Lower Face Lift: Stories

So, I had my lower facelift/necklift 5 days ago (3/7/13) and I'm pretty sore and swollen/bruised. I am wearing a compression headpiece? for a week as many hours a day as I can tolerate (PS said 24/7 for a week unless eating or going out). Definitely not going out yet, but the thing is kind of uncomfortable. It has velcro straps at the neck that keep rubbing on my incision under my chin and doesn't really feel like it fits me right, not much compression, but I'm still wearing it. I will talk to my PS on Thursday when I go to get my stitches out.

My motivation for having a facelift was because I didn't like the way my neck looked. I had a couple of neck surgeries in the past (cysts on my thryoid gland) (when I was 15 yrs old and again when I was 24 yrs old) that caused some scar tissue that kind of attached itself to my throat area at the incision point. And as I got older the skin along the side of my neck seemed like it was trying to 'hang over' where the scar tissue was. Anyway, my PS released the scar tissue hoping that it won't attach again and did a lower facelift/necklift together.

Right now, I still feel so sore and swollen that I'm not certain if I will look any different. My jaw areas as well as my ears are quite painful, not unbearable, but tight, hard, swollen and sore. (I only take 1/2 of a pain pill, full dose makes me feel too nauseus). But again, it's only been 5 days. I did quite a bit of research before I made the final decision to have this done. I had told my husband for several years that I wanted it done, so after the holidays I made an appointment for a consultation, scheduled the surgery and now it's done. I really don't expect to look alot younger, that wasn't my goal.

I am 62 years old, very active with my horses, pets and my life, just didn't like looking in the mirror anymore at my 'chins' and sagging neck. I have earned any laugh/frown lines that I have so I will keep them as reminders of my life, but the neck things just had to go. I kind of went into this without talking to anyone who has had it done, so I really wasn't sure how I would feel after the surgery, only what I had read and researched online. I had considered one of those 'quick fix facelifts' that you see advertised on television all the time, but I really believe you get just what you pay for and I'm glad I didn't go with that type of cosmetic surgery. My PS was previously an otolaryngolist before specializing in plastic surgery so I'm certain I selected the right doctor. I am bruised from my chin down into my right breast (don't know why mainly on one side more than the other). The bruising doesn't really hurt, just ugly. Would I do it over? Not sure yet. Keeping an open mind, trying to be patient.

So I went and had my one week follow-up and had my stitches removed. It has only been 1 week and I see a change already. I will be patient for the swelling and hardness/tightness to subside and hope you all are doing ok in your recovery process too. I have a ways to go, but my PS was able to detach the scar tissue I had from previous thyroid surgeries years ago and gave me exercises/massages to do to hopefully prevent the scar tissue from attaching itself again. So far, so good.

I am now 20 days post op. Functioning well, but having quite a bit of discomfort in my upper neck area, both sides, just below the jaw line, burning sensation and very tight feeling. Difficult to explain, but continues to feel like something is rubbing it raw, when in fact there is nothing touching my neck at all. I usually only take 1/2 vicodin at bedtime to help me sleep, but today I have taken 1/2 pill 3 times to try and get some relief. Sure hope this is normal, right now I wish I hadn't had anything done. I don't go back to my PS until mid-April. For some reason today, I don't think my neck looks any better now than before my surgery, at least that's what my mirror is saying to me. But it is what it is, and I can only hope that it will get better with time. I have always thought I have a high pain tolerance, but this is starting to get me down. Can't wait to post what a great day I have had and how I am feeling better every day. Hope you all are doing well and recovering nicely. Tomorrow is a new day.

Well, here I am at almost 5 weeks post op. Finally will post some pictures. Please feel free to tell me what you think. I'm not sure right now. I do think there is some improvement from my 'before' picture which was taken in June 2011 (I never liked my picture taken anyway), and 'after' pictures. Looks to me like I am more swollen in the cheek/jowl, neck area than I was at only 1 week post op. It feels swollen to me too. Hope it just goes along with the wierd feelings/tenderness and general yucky feeling I have been having lately. My doc says that I am progressing normally, sure hope everything settles down by my ' new' goal date of feeling better which is sometime in June 2013. My recovery has been what has seemed like never ending discomfort and questioning if there is much of a difference or not. I am 62 years old so I don't expect to look 20 years younger, that wasn't my goal. I just wanted to get some improvement in my neck area. Also wondering if because I also had old scar tissue released from 2 prior medically necessary surgeries (cysts on my thyroid gland) at the same time as my FL, maybe that has something to do with how I have been feeling? I am really going to try and think more positive than I have been and just hope for the best. Hope everyone is doing well and healing fast. Hugs to all.

I am now at 9 weeks post-op and slowly improving. Still have the hardness (like rubber?) at the sides of both ears and tightness/pulling under my chin ear to ear. Not painful, just annoying. I think 7 weeks was my turning point. I was so discouraged from about 3 weeks until 7 weeks, so depressed and miserable I couldn't stand myself. I still have some swelling in my neck that is very slowly diminishing, I would be so happy if all the swelling would leave and I would have a nice smooth neckline. Not 100% sure that is going to happen. I go back to my PS in June for my 3 month checkup. I wonder what he will think? I am not completely happy with the way my neck looks at this point, but there is improvement from my "before", and I also realize I am not completely healed, So, will all the swelling go down and will I be happy? Time will tell. Plus I am on a weight loss program, have lost 10 pounds so far. I would still like to lose another 15 so maybe I will lose some of my "chubby" face as a few more pounds drop off. I am short, so every little pound seems to show up..Hope everyone is doing well. Hang in there, it does get better....maybe not daily as in the early weeks, but more gradual.... slowly.....better.

I will be 12 weeks post-op next this next Thursday and still waiting for some swelling to go down in my neck area. Or at least I think it's swelling or I am just going to have this "fat" face forever? I go back to my PS the first week of June so it will be interesting to find out what he has to say......I am not happy with my neck at all....I know it's an improvement from before, but I was hoping for a better result. Will it improve or is it where it's going to be at this point?