SMAS Facelift: Stories

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Hard Recovery, but Finally Worth It - Southern California

  • Worth It
  • Cost: $9,700
  • Southern Calif

Had SMAS lower face and neck, plus upper eyes done...

Had SMAS lower face and neck, plus upper eyes done. had a very hard recovery do to complications-- bad bruising, multiple hematomas and pain. Finally I am LOOKING GREAT! It has changed my life. My doctor was great and supportive and reassured me that though some people do get complications it doesn't affect the outcome. He was right. I had many regrets at first but the last couple weeks see it really coming together. I still have some bruising on my neck but that will go away too.

Anyone contemplating this procedure realize you may have a lot more downtime then you planned for, even if you are healthy, fit and followed docs orders perfectly. Sometimes these things just happen. But also have patience in the healing process.

Great review?

Comments (3)

kaytee1 17 Feb 2012
imaryg as long as your doc took care of the hematoma and the skin is ok there isn't much to do. My doc said it just sets back the whole healing process. I am still bruised on the neck at 4 and a half months, plus have small lumps (not in the hematoma area but under the chin.) I have had steroid shots and will have one more round of them and if the lumps don't go away he will have to remove them. The bruising though there is nothing he can do as now it has changed the skin color. he suggested laser at one year for that if it is still there.

I had a hematoma on the cheek and multiple in the neck but he caught them in time and drained them before it damaged the skin. The neck ones happened the next day and the cheek 9 days post op!

When I think back to seven weeks out I was a lot worse than I am now so hopefully you will be the same and get better. It takes a long time to heal. Are you massaging the area every day? It really does help.
Ras2008 7 Jan 2012
Hi there, who was your dr?
imaryg 17 Feb 2012
How long did it take to see a good recovery?
I am suffering from a serious hematoma on one cheek, with skin scarred and lumpy. I had the SMAS lift 7 weeks ago.
My doctor isn't doing much other than seeing me every couple of weeks and suggesting some cortisone for the hematoma. I'd really like to hear from you, you are so right, it is such a major procedure, I underestimated everything.

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