Nearly a year ago, Abi decided to get professional assistance for Facial Feminisation Surgery (FFS). She is a transgender woman, which means her gender identity is not in accordance with her biological gender. In frank words, she was born with male anatomy, but a female identity. This situation is referred to as gender dysphoria. Most transgender people note that they realized they truly belonged to the opposite gender from as early as 2 years of age.

Can you put yourself in the shoes of the opposite sex, being forced to live as a man, when you are truly a woman (or vice versa)? It would be extremely difficult.

Transgender people suffer greatly in society, which is generally un-accepting. The general public cannot understand the interior gender conflict, which is not to be confused with sexual orientation. This social pressure often results in high levels of stress in the struggle to either hide their true identity or attempt to survive with the social stigma of being perceived as "a man dressed as a woman". Transitioning to the opposite gender is daunting, as it may entail losing careers, family and friends. Faced with this dilemma, not surprisingly, many commit suicide: transgender folks have one of the highest rates of suicide as well as a greater incidence of clinical depression. Although some find support in the LGBT community, many are solitary.

The TG patients who take the step to seek transgender medical help simply couldn’t consider the possibility of continuing life in the wrong gender. Nearly 100% of FFS surgery patients are transgender women. They are a brave lot and we admire them greatly because deciding to transition is an enormous challenge with plenty of ups and downs along the way. It is not simply about having the genital operation. Gender Reassignment Surgery (GRS) changes the ability to experience sexual pleasure in the same way, so many don’t believe it is as important, considering it is a feature that can easily be hidden. However, others opt for GRS to eliminate this undesirable gender characteristic.

"Transitioning" is about transforming oneself completely: learning to move, dress, put on makeup, wigs if necessary, voice retraining and possible surgery, hair growth patterns which require constant removal or transplant surgery, hormonal treatment, breast and other body enhancement surgery, and often, facial feminisation surgery.

Fortunately, Abi’s story is mainly a positive one. She found a supportive group of friends who shared her experience. She made the appropriate changes to transition, but remained unhappy with her facial features until she found out about facial bone sculpture. In 2010, Abi had her Facial Feminisation Surgery in Marbella, Spain, which has significantly improved her ability to pass in public and therefore her self-esteem. We encourage patients to seek a supportive circle and the professional guidance necessary for all aspects of transition, albeit many different doctors! Facial feminisation surgery may be considered as an effective solution, depending on the individual case.

We hope that through this article, we will help educate the wider public and therefore make steps towards a greater social acceptance for TG people. This article is dedicated to all patients, but especially Abi!