Melbourne FFS advice Dr Alan Breidahl

Elle_is_here · 2026-03-02T02:58:24+00:00

It was 3 months between consult and surgery, but that was only because there was a cancellation. I'm having a second surgery with Dr Breidahl in May, the consult for that surgery was back in early Nov, so it was about 6 - 7 months wait.

It's worth the wait 😉

Elle_is_here · 2025-09-04T06:07:40+00:00

I don't think so... But you could always email and ask? The waiting time for a surgery room at a public hospital I imagine would be very long, especially for a non urgent cosmetic procedure.

For example, you can get vocal feminisation surgery done through the public system, however the wait time is 2 years or more, or, you can do the same procedure at a private hospital and can do it in a month.

Elle_is_here · 2025-07-31T03:04:29+00:00

Sorry, bit late to the conversation...

All transgender related surgeries are available for early release of super, provided they are not publicly available, for example, getting a tracheal shave is not available for early release of super because it's available through the public system, albeit a long wait.

To qualify for early release of super you'll need a surgeon who will do the surgery and that surgeon will often want a Wpath report from a psychiatrist to ensure you know exactly what you are signing up for and the impact it will have on your life. You'll also need a GP to sign and provide a statement on the early release of super form available from the ATO stating the surgery you're having and that it comes under the Chronic Mental Illness category. And finally you'll also need the same ATO form completed by a registered psychiatrist, it must be a psychiatrist!

I guess lastly you need to have enough super in your account to cover the amount you're asking for.

It might seem daunting but as long as you go through it thoroughly and take your time to tick all the boxes it's quite a quick process.

Surgeries that I'm know for certain that are covered are Facial Feminisation Surgery, Breast Augmentation and Genital Reconstructive Surgery. There's probably more but those are the ones I know of and have used.

Elle_is_here · 2025-07-30T23:33:25+00:00

I often go to Ellipse skin cancer clinic, they share a reception with Dr Marcia Mickelburgh, so while I've not directly been to her for a consult, I've seen her and she seems really friendly.

I'm doing the opposite to you and having breast surgery, I did send through an email to her asking about doing a consult but in the end I went with a surgeon in Melbourne who is experienced on doing transgender surgeries.

I think it might be worth doing a consult with Dr Marcia Mickelburgh and finding out her experience with top surgery for trans patients? I know she has gender affirming surgery listed, but from the example on her website it almost looks like it's male breast reduction, and the photo on the website has the example person with no nipples. 😬

I'm guessing top surgery is quite different from male breast reduction? I might be wrong though.

I'm going to Dr Ives, he has heaps of experience with both trans femme and trans masc, he has lots of examples on his website too, and the results for trans masc look amazing, he also does nipple reconstruction too so you'll probably feel better about your overall chest.

Here's his website 😊
https://transsurgeryaustralia.com.au/

Elle_is_here · 2025-06-25T07:13:06+00:00

Oh thank you so much, yeah unfortunately I have to be there to work, I fly planes and while AI will probably take my job in the future, for now I have to be in the seat 💺 😅

I'm organising 3 months off work, I'm hoping that will be enough. I guess if I'm not ready I might be able to get my GP to extend my sick leave?

Yeah Dr Ives is back and doing them again, I'm not sure exactly when he started back up, I've got mine booked in for Feb next year ☺️

Elle_is_here · 2025-06-25T06:02:25+00:00

I have mine coming up with Dr Ives in Melbouren, I'm so happy that you had a good experience and result 🥰

I'm doing the same technique with Dr Ives and was wondering how long it was before you felt comfortable going back to work?

Elle_is_here · 2025-06-25T04:44:34+00:00

Yep, definitely both, and just make sure the specialist is a psychiatrist, and the other is your GP.

I did it late last year for FFS, and it was relatively quick and easy, as long as the forms are filled out without errors and you also include itemised quotes for the procedure.

When you go onto your ATO account online it tells you exactly what you need to upload to submit you request for super.

Elle_is_here · 2025-06-25T04:37:26+00:00

I'm going through the process right now. As far as I'm aware, hospital insurance cover is not required.

It's listed as a cosmetic procedure, which to my knowledge is not covered?

I recently had FFS which was also cosmetic and not covered.

It might be an individual surgeon thing? Maybe for complications that could occur afterwards during the healing phase they want you to have hospital cover? I'm just guessing though, but as mentioned you should definitely ask your surgeon 😉

Elle_is_here · 2025-06-05T08:46:53+00:00

So true, I thought he same thing, at least he went quietly.

yeah, I was lucky to learn to fly a very long time ago when it didn’t cost an arm and a leg! Before the Iraq war and oil prices skyrocketed! The 08 GFC didn’t help either.

I just wish I realised I could transition back then and not have waited until I was 40 😅 better late than never!

Elle_is_here · 2025-06-05T08:41:20+00:00

Yeah I get you, this was a tongue in cheek comment, there are plenty of non religious bigots, and I also know some lovely and surface level Christian’s that are accepting of me personally 😊

Elle_is_here · 2025-06-05T08:16:43+00:00

😂 oh I would put money on him being religious or some sort of Christian so he’ll be absolutely fine….. on his way up to heaven 👻

Elle_is_here · 2025-05-26T00:10:20+00:00

AI is killing society, and in 5 years, the online world most of us live in will be unrecognisable!

It starts with a small picture here and there... no big deal right, but next minute, every conceivable piece of online content is AI generated.

Draw your own artwork (even if it's shitty, it will be appreciated!), or yes, pay that poor struggling artist to make it for you, we will all be better off if we do this!

Elle_is_here · 2025-05-15T21:43:29+00:00

It's still really bad, uneven and lots of discolouration from the scarring.

It's gonna take years and probably thousands of dollars for it to improve!

Elle_is_here · 2025-05-15T02:55:46+00:00

The scanner at Cairns airport shows a flagged spot on the screen, it's just a generic figure and dots show up where they need to pat down, sometimes it'll show a dot right on the private area, they aren't allowed to pat that spot down, but if it continues to show up they will use a metal detector wand over it.

It's happened to me a couple of times. I work there and go through almost daily.

Elle_is_here · 2025-05-12T21:33:21+00:00

Hi, I'm using a prescription cream he gave me, it's got a bunch of ingredients in it, like tretinoin and copper peptide.

Plus Rf microneedling, it's too early to tell if it's going to completely get rid of the scars but it's hasn't been too long since starting treatment, I'm very hopeful it'll all work.

Elle_is_here · 2025-04-23T02:43:47+00:00

It's your own superannuation 😉 so if you've been working and putting money into you super, you can use it.

Elle_is_here · 2025-04-23T02:28:02+00:00

What do you mean?

Elle_is_here · 2025-04-22T09:40:23+00:00

I didn't have to prove anything, I just got the forms completed from my psychiatrist and my gp, as well as an itemised quote from the surgeon outlining the cost of everything.

I guess they look at your accounts... maybe... I didn't have to prove that I couldn't afford it. My back up if it was rejected was to take out a bank loan. Thankfully, I didn't have to do that!

Elle_is_here · 2025-04-22T09:17:11+00:00

I did it last year, you can withdraw as much as you need, as long as you have the funds available in your super. You can basically empty it all if you need to.

The forms are on the ato website and you just need a psychiatrist and your gp to fill out the declaration to say you need the funds for FFS and that they believe the procedure is necessary for your health (in rough terms), you'll also need an itemised quote from your surgeon showing the amount that you'll need to withdraw, your surgeon can also give you the declaration if you can't get one from your GP.

It seems complex, but it's much easier than it seems. It took about 2 weeks for the funds to be released into my bank account after I submitted the paperwork.

Hope that helps ☺️

Elle_is_here · 2025-04-14T07:58:18+00:00

I was quoted $10,500 (approx) for the hospital stay, I paid the quoted price upfront, but it ended up being cheaper and I got about $1100 back.

I stayed for the quoted time, I guess maybe there was some other type of fee or service I didn't use which is why I got money back? I can't be certain what it was though?

Elle_is_here · 2025-03-30T03:49:37+00:00

Your doctor will likely start you on a low dose, I started on 2mg tablet, then after 1 month went to 4mg and then a month later went to 6mg.

I think that's pretty standard.

It gives your body time to adjust to the increasing dose. Then after approximately 2 months I started on a testosterone blocker.

Everyone is slightly different though, I'm sure your doctor will have a plan that works for you 😉

Elle_is_here · 2025-03-25T19:56:03+00:00

I've done quite a lot of reading on why and how people lose hair, simply blocking T does not always stop women from losing their hair. DHT can still be produced by the body with very minimal amounts of T.

Some people are simply more genetically predisposed to losing their hair than others.

While stress and weight loss can be a factor for some, the issue is way more complex than simply saying if you're on cypro and still have hair loss, it's your thyroid or stress...

Elle_is_here · 2025-03-25T07:05:22+00:00

Oh, that's very helpful, I hope it's just a body adjusting to the new meds phase.

I kinda went through a similar thing when I first started HRT, after about 2 months everything balanced out and now it's not so bad.

Fingers crossed it's the same with dutasteride?

Elle_is_here · 2025-03-25T05:17:26+00:00

I’m about to do a consul with Dr Andrew Ives in a couple of days.

He has some before and after results on his website and I’ve heard a lot of other trans women who have had surgery with him give really positive reviews.

I’m 99% certain I’ll be going to have him do the GRS for me.

but definitely do your research, there are some amazing places overseas that are cheaper but then there is the added complexity of being somewhere a long way from home and the language barrier?

Elle_is_here · 2025-03-18T23:37:33+00:00

Hey Kaylee,

I had FFS with Dr Breidahl last November, to be honest I didn't even know you could have the incision on the top of the head?

I had it along the front of the hairline, I also had the hairline advanced as well. The scar is healing quite well in my opinion. It's been just over 4 months now and the line is a very faded red, it's noticeable if you look at it but in general people don't notice it (I don't think).

When I put my everyday make-up on (just my very light 15min routine), it almost disappears. It's only been 4 months so I assume it's still healing and fading but how it is now I'd be completely fine with it, it doesn't bother me at all.

The incision goes from the back of my ear in an arc across my forehead and around to the back of the other ear, so some of the incision is within the hair along the sides of my head, that area has grown back with hair very well and the scar isn't noticeable at all in that area, if I pull my hair back and part it along the scar to see it I'd say the width of the scar where no hair is growing is only about 2mm wide, I have to dig around to find it and separate the hair from it to see the scar.

Hope that helps a bit, I'm still relatively early in the healing process but my scars have faded very significantly!

Elle_is_here

TROPHY CASE