touch my face. and as for the "plate" there should be no plate, you can even check the Dr's website, there should be sinus osteotomy then the frontal sinus BONE itself should be placed back. therefore, if i am not allergic to my OWN frontal sinus bone pre-op i should not be post op either. All what happened to me with this surgery was a mess , and that is all there is to it.
March 10, 2017
It is the bone CEMENT you could be allergic to. From 6 weeks after the surgery the bone has healed and the cement can be removed. This will be half an hour work.
Dr Bart van de Ven, maxillofacial surgeon
Dr Bart van de Ven, maxillofacial surgeon
March 11, 2017
to all my fellow transwomen, kindly read my main post above with photos and judge by yourselves, need not to be a doctor only common sense to understand what happened. In the end this is my experience and i am not going in circles anymore with these people, i just would like to share it as i said i wish i read more honest unbiased reviews when i was pre-op, but then again i am not stopping anyone to undergo surgery with this doctor at their own risk.
April 12, 2017
March 10, 2017
First of all let me start by saying I can feel your disappointment into your words and we do not underestimate how this makes you feel. That's why we think you should not have faith with your face, we can work this out.
We looked into your medical file again and rest assured, Dr van de Ven used the exact same technique with you as with everybody else. A possible explanation can be that you had an allergic reaction to the bone cement. If that is the case, Dr van de Ven can easily and 100% sure, repair the damage and remove the bump completely.
Of course this means you have to travel again to Belgium but considering the outcome, I think it's worth it. If you need me to write a letter for your work or whatever you might need to arrange the travel, let me know.
You came to Dr van de Ven because you were looking for the best result, and that is what we need to give you. Also for Dr van de Ven it would mean a lot if you came because he wants his patients to be happy and satisfied, otherwise he doesn't have pride from his work. He is confident he can give you a beautiful forehead so please reconsider coming to Belgium.
Feel free to contact me if you need further assistance, I'll be here for you!
Elli Geerts,
Patient coordinator Dr van de Ven
We looked into your medical file again and rest assured, Dr van de Ven used the exact same technique with you as with everybody else. A possible explanation can be that you had an allergic reaction to the bone cement. If that is the case, Dr van de Ven can easily and 100% sure, repair the damage and remove the bump completely.
Of course this means you have to travel again to Belgium but considering the outcome, I think it's worth it. If you need me to write a letter for your work or whatever you might need to arrange the travel, let me know.
You came to Dr van de Ven because you were looking for the best result, and that is what we need to give you. Also for Dr van de Ven it would mean a lot if you came because he wants his patients to be happy and satisfied, otherwise he doesn't have pride from his work. He is confident he can give you a beautiful forehead so please reconsider coming to Belgium.
Feel free to contact me if you need further assistance, I'll be here for you!
Elli Geerts,
Patient coordinator Dr van de Ven

March 20, 2017
Ah Elli Geerts, The person who removed me from Dr Bart's closed Facebook page when I posted a pic of my mangled right temple area (Dr Bart's Work), asking for advice. That's patient support/co-ordination for you!
April 11, 2017
March 12, 2017
I would strongly advise you to seek a second opinion, and maybe a third before having revision surgery with this doctor. It is very appealing to go for revision surgery with the same doctor because the cost is so much less. However, you have to be one hundred percent confident in your doctor's ability. Discussion with other surgeons would help you to understand why the problems you had occurred, and whether they were unfortunate but possible outcomes, rather than the result of incompetence.
Also, check other's reviews of this doctor on Rate My MD, as well as on this site.
Also, check other's reviews of this doctor on Rate My MD, as well as on this site.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope you find support in the community.