“My facelift took 20 years off me”

I had a face lift in Prague thre weeks ago and at this stage I look 20years younger than my 53 years. Overall my appearance is so much improved but there are things that I am not happy about, just hope that they improve with time.

The cost of my surgery was £5,000. I had an endoscopic assisted SMAS lower face and necklift and upper eyelid Blepharoplasty. I was in surgery 3.5 hours and returned to the clinic with drains. These were removed the next day and on the third morning I was able to return to my hotel room wearing the helmet. The 4th day i was allowed to wash hair and put on the compression garment. I only saw my surgeon the day before I flew home 9 days later, where he took out the eyelid stitches.

My face was hugely swollen and my eyes black, and at 21 days I still have bruises on my neck and strange lumps under my chin. I had a bad reaction to the stitches on one side for some reason and they are now lumpy and sore behind my r.ear and down the back of my neck. Surgeon says it will settle down in time. Around the front of my right ear I also have a very noticable scar as the skin is a different colour and texture is much thicker. On the right side I also have a considerable reduction in the length of my sideboard and a large bald patch in my hair, I am not sure if this is where hair has been pulled out or cut off or in fact where cheek skin has been pulled up too high into my hair. The left side is perfect -its like each side was done  by different people. I know my surgeon had an assistant or junior plastic surgeon with him, but I cannot imagine that he would have been allowed to do my face. Also they do video all procedures.

The appearance from the front is just great and I do look so good, if not a bit puffy still around the jaw and back of the neck.

I have sent pictures of the problem areas to the surgeon and he has offered revision surgery (but I cannot see what they do about the bald patch),  if it does not settle or come right. However I really was not planning to fly to Prague again.

That is the problem with having surgery abroad I guess.

Updated on Mar 25, 2009:

Had the stitches out this morning and everything is looking so much flatter and quieter. As my surgeon said   it will settle, and  I can see that now already just within 5 hours.

 Also noticed tufts of hair growing back on the bald patch so looks like I won't be needing revision surgery after all. Must have cut it when they made the incision in temple region

Absolutely delighted with results. Worth every penny.

19 days post operative