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Cannot Wait Until Next Week!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Fort Lauderdale, FL

Hi Ladies. I have enjoyed all the reviews I have...

  • 29 May 2014
  • 4 days pre
Hi Ladies. I have enjoyed all the reviews I have come across on RealSelf and it is time for me to start my own.:)

I am having a short scar FL plus a brow lift on 6/3/14, and I am apprehensive, nervous, and excited all at the same time.

I turned 48 last month, and basically up until 2011 had not had any PS work done..........not even botox. So......I am a late bloomer:)

My lovely husband is pretty supportive, but worries. I promised this is it for a while (oops... I plan on getting my BA lifted:) BUT THAT"S IT!!!!!!!!!

I am traveling to Fort Lauderdale Florida for the lift, so I will be recovering on a beach front condo. Yay! I am doing this solo, as my hubby has to tend to my children.

Main concerns besides something going wrong......plane ride home, taxi's back and forth to doctors, food issues, and basically hope it turns out well!

I am posting a few pictures for now. I have many more I will put in as necessary.

Be talking to you!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah.. its done.

  • 3 Jun 2014
  • Day of treatment
Took 4.5 hours, and no real issues at all. Local was more than adequate. Will post more later. Oh its so windy here today in fort lauderdale that my disguise (big hat and scarf) flew off my head and into a busy road in front of the hotel. Loads of spectators! So much for keeping this on the down low:))))))

24 hours

  • 4 Jun 2014
  • 1 day post
Sorry that I am not posting much: Condo wifi is pretty on/off. Here a few pics 24 hours out. I was told I could shower, etc... Yeah!!!!!! Fell really good. Off pain killers. On antibiotic. Life is good. My other pictures apparently cannot load do to the wifi, so will try later. I am in love so far with the PS's skill:)))))) No bruising and scars look great. Oh... here the pictures come. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing great. Sorry if I double post any pictures. Now, as instructed, placing my compression garb back on:) 24/7 until stitches out. XOXO girls.

These did not download

  • 4 Jun 2014
  • 1 day post

I forgot something:)

  • 4 Jun 2014
  • 1 day post
I have always had this ridiculously thin neck. Any skin laxity showed up as "skinny neck" if that makes any sense. I love my neck now!!!! LOVE.

Ahhh...here is the swelling I have been looking for (not):)))))

  • 5 Jun 2014
  • 2 days post
Okay. So, I was all "I guess I have been such a GOOD girl this time around, I am going to escape any bad swelling". I soooo... should not have been bragging about that! I now have a moon-pie face. Ah well. Going to skip my walks tomorrow if it gets worse. Bahhhh. Hope all you gals are doing really well. Have a great night. M

Day 3 swelling

  • 5 Jun 2014
  • 2 days post
I work up with some neck swelling, and throughout the day, my face got puffy!

Pic day 3

  • 5 Jun 2014
  • 2 days post

Day 6

  • 9 Jun 2014
  • 6 days post
Feeling fine, looking forward to heading home. Had all but 6 stitches removed today, and cleared to head back to MI. Still very swollen, but it is not too noticeable to anyone who does not know me.
Hope everyone is well, and will be thinking of you. M

Day 6

  • 9 Jun 2014
  • 6 days post
Did not load. Here goes:))

2 Weeks out!

  • 18 Jun 2014
  • 15 days post
Everything super here. Have tightness in neck, behind ears, and in hairline. Other than that, this FL experience has gone really well. I am convinced, by the way, that the key to a decent picture is distance, angle, and lighting:))))))) I have a couple doosy's I am not sharing:))))))))))))) Blessings all! M

Another pic

  • 18 Jun 2014
  • 15 days post
Couple of things...incision areas are still red and some blood. I have been biking, but not back to lifting for 3 more weeks per Dr. instructions. Cannot WAIT!!!

Pic 2 weeks

  • 19 Jun 2014
  • 16 days post
Wish I knew how to add photos to prior update:)
John Michael Thomassen, MD
Fort Lauderdale Plastic Surgeon

Wonderfully competent surgeon who is very good at FL's. His staff is happy. That tells you a lot. Go see him for any face work. I am not privy to his skill in any other body parts, but I can imagine he is just as competent. Top notch. And by the way, if I could give him more than 5 stars for bedside manner I would. He is a nice guy.

5 out of 5 stars Overall rating
5 out of 5 stars Doctor's bedside manner
5 out of 5 stars Answered my questions
5 out of 5 stars After care follow-up
5 out of 5 stars Time spent with me
5 out of 5 stars Phone or email responsiveness
5 out of 5 stars Staff professionalism & courtesy
5 out of 5 stars Payment process
5 out of 5 stars Wait times
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Oops - I realize I found my first doctor on the net MYSELF - back in 2002 but found another one through all the people who shared, in 2009 for basically a phenol peel around my mouth area. Where I live they don't do phenol peels so I went to Southern California. I have found better methods to smooth and revitalize my skin now though. It doesn't involve heat. There's dermarolling, and frequent and for me, affordable lactic acid peels. In reading about lasers, etc. I realize the smooth and clear one gets from them, plus the IPL involving heat to stimulate the collagen - well, the matrix heals differently with heat rather than the two I mentioned above and really, they have been so successful for my skin. I did the math and over time the expense is the same or less, and the results are at least on par and I think my face looks more natural with the results I was looking for. It looks like a NATURAL young, and not shiny, and does not look produced by laser, because it's not. It's very effective. I feel so good with those two. My best friend says I should be a researcher!!! Lol!
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I looked very closely, examined the before and after pictures of your photos. There is a visual improvement in your neck. I see the laxity before, and the smoothness and tightness afterward, which is part of the whole beauty of your face. Read your post of June 4 in which you said "I love my neck now!!!! LOVE!" So guess if I had just read fully and carefully before those questions would have been answered for me, of course. You see, I had a full face lift, neck lift and brow lift in 2002 by a surgeon who is now retired. The neck lift was so good I thought it would last forever. It has been just in the last few years I have noticed some laxity similar to your before pictures. So it looks like Dr. Thomassen took care of that so don't know what I was worried about.....Do look forward to talking to him. By the way, I travelled to near where you had your FL procedure for mine those years ago. I DO have to think of finances, yes. But in comparing FL in Southern California or New York where they may be $10,000 at the extreme lowest, to $25,000 UP - depending - a plane ticket and inexpensive accomodations for a preferred facelift......to Ft. Lauderdale - is there any question? I didn't see any indication that Dr. Thomassen used fat grafting or restylane. In any case I am going for it. If his FL's are THAT simple and good without fillers, - WOW! I picked another surgeonon in Southern Californis whose before and after pictures - well you couldn't beat them. I wanted that. Unfortunately I had some unexpected expenses and it would be too long to make it there for $25,000 flat fee. I was almost heartbroken until I started to solve my problem by scowering the net, especially RealSelf where I discovered my first doctor. I looked carefully at those initially coveted before and after pictures, very carefully. I noticed that likely the big difference in their excellence was the carefully placed fat grafting, or in other cases, restylane type fillers. I tried to imagine what the base FL would look like without the fillers.....of course there is no getting away from the expertise and artistry of the doctor in question BUT from the B and F pictures on Dr. Thomassen's site I think I see the same expertise and artistry without fillers....even if he has used them - he sure knows how to use them. In any case I feel lucky today to have solved my problem, thanks to your posting. I will keep you posted. Important to me - I know you are busy with YOUR problem solved and may not make it back to this site much - but how are you looking now? I know you said that you hoped your face swelling would go down and then look like it did immediately after your surgery. How does it look now, and how are you feeling? Thanks very much..... purdyme2.
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Hi. I think that Dr. Thomassen is an artist. I am returning this Winter for a breast lift. The necklift procedure was all I needed in 2011. The tissue in the face heads south as well, and then time for FL. The face tissue involves the neck skin. So, in doing the procedure, the doctor is recutting same areas that were addressed in necklift. The procedure could be done simultaneously. I can honestly say I had no pain and I looked pretty decent after surgery so no worries in the airport. My swelling has gone down a lot, and my husband mentioned yesterday that although he does not advocate me having a lot of plastic surgery, he thought this FL was a winner. Will post pics soon. M
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Just read way back to June 11 this year and my question was answered about your necklift. Incision under your chin and then a few around the ear. Hmm. It would seem, if I got the neck lift and the facelift separately there wouldn't be enough time, a few months apart, for the stitches to heal from the neck lift to put stitches from the FL there, too. Dr. Thomassen is SO good at his facelifts that, at the moment, that's where I want to go..I will be calling his office. I live on the west coast of Canada so different time zones or would call him this instant. Thanks again, MIMom for posting. I have been looking and looking and I do want what you have.
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Thanks for the posting of your experience and results, MIMom! I have been searching for the best facelift and think I see it in you. I am curious about the flow of the procedures you took, first having a neck lift, and then a facelift. Looks like it worked exceptionally well with you because your kind of beauty is what I am looking for. Did you have a platysmaplasty a couple years prior to this...if so, how long, really before you had this facelift? It looks like your neck was and is perfect. Do you think a plastic surgeon can do a better job of a facelift if he doesn't have to do a platysmaplasty with it? I was on Dr. Thomassen's site and he does the type of facelifts I have been envisioning...the first one I've found, thanks to you, MIMom. The neck part of the facelifts don't appear to be full platysmyplasties tho as they are not as tight. For his high quality artistry in his facelifts I would be willing to go to him, but maybe have a second procedure as a platysmyplasty so I have a very tight neck. Upon reading further about platysmyplasties as a stand alone I think they have to cut up around the ear tho. Since they do this in the facelift as well, following that it would seem there would be then double incisions at the same place! Think I might not be getting the clear unfoldment of your procedures.....You look so good I want what you have LOL!!! How did it go for you? Thanks, Purdyme2
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Your New Photo, is Just Beautiful, You must be Feeling Fantastic...
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Your most recent pictures look beautiful, MIMom. How are you feeling about results, healing, etc. at this stage?
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Hi RenoP. I feel superb. I have unfortunately caught the PS bug, and looking at the rest of my body:) My lovely husband is being VERY patient with me:)))) You?
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ok seriously! you look amazing!
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You look fantastic! What great results! I was wondering how your temporal incision healed. Is it healing well, and is there a visible scar? My PS also wants to place the temporal incision along the hairline rather than going behind the ear since the latter may alter the hairline.
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Still present. However no one ever comments on that incision. Just the others. It actually is not noticeable.M
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I think there are trade-offs (as with everything!) with the different incision placements, and proper patient selection is key. In general, with the incision that extends from above the top of the ear up into the hair-bearing scalp, the hairline in front of (sideburn) and just above the ear (temple area) will move up and back slightly. The more laxity of the face in that region, the more hairline displacement may be seen. In reality this should be no problem at all in those with a lower hairline and temporal tuft (sideburns) and has the advantage of hiding the scar completely within the hair. The type of temporal incision that MIMom had may be best suited for those with higher hairlines and/or sideburns that already end at or near the top of the ear, as the hairline in this region won't shift at all. The potential associated risks are that if the scar doesn't heal optimally, it can be quite visible, and there's not an easy fix at that point. For people with good scarring tendencies and a skilled surgeon, it should heal to be nearly imperceptible. The scar may also be more visible in those with thin/sparse temple hair. MIMom's scar looks like it will heal very well in this location. My surgeon recommended the other type for me for a number of reasons, and fwiw, I can't even find it now , and I'm not sure I'd know my hairline had moved at all if I hadn't been told that it would. Ask to see close up pictures of the healed scars and if possible, those of actual patients. When is your surgery?
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Good to hear! If you wore your hair up, would it be visible? I am just so nervous about any visible scarring.
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Thanks for the feedback! My surgery is on July 17th. This is the one issue I still want to go over before being sedated. So how did your incisions heal, and would they be visible if you wore your hair up?
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Hi, Brightsides - if your question was for me, then my incisions healed beautifully and are virtually invisible. I can wear my hair up or in a pony tail with no telltale signs at all. My hairdresser couldn't even find the incisions and she knew where to look. I would suggest that if this is a concern for you that you have a follow-up consult to discuss it with your surgeon and look at pictures of healed scars. Don't wait until you're about to be sedated to address it - your surgeon will already have his game plan in place by then. If your surgeon is highly skilled and does lots of facelifts, he should be able to hide the incisions with any number of approaches.
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Good advice as usual Reno - absolutely let your PS know that is a priority for you & I am sure he will discuss it with you in depth. All the best :-)
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Well said, RenoP. One of the things that I believe is really important with incision scars is protecting them from the sun. I had a BA, and went "au naturelle tanning" and the scars are quite dark. I will NEVER allow that to happen again with any visible scars.
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Absolutely, I couldn't agree more. For that matter, even though I happen to think many have gone a little overboard with sun phobia in general (vitamin D deficiency IS near-epidemic in this country, after all), I have become religious about keeping sunscreen on my face (and scars), rain or shine. every day. As they say, we'd better protect our investment, right? ;-)
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True that Reno :-)
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Thank you, Reno! That is great that you had such good results with the healing of the incisions! I have discussed this with my PS three times already. I guess I am just still nervous!
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Wow, you got a beautiful and natural result! You certainly do NOT look 48! Or even 32! Your profile is fantastic, and that is the yard stick in my opinion. I will definitely keep this doctor in mind. He is an artist and you look amazing.
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awww thank you.
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Wow! You look amazing! But you were beautiful before so he had much to work with! So...all that was done with local anesthesia?
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Thank you. Yes, local. Not a problem at all. I worried about this:)
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What a terrific job he did. Keep healing you look beautiful!
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