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Try to get scar laser treatment or medical tattoos to cover the scars.
Correct. Not uncommon following any major reconstructive surgery.
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I’m ftm and I have scars where OP has theirs (I don’t know why) so I think when they fade a bit over time it’ll feel much better
Ant change you were born intersex and your parents chose the wrong genitalia to save?? Lol, kidding... of course I don't know if that would even have that kind of result. Just... interesting to think about why you'd have those scars my friend. Hugs, and love to you!!
I have no idea and I would be too afraid to ask my parents who haven’t exactly been the most supportive but I do wonder sometimes
I'm sorry about your parents, I lost mine in transition and know how much it sucks (and I was 36). Sucks you'll always have to wonder... you could always check with the hospital you were born at... they should know.
I'm more pissed off than you can imagine. There were girls at the same hospital as me with a different surgeon that did a much better job stitching the wound closed and her patients have virtually no scarring. Mine was rushed in less than 1.5 hours.
My complaint has pictures of the differences and the alternate surgeon is meeting with me to see if she can fix the mess that he left.
So if you think it's great, want to swap ? If you haven't had it done would you use my original surgeon ? I can't even stick a finger in it without a glove on as no matter how much lube I use the skin gets pulled painfully and feels like it's going to tear.
I can't even get close to climaxing, the clitoris has virtually no sensation and dilation is painful every fracking time.
Honestly wish I hadn't bothered. I'm in a worse place now than I was pre op, at least I didn't want to kill myself then and I wasn't on several different meds to stop me going through with it.
Maybe a combination of injection and laser (CO2 or dye pulsed) for a couple of sessions. There are routine treatments for hypertrophic scars and they are effective in most cases after several sessions. This will accelerate the fading of scars. I'm also fighting against multiple hypertrophic scars on my body. Some disappeared permanently just after one injection of corticosteroids. Believe me, these scars will ultimately and relatively quickly be flattened and fade away after active treatment rather than leaving them untreated. Also these are hypertrophic scars but not keloids. Hypertrophic scars are easier to treat with less reoccurring rate, so may require less sessions.
I think you're being excessively hard on yourself. The aesthetic of your vulva looks nice to me. Yes there are scars, but firstly, those scars can happen if there's any kind of injury or surgery on the labia, not specifically MtF vaginoplasty; that means those scars could occur on someone born with a vulva too. Sure, you couldn't pretend that nothing happened down there—there'd have to be some sort of injury or surgery in your past—but nothing about that vulva suggests specifically that you were born with a penis.
Aesthetically, genuinely, I think it looks pretty. Plenty of people with natal vulvae have fat pussy lips, but if you're unhappy with the size of your pussy lips, you could have lipo on them. Like, as someone who was born with a vulva and is into vulvae sexually, it looks completely fine to me.
I remember you saying you had issues with the sensation too which is a completely valid complaint and I'm sorry you're going through that. I hope you can get the sensation issues sorted, but I think you're being far too harsh on the aesthetics. It's a genuinely very pretty-looking vulva.
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Alt account?
Anyway, yes. The scarring is definitely bad. And I can see why you wouldn’t like the puffiness on the sides. Definitely not uncommon, even in cis women, but I get why you would want it flatter. But I can imagine it looking amazing if you had a revision to help with the scars and maybe soft tissue removal around the edge. Like, the labia are really really well done, some of the best I’ve seen.
I’m not fully understanding your comments about tucking and such because your vulva looks great to me?
I’m sorry that your scarring is so dark currently but that’s to be expected for any surgery. Visible scarring is pretty expected here especially so early on. There’s also a lot of people with natal vulvas who have genital scarring for a lot of different reasons (before I got rid of mine I had visible scarring)
I hope you’re able to find peace and that something or someone is able to help you be happier with yourself soon. I’m sorry that you feel so much pain
This is 7 months post op. Most other surgeons manage a better result in 7 weeks than I have at 7 months. It's not on and needs to be cut out and stitched together properly.
Go and look at some of the results for Tina Rashid or Larner, every one of them has been stitched up tidy and the scarring is hardly visible. Bellringer obviously doesn't give a fuck and thinks it's acceptable to leave this mess then ignore me when I complain about it.
Have you even looked at the last picture ?
even the best surgeons and the best stitches can lead to visible scarring because most of it depends on how the individual heals. i have seen a LOT of people with similar scarring or even worse. I don't think your surgeon prepared you properly for this if you weren't expecting it to be a possibility.
general rule of thumb is that if you're being cut open somewhere you should expect the possibility of visible scars. everyone heals differently.
Well obviously not. No way I would have gone through with this is I thought it was going to look so crap.
The problem is his stitches looked crap from day one and he rushed it because he doesn't care.
Seriously look at the last picture and tell me he made an effort to reduce the scarring. They were not even taped over as I have seen a lot of other surgeons do. They were not sewn flat at all and you can see flesh bulging out before the swelling started making it even worse.
It's also not down to me scarring badly, I almost cut off my finger and had it sewn back together. The scars were gone within 6 months and now I can only see a tiny white line if I look really close. That surgeon obviously used a better technique and it worked perfectly hardly leaving a mark. Contrast that with the messy purple V.
i do agree that the stitching doesn't look as fine as it should be (probably not enough sutures? i feel like it should have had more closer together). this kind of scarring is still always a risk though and its really upsetting that he didn't prepare you for that possibility.
i get that with the scarring, but even the same person can scar differently depending on circumstance. ive had some surgeries heal flawlessly and you can barely see the scars and then others have really deep and dark scars.
there are luckily options for revising those scars though if they don't fade in time since a lot of people do have issues with hypertrophic and keloid scarring so there's been methods made to help with that. i really hope you're able to access those treatments and they work out for you.
Bellringer is the UK's butcher when it comes to GRS. Not sure why you went with him, but hey ho.
Those stitches look awful and no wonder you've been left with lots of scarring. Was he careless because he expect's you to cover it all up with pubic hair? Not everybody goes for the hairy look. For the stitches you should expect plastic surgeon levels of care, not something that looks like how a teenage trainee meat cutter working at Tesco might truss up a joint of pork.
I was thinking about going to him but saw an example of his work where the vulva was literally on the front of the person, not underneath between their legs like a cis female. It looked awful and I crossed him off my list immediately after seeing that horrendous and utterly incorrect example. I went overseas instead because honestly the UK is so far behind current GRS techniques.
I didn't think I had a choice as it was NHS and my only chance at getting it done, that's what I was led to beleive anyway. I didn't know about Reddit and not seen any of these groups so I thought they were all the same.
I'm absolutely devastated 😥
My heart goes out to you I can’t really see pics as my phone is probably not modern enough but I ve spent the last few years trying to warn people about JB and endured a lot of abuse even got banned from sone groups I ve heard so many stories of awful surgical results from him and even met a couple in real life one totally ruined and still on morphine and completely botched in every way I ve heard from. Insiders that he boasts at how quick he is I was for many years ICU nurse manager in NHS the arrogant surgeons who go for speed and refuse to update techniques or learn are the worst They act like gods and are dangerous hence why despite Thailand advancing SRS with PPT or scrotal technique he refuses to learn I really feel for you Even today I ve had criticsm You are helping others For me I ve been waiting for so long and at my age running out of time
Thank you so much for your support. I don't understand why people think I'm wrong pointing out how crap he treated me and how poor my result is.
Do they really think if I was happy with the result I would be in such a mess and traumatized from all this.
Thank you for sharing, I know it can be hard when you're unhappy with your results.
Have you heard of medical tattooing? I know it's super common with FTM too surgery. I would imagine with some pigment they would look less prominent.
Secondly, have you heard of scar mobilization? You use your fingers to move / massage the scar tissue, it's supposed to help your scars be less stiff and help your tissue heal the scar more effectively.
The good news is that everything else looks really nice. AND the things you don't like can be fixed with excision, which is always possible. (And you have plenty of tissue there to move around to suit your ends more.)
Thank you for the realistic useful points. I'm trying to massage the scars daily as they are a bit hard and the scar line is tighter than the surrounding tissue. I'm hoping this helps but I think the realistic option is excision, yes there is quite a bit of excess tissue so I suppose I should be thankful for something.
Really not sure about tattooing though, I have never liked the idea anywhere and...... down there 😱
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Thank you for understanding. What you are going through sounds awfull and I really hope you can get it fixed by a competent team and some day be happy with the result.
I'm not pretending mine is anywhere near as bad as yours sounds but I think it's important to let people know what they are getting in to. I didn't know about this group or Reddit before surgery and none of the post op pics I could find of Bellringer looked as bad as mine unless they were total screw ups.
If I had any idea it would be this painful long term and look as bad as it does I wouldn't have got it done, simple as that.
V scar is for Victory. Congratulations girl.
Try using silicone gel for a while. If that doesn't improve it then seek laser treatment or medical tattoo like the other comments say. I think your actual vagina looks beautiful if that helps you feel better at all.
i had surgery in November and i used a silicon gel with a little roller ball on the end of the applicator - similar to a spiky massage ball. it’s helped sooooo much! can only recommend
also really massaging the scar tissue to help it fade - i had big chunks in my scar and it’s really softened up
I’m sorry that’s bothersome. If you can, a dermatologist consult may be helpful. Don’t be afraid to specify exactly what you are wanting over the phone pre-appointment. If you get bad vibes, keep shopping around. I would say you have a good aesthetic over all. I hope you find some solutions. Try your best to be kind to yourself and patient while you work on getting some answers. Best of luck.
Thank you for this x
This was by Bellringer. Feel free to print them out and take them to your consultation as an example of what is not acceptable. Especially the last one, the stitches are absolutely not good enough and the cause of my horrific scarring.
Imho I was treated like shit, almost if I was in the way of him doing something else. He was rude, inconsiderate, scared the shit out of me one day post op and has left this crap mess that I have to try and get sorted.
Little to no sensation other than pain, still have to dilate once a day at 7 months. It becomes very difficult if I miss a day.
I haven't spoken to anyone else that has had him as their surgeon but I have seen results on here that are obviously his. Compared to Tina and Larner the scars he leaves are awful in comparison and he just rushed my botch job in less than 80 minutes doing even worse than usual.
Worst mistake I ever made was trusting his previous good reputation. He obviously thinks he can get away with doing half a job because we have no comeback if we are unhappy with it. Well I'm so unhappy with it I tried ending my suffering a few months ago, that's how disappointed and sick I am at dealing with this crap.
FML. I wish I could just go to sleep and not wake up.
I totally understand your frustration. Though scars are inevitable, you are right. These are aggressive scarring. Some surgeons use interesting techniques which greatly minimize scarring. Dr. Jun did mine and theyre definitely there, but are super clean lines that continue to fade.
I agree with medical tatooing. Go to one who does great work. They’ll be able to blend the scar tissue to your normal shade of skin.
Unfortunately, as youve figured out, scar tissue is tough in texture. This may or may not cause stress. And I dont know what your experience is like, can you feel the scars when sitting? Is is interfering with everyday life?
Aside the scarring, these are really great results. Very very good for a standard PI.
You had open wound? Is this what u wanna say, i recommend looking for scar treatments i can tell you from personal experience that it will stay mostly same ( i didnt have vagplasty but another surgery with open wound and waited 4 years, no improvements )
Yes sorry, I can't think straight. That's what caused most of the mess at the base of the V.
Try silicone gel or some treatments
I’m sorry you had such a bad experience and are dealing with this result. I’m going to be honest with you, you need a revision with a different doctor. A doctor who is not going to brand you with a V for the Vendetta he seems to have against trans women. The good news is it should be fixable and medical tattooing can help it further. Scars should be hidden in folds of inner and other labia and the clitoris should have a good and frenulum.
Thank you, the amount of hug boxing in here is bloody stupid. I know it looks crap I'm not a fucking idiot.
I am trying to sort a revision by someone else that actually gives a fuck and has some pride in their work.
Thanks for being honest. I had thought of V for Vendetta as well, at least it's a good film.
A modern classic. Wishing you the best with your revision!
I agree. Sorry it happened to you.♥️ You don’t see those kinds of sloppy stitches from BBL, Suporn, Chet, etc. (Back in the 1990s I did see some from a Dr. Futtrell who practiced in Pittsburgh and Dr. Pichet-I think) The scars a good dermatologist should be able to fade the scars to a good degree. But I would look into the revision first and see what your new surgeon can do. They may be anle to excise some of the sloppy work.
A lot of the hug boxing comes from Terfs and others who laugh at us no matter what you do. They tell sisters with obvious brow ridges, etc., they are super passable. Although things are better for us, this “you are beautiful and passable” shit can get someone killed.
scars can take 2 years+ to heal and fade... there are laser options for reducing them, where they burn dots over the top, and as the skin heals it replaces the scar tissue
a bit of hair would help hide them too
I'm really sorry it's making you unhappy ☹️ hopefully in a another year they'll have faded much more than that x
The problem is, everyone that I have seen with other surgeons in the UK has MUCH LESS scarring from day one. I don't want to wait two bloody years for it to fade, even if it fades it will still look wrong.
Hair will not grow on the scar area if you look closely it's completely clear of hair because the skin wasn't stitched together properly and hair follicles won't magically grow in the scar tissue.
you can't predict how people will scar from surgery, some people will lget a keloid double the thickness of any incisions — they really should have gone through things like that with you beforehand to manage your expectations and makesure they had your informed consent, which it's sounding like they didn't ☹️
Yah the hair won't grow from the scar for a while, but the hair on either side helps cover it
Look at the last picture.
Who was your surgeon? x
Bellringer. He messed up my friend too, she went back and got a revision with Rashid. Still doesn't look good though according to her. Bellringer is a total knob by all accounts.
Thanks for this, I'm getting pretty pissed off with people saying it looks great when it really doesn't.
I'm hoping Tina will agree to fix it / at least cut the scars out and sew it together so the skin actually meets together rather than flesh bulging out and causing this huge scar. Hope she can fix the fourchette as well.
I totally agree with your closing sentence.
Please consider going to a plastic surgeon for your revision. All UK surgeons are urology, not plastic. Thailand would be a great choice. Dr Bank, Dr Chettawut or even Dr Kamol would be a better choice than Rashid.
This is why I’m going with Bluebond Langner. She is a fantastic plastic surgeon and just has a urologist assist with the relevant parts. Her work is beautiful.
I considered her but was worried about her depth limitations x
Are there depth limitations with her method? Its penile-peritoneal I think
My friend only got 4" unfortunately
Thats fine with me, my partners tend to have interchangeable parts anyway lol
Medical tattooing can cover scars also!
I’ve thought about this surgery a lot…. I’m leaning towards just leaving myself alone down there and accepting it how it is.
Honestly now I wish I had as well. At least the previous parts worked, didn't cause me pain, incontinence or screw up my life so much.
Listen. You were brave enough to go through this because you know who you are. It was never going to be perfect, but you have a vagina. There isn’t a penis between your legs anymore. You did it. You made it. There is more work to be done but life is just really fucking hard. Look at Jazz Jennings she has huge scars all across her thighs and she’s proud of them. She calls them her battle scars. And honestly I think you look good. The shape is very nice. Yes you have scars but you can treat them and they will fade so much with time. Don’t worry friend just look on the bright side, because there really is one ! The glass is half full !
Imo your vulva actually looks really well done aside from the scarring. The scarring is bad though I’m sorry he did that. All of Bellringer’s results have scarring like this :( I’d look into tattoos to cover it.
I wish I knew this before I had it done. I definitely wouldn't have let him do it and if that meant no operation fine, whatever.
There are silicone gels for scar treatment that have good effects.
I'm sorry that you had a bad experience with James bellinger I am going to go with Tina Rashid or Tim Larner for vulvoplasty next year I' look at results Tina and Tim like results
Scars are visible but this is good work, visually at least. I think a lot of people on this sub don’t have realistic expectations or realize the range of biodiversity in natal and neo vaginas. I love your vagina, I hope you do to one day.
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I love what I have done with the rest of me. The one thing I trust someone else with ends up looking shit.
He did a crap job and I'm just supposed to except how little time and effort I was worth. FFS I seen a vet working on an armadillo for longer than the 75 minutes I was in the operating room.
It looks beautiful. It take time to fade. And like a few of the comments says. Look into some of your options. But not not many would complain about such a view. Well a fool would, that's beside the point.
Well I'm obviously a fool then, thanks.
Try vitamin D oil for the scarring, it’ll help.
The scars will lighten and just count your lucky stars this surgery even exists and that you got it before they outlaw it.
to be honest i just love your results, and i could actually show my doctor as a reference when my time comes ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ♡
You serious ?
for real. I understand that the scarring bothers you, but for me the labia definition is very pretty! the second photo it’s just goals, i'll be very happy if my future vagina looks similar ♡ hahah
Ha ha ha well good for you.
From looking at your scars positioning, it appears he did not bring down outer labia to meet with the entrance of the vagina? It looks like an easy fix because they would need to remove that scar tissue anyways and as for the scars, I used scaraway roll on because the strips are so hard. And it works better in my opinion. You are not in a state that cannot be fixed with the right hands. Dr Min Jun does revisions. He even reconstructed someone’s labia and I was impressed!
There is a more recent picture that shows the scars in more detail, can you have a look and let me know what you think please ?
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