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CONSULTATIONS & FAQ


What to expect...

Determine if cosmetic surgery is an option for you by scheduling a consultation and meeting with our cosmetic surgeon and team. During this first consultation, we’ll discuss your goals and expectations and also:

 

  • Review your complete medical history (including past and current medications)
  • Discuss and evaluate the area(s) you would like treated
  • Give recommendations
  • Answer any questions you have
  • Discuss medical conditions that could affect your procedural outcome
  • Clarify surgical risks and benefits
  • Establish a typical timeline for resuming normal work and social activities
  • What to expect when having a cosmetic procedure

 

What happens after my consultation?

You will leave your consultation equipped with the information to help you decide your next steps and clearly understand your procedure.


When you decide upon a procedure, our concierge team will take care of all the details to schedule your surgery – a date, time, location, what to bring with you to help make your brief stay more comfortable, arrangements to discharge you safely after your procedure, and post-operative instructions and follow-up appointments with our concierge clinical team.


The best way to start planning for potential surgery is an official consultation. This can be done on the phone or in person at our office. If by phone, you will fill out your medical history in our electronic patient portal (we will send you the link) and e-mail us front and side snapshots of the areas we will be discussing before the appointment. We charge $100 for the initial consultation which is paid at the time of scheduling your consultation. This fee is credited towards the price of your surgery and allows us to spend as much time with new patients as needed.


Feel free to give us a call at 980-938-0459 to schedule your consultation or if you have other questions.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)


  • What are your requirements for Transgender Procedures?

    We no longer require a therapy letter or specific time on hormones prior to FTM or MTF top surgery or body sculpting. We use the informed consent model for those procedures. One letter of recommendation from a licensed mental health provider is requested prior to orchiectomy.


    When considering gender confirming procedures for patients under the age of 18, we do require the consent of a parent or guardian along with the recommendation of a therapist. For patients 18 years of age and older, we use informed consent.


    If there are any doubts about someone’s ability, emotionally or mentally, to give informed consent for a procedure I will ask them to see a licensed mental health provider prior to considering an elective surgery – whether they are gender variant or not.

  • What do you recommend for out of town arrangements?

    Homewatch CareGivers are our preferred post-surgical service provider.


    Click here for full recommendations on lodging and caregivers.



  • What if I have a family history of breast cancer—does that affect my top surgery?

    A family history of breast cancer does not prevent you from having FTM chest reconstruction. If you have a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) with breast cancer you should have a mammogram 10 years younger than they were when they were diagnosed or between 40-45 years old – whichever comes first.


    There are several breast cancer risk assessment tools you can use to estimate your overall risk. This is an easy one (Cancer.gov). It may help you determine if you want to get a mammogram prior to top surgery. There is also the possibility of sending the tissue from both breasts to pathology for examination. We can get you a price estimate for that. However, it is rarely indicated.

  • Dr. Sherie’s recommendation for Breast Cancer Screening After Breast & Chest Surgery

    I was happy to see Jeff Taylor’s article in Qnotes exploring breast cancer risk and the transgender community. He makes an important point that we all, cis and trans men and women, have breast tissue which extends to the clavicles (collar bones) and into the axillae (underarms) and is retained after mastectomies in cis women and chest reconstructions in trans men.


    During ten years as a general surgeon I coordinated the surgeries and oncological care for cis women with breast cancer, as well as 3 cis men with the disease. Now, as a cosmetic surgeon performing “Top Surgeries” for trans men and trans women, I am often the first physician who discusses transgender breast cancer screening with my clients. This is likely because, as Mr. Taylor notes, there are no guidelines for their primary care physicians to follow.


    Given the current lack of research, I give my patients the following recommendations based on my own experience and our current knowledge of this disease:


    1. Trans men who have not had chest reconstruction, and trans women on HRT should follow the same guidelines for breast cancer screening as cis women. These guidelines are evolving; but basically get your first mammogram at 40-50 years old and then annually. This may be continued annually, or reduced to every other year, after the age of 55.
    2. Trans women on HRT whose anatomy makes mammograms difficult should follow the guidelines above substituting MRIs for mammograms.
    3. Trans men who have had chest reconstruction, cis men, and trans women who are not on HRT, should have an annual physical exam by a medical professional which includes palpation (careful feeling) of the chest and underarms beginning at 40-50 years old. A CT or MRI should be obtained if, on self-exam or professional physical exam, any lumps, tenderness, nipple discharge, or other abnormalities are found. If there is a lump on palpation, CT, or MRI it should be further investigated by a needle or excisional biopsy.

    The original article can be read here: Qnotes Breast Cancer Article. As always, I am happy to answer patient questions about this or other surgical issues in consultation at our private office and surgery center in South End Charlotte.

  • Why are there little bumps on my nipple grafts?

    It is common for top surgery patients to avoid looking at areas of the body which cause dysphoria before surgery and then scrutinize their chests more closely after top surgery. Occasionally, our patients notice small bumps on their areola for the first time after surgery and wonder if they are abnormal.  


    So, what are these bumps? 


    1.Montgomery glands: The pigmented area of skin around the nipple is called the areola. On the areola there are little raised bumps called Montgomery glands and they are a normal part of breast anatomy. They are sebaceous glands which produce fluid (sebum) to moisturize the nipple. The actual glands are typically removed with a nipple graft procedure; but the small, raised areas where they connected to the outer skin remain. Incidentally, grafted skin can sometimes be dryer as a result of removal of these glands and require moisturizer. The glands themselves will usually remain in place with the buttonhole technique.  


     Everyone has Montgomery glands. If you have them and someone else appears as if they don’t, don’t sweat it. As with every other part of your body, there’s a lot of variation between different people.  Some may have large, obvious bumps, while others have very small ones that are barely visible. 


    2. Your Montgomery glands could be blocked: Just like sebaceous (oil) glands on your face and the rest of your body, Montgomery glands can get blocked causing little, red, swollen pimples.  As with breakouts anywhere on the body, this is not a problem if it comes and goes. A blocked gland can be treated with warm compresses and exfoliation. If they are persistent and continue to increase in size and tenderness, treatments such as antibiotics, drainage, or steroid injections could be used, but are very rarely needed. 


    3. You have an ingrown hair: You might also notice strands of hair in bumps on your nipples or areolae. This is also completely normal.  As with any other area where there are hair follicles, ingrown hairs are possible on any nipple, areola or nipple graft. When a hair curls back into the skin rather than pushing through, they are “in grown” and look like pimples or blocked glands, except the loop of hair is sometimes visible.  This can feel itchy or tender. They sometimes spontaneously resolve; but can also be treated with warm compresses and exfoliation. If they persist and appear infected, a dermatologist can aid in removing the affected hair.  

Check out our Video Gallery for more answers to some of your questions.

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DID YOU KNOW?


 

  1.  We provide 2 notarized letters on the day of surgery for patients undergoing transgender procedures that may be used for changing gender marker on drivers license and passport.
  2.  We perform all procedures on-site in one of our two operating rooms, and are fully accredited by AAAHC.
  3.  We do not use bulb drains for our procedures, so no measuring or emptying is necessary.
  4.  We are happy to provide a TSA letter upon request to out-of-town patients who may need it for plane travel after surgery.
  5.  All surgery patients and caregivers are given a provider’s direct cell phone number for after hours emergencies.
  6.  We are a teaching facility and periodically host medical students interested in specializing in surgery.
  7.  We use platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in our fat transfer procedures to aid in healing and cell growth as well as to maximize retention.
  8.  We have an amazing staff! Every member of the Cosmetic Concierge staff is completely committed to providing the best possible care to our patients and making their experience an exceptional one.
  9.  Dr. Sherie is double board certified in General and Cosmetic surgery.

 

SCHEDULE YOUR CONSULTATION TODAY


(980) 938-0459

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