46 and Ready for a Lift - New York, NY

Like cemlaw said, it's hard to believe it has been a year already. And me soon to be 48!

At this point I have no numbness anymore but the scars in front of my ears still do itch sometimes. The scar in front of the left ear is still a little pink; I have lately started using a pencil concealer on it (the matte end of the Anastasia highlighter duo pencil) so I can get *just* the scar, and that seems to be working well. The scar in front of the right ear and beneath the chin are pretty much invisible. I really don't bother with concealer for them and hardly think about them. I go to exercise class with no makeup at all and no worries. Actually I think I am wearing less makeup these days than I ever have.

There's a feeling of tightness beneath the chin but I don't mind that at all -- I wish it were tighter! I never got quite the jawline I was hoping for and I have thought about going back for a consult... then I remember I promised my husband I wouldn't consider more surgery this decade, and I really don't want to go back under the knife. It is so much better than before, and when I look at pictures of my younger self I'm reminded I never *did* have that sculpted profile some of you ladies enjoy. Darn that hyoid bone!

However one thing I noticed in putting together these photos is that I have lost some roundness / fullness in my chin since my thirties. I don't want an implant but I am thinking I may ask my dermatologist about filler. That might even help the jawline, who knows?

To all of you who supported me through the process: thank you so much!

And to all of you considering the procedure: the full recovery does take several months, even if you are ready to be out and about after a couple of weeks. Hang in there. It's worth it!

The changes over the last 3 months are subtle, but I can see that I have more definition along the corner of the jaw near the ear and that things are a bit tighter along the throat and under the chin. In the past few weeks I've had new sensations of itchiness / tightness in those areas; I'm sure that's just the continued reconnection of nerve endings that are waking up to discover things are tighter than they used to be. The healing process does take a long time to fully complete!

Though I continue to cover the scars with makeup most days (they're slowly fading, but the one in front of the left ear is visible when you know where to look) I feel confident they are not detectible with makeup and even without makeup somebody would really have to be scrutinizing me closely to see them. I don't worry at all about going to the gym or running a quick errand with no makeup.

I am really happy with my results and hope they will stay with me for 10-15 years!

In the last month the healing has progressed a lot. I no longer have any skin numbness -- sensation has returned to the skin on the sides of my face, under the chin, and the lower right ear. But I still have a sense of numbness *under* the skin in those places, if that makes sense. No longer using the crescent pillow to protect my ear when sleeping... just normal pillows like before the procedure, sleeping on my side.

I went way off my eating plan yesterday and had far too much sodium (and too many calories) but it doesn't seem to have made me swell up today. Yay! (Now about those calories...)

My energy level is fully back to normal. I have gone back to restorative yoga class with no problem and I'm thinking about getting back to more active yoga with serious inversions and such.

The visible changes in the last month are subtle. I think things may continue to firm up slightly but I think as far as anyone else will see, what you see now is what you get. Looking back at some old pictures, I definitely feel Dr. H has given me at least 10 years back... maybe 15!