So the Genie is out of the bottle time to Transition.

So you have now decided to transition and be the real you, not just a secret.

Well you have come to the right place for information on my transition, and how it might help you to transition. I went from male to female but the process is the same for female to male.

First I recommend two things one, buy a box file for paperwork, and two, start generating a timeline starting as young as you can remember feeling at odds in your body, for me I was five years old.

But for you it can be any time you realised it was all wrong and someone or something had made a massive mistake with your body.

(At this point I would like to say GOD doesn’t make mistakes you are how GOD intended you to be… so if your religious or your family are let’s get that out in the open now before I move on, I say this because my family are Christians and church going, I tend not to bother GOD as he appears quite busy with other goings on).  

So once you have a timeline keep adding to it, documenting what you’re doing and events that are important to your transition. You can thank me later…

At some stage of your transition you will have to change your name by legal deed-pol, (in the UK) there are free sites out there, just check that they are legally accepted as a lot are not. I went to a solicitor and got an official deed-pol, but that was my choice. 

You will need to carry out your name change on everything that holds your old name, from bank accounts to utility bills, council tax to store cards, passports and driving licences everything.

The sooner you do this, and keep a record and any evidence of it the better.

When you finally get your first appointment with the gender clinic, if you can prove you have lived in your chosen gender for a period of time, which should be able to do with your timeline document this in theory should reduce the time you spend waiting to get the Clinics okay for hormone treatment.

I was concerned with how I looked and I didn’t want to be outed as a male transitioning to female, so look at what people of your age group are wearing, and aim for something similar or a little understated, if you want to blend into society fairly hassle free. For goodness sake don't overdo things like make up or outlandish outfits. Just be yourself and confident, keep your head held high, going about your everyday business, if you look and feel confident in your chosen clothes and makeup you will not stand out like a sore thumb, you will be surprised as most people won't even notice you. Which means you’ve passed as your chosen gender which in my case Female.

Transitioning is quite a long process but assuming you have already reached the decision to transition let’s move on.

It’s best to visit your chosen General Practitioner GP/Doctor, and ask to be referred to a gender clinic, you can normally choose which one, but do bear in mind, you'll need to attend the Gender Identity Clinic a lot of times during your transition, but tell your GP which gender clinics you want to be under however, at present there isn't many to choose from in the UK. 

It’s wise to ask the doctor for a copy of the letter they send referring you to a GIC, (do you remember the box file I said get at the beginning, stick it in there) unfortunately all too often I hear that their GP/Dr 'forgot' to send the letter and they have lost 6 months waiting to hear back from the GIC and lists are horrendously long as it is.

So at some stage you will need to tell your Family, Employer, Work colleagues and Friends, be prepared as they might not react the way you wanted or expected either from Family or friends ect. Remember it’s taken you quite a while to get to this point… But explain everything to them, how you feel and why you are doing it.

With some luck your family will come round, but it may take some time for them to digest the news. Your employer will have a duty under the law to accept your news (Equalities Act 2010 if you’re in the UK) and deal with anything untoward from colleagues and co-workers. If you’re in a trades union they are also are very helpful and are fully LGBTQ compliant with current issues and the law etc. my Union was the GMB and were faultless in helping me, as was the companies Unison’s rep which was nice.

copy and paste these wiki links to learn more. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equality_Act_2010
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_Recognition_Act_2004

Transgender Male to Female Breast Elargement Surgery

Breast enlargement surgery, also known as breast augmentation or a boob job is the cosmetic procedure to enlarge the size of the breasts with the use of implants.

The implants used to enlarge the breasts are either silicone or saline.

A 'boob job', this type of procedure is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures for Transgender women in Manchester and throughout the UK.

When a Transgender woman opts for breast enlargement surgery, their main aim is usually to give themselves breasts that match that of a CIS woman, the aim is to improve your self confidence and overall looks.

This is achieved with enlarging the breasts, which gives breasts a fuller feel and can positively impact the mind and body.

Why Choose This Procedure?

Enlarging the breasts will add volume, making them look more round and larger.

Trangender women who are unhappy with their breasts development from cross sex hormones, whether because they are still flat, or have recently experienced change such as weight-loss, this procedure will give you the breasts you should have been born with, the procedure is identical as for a CIS woman.

You will need to have professional advice prior to surgery, where you will discuss the different procedures and different types of implants and techniques available  a professional consultants is able to advise on.

Although breast enlargement is a way for many transgender women to help their self esteem and boost their self confidence, however it is a decision that should not be taken lightly.

If you are considering implants, then it is important to research on-line and speak with a surgeon, who can provide you with professional advice on your needs, realistic goals and procedure options that are available for you and your body.

Discuss Your Needs With A Consultant

Many of the points to take in to consideration when looking for breast surgery include:

• Do you want silicone or saline implants?
• Do you want teardrop or round implants?
• What size implant do you have in mind?
• Will the implant be placed behind the chest wall muscle, or behind the breast tissue?

These are all important points that can be discussed with your cosmetic surgeon.

Your surgeon will also explain the advantages and risks of each of your choices and how it can affect your body Certain factors can determine what procedure you should opt for, such as body-shape, build and weight.

About The Procedure

Breast enlargement procedures are performed under general anaesthetic.

The procedure normally takes around 90 minutes to complete and your surgeon, depending on your procedure, may perform one of three incisions.

1. Under the breast 

2. Around the nipple

3. Near the arm-pit

Incision size depends on where about your chosen implant is being placed.

Once placed, the incision is stitched and the breasts are supported with a dressing and support bra.

If your surgeon recommends that the breasts will need draining of blood and fluids post surgery, small tubes are left inside the breasts for a couple of days. This is common and does not indicate surgery problems.

Recovery

After undergoing breast enlargement surgery, it is normal for a person to feel some discomfort. This can also include swelling, bruising and hardness of the breasts.

For transgender women that feel side effects, painkillers are advised to curb and control pain. It is normal to experience discomfort for up to a few weeks post surgery.

Stitches in the breasts are removed after 7-14 days and scars will continue to fade for the 12 months that follow.

Complications

As with all surgical procedures, there are some risks and complications that can occur.

With breast enlargement, there are a number of specific risks and side effects that you should be aware of before having breast surgery, including:

Infection
Infections are very rare in breast enlargement surgery, however, women can get an infection, which sometimes requires the implant to be removed and inserted at a later date.

Nerve Damage
Although loss of sensation around the nipple can occur on a temporary basis post surgery, there is a chance that some numbness can be permanent.

Rupture
An implant can rupture or leak because of injury - such as a blow to the breast, age or capsular contracture.

Capsular contracture
Internal scar tissue can form a capsule around the implant, which contracts it and causes it to change shape or feel hard. Although one of the more common complications, the chances of it happening are approximately 5%. In most cases, people will notice this complication within the first 24 months of surgery.

Displacement
Implants can sometimes displace inside the breast. Although moving implants is rare, if the displacement is large it will need to be corrected with surgery.

Necrosis
When cells or tissue die or fail to receive sufficient blood supply, it is known as necrosis. This can happen during the healing process and will require surgery to fix it.

Galactorrhoea
The spontaneous production of breast milk can happen after breast surgery. This complication is very rare but if it occurs can go away on its own. However, there has been cases where implant removal is required.

Haematoma
Sometimes a pool of clotted blood can collect in a cavity within the body, known as haematoma.

Seroma
Seroma is fluid that can develop in a cavity after surgery made up of blood plasma, which requires drainage.

How I wear high heels without hurting my feet. (Too much)

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Victory loves preparation...

  

Walking in high heels can be painful. Very painful. That is if you make some common mistakes. So here is how to wear high heels without hurting your feet

So if you want to wear high heels and walk in them like a supermodel, you have to do your homework first. It doesn’t happen like most things in life just because you put the heels on your feet. So you have to take your time to learn how to

First measure your feet and select the correct size that fits you properly feet grow and shrink a bit, so squeezing into a pair that just fits you on a cool day will be hell on a hot day as your feet react to the changes. If you are an odd size or your feet are different sizes, which most people are opt for the bigger one and use a gel insert. Also do not underestimate the importance of having proper width in your shoes men and woman’s feet are different shape so select your shoes with care.

It is really tempting to go straight for those sexy stiletto high heels. But can you handle them? I couldn’t so why not start with lower heights first so your feet can get used to it? Just because you’ve been a passenger on a plane it doesn’t automatically mean you can fly it does it, you need time and training first, it’s the same with high heels.

As you get older your joints become less flexible so are your joints flexible enough?  A quick and easy test a shoe sales person in my local store told me was with your high heels on, stand on your toes as high up as you can without support. The heels should lift up at least a half an inch from the floor, otherwise they are too high for you. It was a good tip that has served me well.

A lot of people make a very common mistake of wearing only one or two pairs of shoes for a few days straight. What really matters though is diversity in your footwear. Mix and match your shoes more often, try to wear different heel heights every day, have a couple types and styles for those days off from heels such as some sneakers or other lower shoes. The variety is important to keep your feet away from getting “fixed” to a certain shoe style which will make over a short period of time difficult to feel relaxed in anything else, young people have their favourite shoes that tend to be skater style trainers trying to get a young person to wear anything else is a struggle ask any parent!

I always avoid wearing my high heels on a bare foot. You need either a thin pair of socks or stockings on as it will lower the friction between foot and shoe and make it much more comfortable and will lower the pain.

Once you have a correctly fitting shoe that isn’t too tall for you, you need to learn to walk in them, learn to keep proper posture. This means head up, spine straight, belly in. Take shorter strides, put the heel on the ground first and then the ball of the foot. Take short breaks from time to time my father would always tell me Victory loves preparation and its true in wearing high heels.

To help you start on your first pair of high heels,  select a shoe with lower height heels, pick a pair with thick heels rather than stilettos as you will wobble like hell in them, also avoid thin sole’s on your first high heels your feet will thank you for it...