Facial Feminisation Surgery

When you contact us, one of our dedicated surgical patient advisors will answer any questions you may have and book a consultation for you with one of our Facial Feminisation specialist consultants.

You will then meet with your consultant at our clinic on Sloane Street in Chelsea. During this consultation, they will discuss your concerns and examine your face and neck. They will assess whether you are suitable for FFS and explain which the best procedures are to address your concerns.

If they decide that you are suitable for FFS, your consultant will send your treatment plan through to your patient advisor, who will be able to discuss the final price and schedule a date for your surgery. 

If you decide to proceed with your Facial Feminisation Surgery, your consultant will ask you to prepare for your surgery in the following ways:

• You will need to complete your pre-operative paperwork to allow your surgical team (surgeon, anaesthetist and nurses) to review your surgery plan and advise on any final changes you need to make in the run up to your surgery. 
• You must stop smoking and vaping for six weeks before surgery can take place. This is vital to ensure your recovery is smooth and you heal effectively, achieving your desired results. 
• You will be asked to cut down on drinking alcohol in the weeks running up to your surgery. You must avoid drinking any alcohol for 48 hours before your surgery. This is to ensure you recover well and to minimise underlying inflammation. 
• You will need to stop taking any anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin, as well as any herbal supplements as these can increase the risk of bleeding. Your consultant will advise on the timeframes for stopping any medication as this can vary between patients. 
• You will need to organise for a friend or family member to collect you after your procedure. They must be able to drive you themselves or accompany you in a taxi before staying with you overnight after your Facial Feminisation Surgery. 
• You will be asked to fast before you arrive at the clinic. You mustn’t eat any solid food or consume any juice or milk (including tea or coffee) for 6 hours before you arrive at Cadogan Clinic for your surgery. You can have sips of clear liquids (water, or black tea and coffee) up to 2 hours before you arrive at the clinic. You mustn’t have anything in the 2 hours before you arrive. 

On the day of your surgery, you will arrive at the clinic an hour before your procedure is scheduled to begin. Our specialist nurses will carry out some post-operative checks such as your temperature, blood pressure and heart rate and will ask you to put on a surgical gown and compression stockings.

Your surgeon and anaesthetist will come and speak to you and answer any final questions you may have before your FFS. Your surgeon may then make some markings in the areas they are operating on.

You will then be taken into one of our state-of-the-art operating theatres. The theatre team will make sure you are comfortable, and your anaesthetist will administer your general anaesthetic. All surgical procedures at Cadogan Clinic are carried out with Trans Intravenous Anaesthetic (TIVA) which lowers the risk of post-operative nausea and sickness and speeds up your initial recovery time.

Your consultant will then complete your Facial Feminisation Surgery. Depending on the exact procedures they are carrying out they will close any incisions with stitches and apply dressings to protect the areas.

You will wake up in our recovery ward. One of our specialist nurses will monitor your heart rate, blood pressure and temperature to make sure you are recovering well. When you have woken up and you’re comfortable, you will be taken to our ambulatory ward. Here you will have something to eat, and the nurses will prepare you to go home. When you are ready, they will explain your aftercare instructions and call your chaperone to come and collect you. You will then be able to leave to recover in the comfort of your own home. 

Recovery time following Facial Feminisation Surgery can vary depending on the procedures that your consultant has carried out. It is normal to experience bruising and swelling straight after your surgery, and this can take 2-3 weeks to subside. Most patients are mostly recovered within 6-8 weeks, however in some cases it may take up to a year to see the final results.

During your recovery, your consultant will ask you to avoid any strenuous activity or exercise to prevent putting strain on the surgical areas. You may also need to sleep on your back, or slightly propped up.

One week after your FFS surgery, you will come back to the clinic to see our nurses, so they can assess your incisions and make sure you are recovering well. At this stage they will change your dressings and remove any stitches, as well as making sure you are confident in how to look after your dressings and incisions going forwards.

Six weeks after your procedure, you will meet with your consultant to discuss your recovery and results. At this stage they will let you know when you can return to strenuous activities or exercise, and they will also explain what you can expect from the next stages of recovery.

You will have 24/7 access to our nurses to ask any questions or raise any concerns for up to 2 years following your FFS surgery at Cadogan Clinic.