Will I Get Very Visible Results From Facial Feminization Surgery?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in the facial feminization procedures of Forehead Brow Bone Reduction, Zygoma Reduction, and Jaw Reduction I was about to have these procedures done by a well-known FFS plastic surgeon on the east coast. But my trans friends’ results were either very bad or unnoticeable after 6 months of recovery. My friends felt like the surgeon had his students do the procedures. 

I’m hoping to have very good and noticeable results with you.

A: Thank you for your inquiry and sending your pictures. When it comes to your brow bone-forehead reduction I believe that will create a very noticeable change as seen in the attachment predictions. But when it comes to the lower 2/3s of your face there are some significant limitations in potential reductive effects due to your thick soft tissue layer over the bone. Cheekbone reduction osteotomies combined with buccal lipectomies and perioral/facial liposuction is needed to make for any visible change for the middle face. However, your wider and vertically shorter face poses a real challenge for changes in the lower third. The good news in that regard is that the chin needs to be lengthened and brought forward (mini V line surgery) which will help the most for making the lower face a bit thinner. While the jawbone behind it is wide the thick masseter muscle and overlying soft tissue poses real limitations of any visible results done to the bone. The width of the jaw angles and the masseter muscles need to be thinned as a combined effort, which will help, but it will never be as narrow or ideal as you would ever like it to be.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana