“Facelift - scary but worth it!”

I’d considered tons of procedures before I decided to get a facelift. I’m a compulsive worrier and I plan everything so the lack of control and the fact that it’s real surgery really scared me but it was the best option. I looked at fillers and injections but really there was no point in getting something that would do me no good.

I asked my plastic surgeon to speed me through the pre-surgery process; I think it was about a month between my very first consultation and the surgery date. The actual surgery day was so scary and I don’t think I was prepared for the pain - personally prepared, I mean. The doctor obviously warned me.

I had taken the month off, basically, so I could recover and I’m really glad for that. This is the best tip I can give. Everybody reacts differently and some people have absolutely horrid times with their surgery and you may need every last crumb of that vacation time. My post-op wasn’t so bad. There was a lot of swelling but not a whole lot of facial bruising. That really surprised everybody. I mostly had bruising around my ears where the incisions went, which was to be expected.

The best part? The results! I have lost maybe 10-15 years off my face. It’s incredible! I can look at photos from when I first got married and I feel like I’m right back there today. My skin has gotten thinner as I’ve gotten older but now at least it doesn’t sag. I’m already looking into other things I can do to improve my appearance, like blepharoplasty (I should have done everything together in the first place). The major problem will be getting my mind ready for another surgery.