Made an appt with Dr. Qaqish for lip fillers and Botox and quite an impression was made. Office environment is welcoming and aesthetically pleasing. His staff are knowledgeable, cheery, and helpful. Dr. Q numbed my lips adequately prior to injection, and minimal to zero bruising present s/p injections. I didn’t feel hardly any pain and my pain tolerance level is minimal. Immediately saw results as my lips were supple and smooth. I’m in the medical field so I can appreciate a surgeon that’s precise with great attention to detail and definitely recommend his care to anyone looking for lip fillers or other cosmetic procedures.
Dr. Q is the best. He really listened to what I wanted. I appreciated his honest, and knowledgeable input. I am so glad I listened to his suggestions. My skin and lips look amazing. I am so happy. I 100% trust Dr. Qaqish with my appearance. And, he was right, I want more filler! I high recommend S.D. Surgical Arts and team !
••I can't remember the amount before insurance, but my copay was around $900. ••I can't say enough great things about Dr.Q and his staff. My older daughter had an odomtoma and one wisdom tooth removed by DrQ a few years ago but I lost Dr.Q's information when he opened his new practice. Fast fwd: I needed my deeply impacted wisdom teeth extracted plus two other teeth to make room for braces (6 teeth total!) I had a few different consults with oral surgeons around town. Many came highly recommended. I just didn't feel confident with any of the surgeons I met with. I expressed my concerns to the assistant at my orthodontists office and she said Dr. Q's name. Light bulb! In the other offices I felt rushed, I felt like I was just another number. Wham bam here are your teeth mamm'. Not Dr. Q. He's one of those Drs that makes one feel as if you're the only patient. I had a great deal of anxiety going in, but his staff was so calming and reassuring that I soon felt at ease. Everything was explained and all my questions answered (no matter how silly) . I've had such a great experience with both myself and my daughter. Psst he also does plastics.
I am a 43 -year-old female and was fortunate enough to have a decent eyelid crease, but I had excess skin and fat which hooded my eyelids. Every time I looked at pictures of myself, my eyelids always bothered me. I was constantly asked if I was tired (that really bothered me) Also, my right lid was very droopy and it bothered me tremendously. I had my surgery (upper blepharoplasty) on March 13, 2015 my recovery was a breeze. My eyelids were never bruised and sutures were removed at my 1 week post op visit. I am now 2 1/2 months post op, and my eyelid creases are PERFECT!!!! they’re exactly how I wanted them to be. I love when people tell me how rested and youthful I look!! I also had arm liposuction done and I very happy with the results. It's been years since I have worn a tank and I wore a tank top all week long while I was on vacation! Such a great feeling to have youthful eyes and to have great looking arms.
My Juvederm Lip filling journey started over 2 years ago, prior to the Juvederm filler I couldn't wear lipstick without it looking like a thin , unattractive straight line, when I smiled my upper lip disappeared. I was beyond pleased with my first treatment, especially the longevity of the result . Within the last month or so my lips were looking thinner. I still had an upper lip, but in my opinion it needed to be replenished. Today I'm very happy with my rejuvenated lips, and now with the 2nd syringe in the mix, I'm ecstatic my once shriveled, sagging mouth area is rejuvenated as well. I believe I look more youthful. I will post full face pics next week when the injection sites are healed. I paraphrased my patient doc interaction below. I highly recommend using Juvederm to target specific areas of concern.
I'm a 37 year old, 5'9'' and 150 pound mother of 2 who has never had a flat belly. Although my "baby" is 8 years old now, people still ask me if I'm pregnant. I have been thinking about a TT for years now and have finally booked an appointment. Even though my procedure is 21 days away, I'm nervous and can't stop thinking about it. The recovery is my biggest concern. I'm having the procedure done out of town and need to return home 15 days post surgery. From reading this site, I know that there are lots of possible complications from surgery and I'm just praying that my recovery is relatively easy and uncomplicated. Updated on 15 Dec 2013: Here are some photos from this morning. 19 more days to go. I'm really excited! Updated on 22 Dec 2013: 13 days until the big day! I am feeling a mixture of excitement and apprehension. I'm excited to get rid of my lax belly, but since I haven't told anyone (other than my husband and best friend), I feel like I'm being dishonest to eveyone around me. I've rented an electric lift recliner and a walker, and I had a Q&A with Dr. Q on the phone on Friday. All my questions are answered and from reading all the stories here, I think I'm ready. CG ordered. What else do I need? What were your most indispensable possessions post-surgery? Is there anything that you would have arranged to have that you didn't have? Updated on 2 Jan 2014: Well.... I've amassed the necessary gear (meds, compression stockings, granny panties, loose sweats, cotton dresses and a great caregiver) and I'm ready for the big day. This week I spoke to two TT patients of Dr. Q and it was so helpful. They had vastly different experiences but are both happy with their result. If you have a chance to talk with previous patients, I totally recommend it. Today was my last meeting with my Doctor. I've been worried about scaring: it seems that there are a wide array of scars and not everyone is happy with theirs. He told me that he could give me a really low scar, but that since I don't have too much extra skin, he might not be able to remove all of my old belly button and I'd have to have a small vertical incision above the main incision and some of my stretch marks may be visible. On the other hand, he could remove the old belly button and stretch marks, but my scar would have to be higher since there's only so much skin to remove. That's a tough one. I'm so thankful for my dear friend and caregiver who has offered to house and care for me during the big recovery, and for my lovely hubby who is staying home with the kids for two weeks while I recoup. All in all, I'm a lucky lady. Last night I had a dream that my surgery went well and that I had no pain! What a great prelude to surgery, I hope the real thing is just as good. Here are a couple of photos of my pre-op schwag. No puppy pads or hibiclens in these, but you know it's there. Updated on 3 Jan 2014: I go in for my TT in one hour. I'm tense, nervous and terrified. Why am I doing this again? Am I so vain that I will have major surgery just to get rid of my pooch? Please wish me luck and send me prayers for calm nerves and a speedy recovery. Updated on 3 Jan 2014: I've been home for 5 hours now and have been resting on and off. My MR and incision are sore and one hydro is not enough to keep the pain down. We called the anesticist and he told me that I can take 2. The Dr told me that I look awesome. He said that he got all of my stretch marks (we weren't sure if that was possible ). They snapped a photo of me on the operating table, don 't get grossed out! Updated on 4 Jan 2014: Updated on 5 Jan 2014: Updated on 5 Jan 2014: For the last two days, I have mostly just rested in my recliner getting up only to use the bathroom and walk around the kitchen island. At the moment: 1. Coughing sucks 2. Walking is hard (I'm very very hunched over) 3. It's not easy to get comfortable 4. I'm very tired Am I glad that I did this to myself? At the moment, yes. So far I am pleased with my result and the recovery is just about what I expected. I'm hoping that each day gets a little bit better. Updated on 6 Jan 2014: Hi all, Here I am on day 3 post-op. I'm feeling much better and am home alone for the first time since surgery. The pain has subsided a lot, but I'm still taking 325 mg of vicodin every 4 hours and am spending almost all of my time in the reclining lift chair. I have my post-op appointment an about an hour and will let you know how it goes. Updated on 8 Jan 2014: Things are definitely improving, here are the main highlights: 1. I can almost stand upright. 2. Vicodin is my friend (5-325 dosage every 4-6 hours). The pain has gone down a lot and now mostly consists of back pain and a searing sensation at the incision site. 3. Showering is awesome but exhausting (my Dr. allows showering while drains are still in) 4. I have lots of swelling. I'm able to take short walks and make coffee or smoothies. I'm not nearly as tired as I was a few days ago and I think that I'll be able to do some office work today. My post-op went well. I got to see my belly button (which looks good) and it was nice to check in with the doctor. Updated on 8 Jan 2014: Everybody needs one :-) Updated on 9 Jan 2014: I just talked to the doctors office and was told that I get to have a drain removed this afternoon. This is really exciting ladies! The day 6 update: 1. Still feeling better each day. 2. Mostly walking upright. 3. Showered by myself (I held the drains with my thighs) 4. Took Tylenol PM last night instead of vicodin (but I popped a vicodin after my shower and hit the recliner) 5. My back still hurts 6. First drain comes out today Thanks for your comments and support. Having this site makes the recovery so much less lonely. It's nice to know that we're in it together! Updated on 9 Jan 2014: I've had regular bm's since surgery (despite the Vicodin) and I attribute it to my morning smoothie, so I thought I'd share my recipe: Ingredients: 1/2 banana 1/4 cup frozen blueberries 1/2 cup frozen mango 1 Tablespoon flax meal 1 handful (a little more than 1/8 cup) of raw almonds (not roasted or salted) Milk of your choice (I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk) What to do: 1. Put everything but milk into a blender. 2. Add milk to the blender until the fruit is about 3/4 covered. 3. Blend on medium speed until desired consistency. 4. Add more milk if necessary / desired. I like to blend it until it's coarsely mixed and eat it with a spoon. Variations: -Use pineapple, peaches or tropical fruit mix instead of mango -Use nut butter (peanut or almond, crunchy or smooth) instead of almonds -Use soy milk or cow milk (or add protein powder) if you want more protein) Updated on 10 Jan 2014: Well, today I've reached the 7 day mark and I'm pleased so far with the recovery and with my results. I have one drain out and have managed a trip out for dinner. Today I'm going to drive. Here are some day seven photos. I still have swelling in my hips from the lipo and rashes where I've reacted to the tape. My tummy is hard as a rock. Happy healing to you all, and for those about to embark on the TT journey, good luck! Updated on 13 Jan 2014: Just had two major milestones at post op appt #3: 1) had the second drain removed - drain removal is strange and very unpleasant, not painful but equally aweful. 2) saw scar for the first time - it's low and looks good. I'm pleased. I've attached some scar photos. It's lumpy because of the swelling. I walked a very slow mile with a friend this morning and feel more swollen than usual. Updated on 14 Jan 2014: I've haven't spent much time thinking about swelling. Yes, there's swelling in my abdomen and hips. My waist size hasn't changed since surgery and I have extra swelling above my incision and around my hips and lower back. This is normal, I anticipated it and expect that it will go down. What I'm experiencing now is more pronounced than that. Now, you've seen "Willy Wonka".... maybe a hundred times. You've seen Violet Beauregard swell into a blueberry, but you've probably never really thought about how Violet FELT as her abdomen and torso began to swell with blueberry juice. Today, I thought about it. More than that, I felt it. I felt my midsection swell up like a watermelon. In what felt like minutes, I went from feeling fine to feeling like a blueberry. Now I realize what all the fuss over swelling is about. I've returned to my Bones' re-runs and my recliner! If you want to message me, I'll be here for the foreseeable future. I'm hoping to avoid the juicing room. Updated on 17 Jan 2014: So, what does the 2 week point have to offer? 1) I'm mostly upright most of the time. Sometimes I think that I'm completely upright, but after exertion or a big meal, I can still be pretty hunched. 2) Swelling: less in the morning, more in the evening or after a large or salty meal. 3) Sleeping: I'm still in the recliner. I rented a medical lift chair and find it very comfortable. 4) Energy level: good, with highs and lows. On Wednesday, I had a huge day with showering, driving, coffee with friends, lunch with family, walking and shopping....on Thursday, I hardly left the recliner. Other things? Showering is pretty easy. I had lunch with a friend who doesn't know that I had a TT and she didn't seem to have any idea that I had anything done. For the most part, I think that I seem normal to others. Updated on 21 Jan 2014: Back sleeping is so uncomfortable! When will I be able to sleep on my side? Updated on 22 Jan 2014: Went back to work today and I'm friggin' beat! All I've wanted to do since I got home is lay down: forget the laundry, forget the dishes.... mama's getting horizontal. Updated on 24 Jan 2014: This week was big for me: I went home and started back at work. I'd been staying with a friend for the first two weeks of my recovery and was feeling really good emotionally and physically. I had honestly expected the TT recovery to be more like the post-partum recovery and frankly, I was glad that it wasn't. Now that I'm home, sleeping in my own bed, spending time with my family and returning to my own life, I feel much more frustrated and emotional. When will I get back to normal? I've been weepy and grouchy, I can't sleep.... I thought I had skated through my recovery without this! Early in the week I began walking between 2 and 3.5 miles with friends, but I got scared of seroma and healing complications so I stopped. I really don't want to rush things and end up needing to fly back to Escondido to see my surgeon (or find a local doctor who can help). That thought is more stressful than the thought of waiting to exercise. I can run, zumba and cross train when I'm feeling better. Maybe after the 6 week mark (halfway there) I'll add a spin class to my schedule before work. On compression garments: This week, my general routine was to wear the surgical cg at night and the Maidenform waistnipper (http://www.amazon.com/Flexees-Maidenform-Instant-Waistnipper-6868/dp/B0007UOLIK) during the day. The Maidenform is TIGHT and super supportive and I have been loving it. However, I'm starting to experiment with a spanx during the day (the simplicity open bust mid-thigh bodysuit, http://www.zappos.com/spanx-slimplicity-open-bust-mid-thigh-bodysuit-black) and last night I slept without any support. Yesterday, after wearing the spanx all day, I was so happy to return to my surgical cg. I still feel better with the extra support. My scar is puffy and puckered. I'm always swollen at the incision site. I'm using mepitac silicone tape over the incision. It's cheap for silicone tape, stays on well and doesn't give me a rash. It's about the only tape that I don't react to. I guess I have sensitive skin. You can see the rash on my hips in the photos. That's from compression? No idea. Will ask Dr. So, week 3 observations: 1) feeling emotional 2) back to work 3) feel well enough for light exercise but am going to wait a little longer 4) sore in the upper abs (like I'm bruised) 5) stitches appear to be dissolved 6) still loving my cg 7) wish that I could do a full body stretch when waking 8) am upright except for right after sitting for a long period and at night after dinner 9) have a lot of swelling at the incision site, swollen all over by night Updated on 27 Jan 2014: At my week 3 update I was in the doldrums but am now much better. I've had two fully functional days in a row and am no longer emotional. I'm actually feeling pretty much back to normal (and I slept on my side last night)! Updated on 29 Jan 2014: For those of you ahead of me, how long after your TT could you wear jeans? Updated on 31 Jan 2014: First of all: on my day of treatment I said that the dr got all of my stretch marks. That isn't what I meant. What I meant to say is that he was able to remove all of my old bb. He wasn't sure that was going to be possible, so I was prepared for a vertical incision. I still have some stretch marks. This week has been such an improvement over last week. I have more energy and am feeling much more like my normal self.... unless you factor in exercise! I'm a regular exerciser. Before sx, each week I would teach Zumba twice and do 1-3 other workouts (usually running or cross training). Since the surgery, I've only taken a handful of walks because I'm worried about increasing the likelihood of complications. Yesterday I took a 4 mile walk on hilly terrain. It felt great... *but*... it left me depleted of energy for the rest of the day. Maybe 1-2 miles a day is good for the first week. On compression: I'm still love the tight, waist-cinching cg that provides as much support as the surgical cg that the doctor gave me although I'm trying to transition into a smooth Spanx. At night, I've been sleeping without any compression at all because it is so much more comfortable. The tight super-supportive waist-cincher is awesome because it allows me to stand up straight and feel like all my tummy parts are contained and secure. On days when I wear the Spanx, I begin to hunch after a few hours, especially after long periods of sitting. When I'm wearing the Spanx, I feel like I've been set back a week or two: hunching, moving slower, more aching. This morning I tried on two pair of jeans: my low-riding Lucky's and my skinny-jeans. I may wear a pair to work today. Thank you all for your encouragement and feedback. I needed some courage! On my overall shape: I've noticed that I'm still thick-waisted. I was hoping that would go away, but I sort-of knew that because I've always been thick-waisted, I would probably continue to be that way. I think that I will need to loose 5-10 pounds to get reduce the amount of visceral fat that I have surrounding my internal organs if I want to look curvy in the waist. Damn that apple shape! I've been surprised at the level of pain / soreness that persists. The lipo spots are still sore to the touch and my abdominal wall remains tender. I've taken ibuprofen a couple of times this week in the evening because of aches and soreness. Well, what else is there: 1) I'm able to go to work and then make dinner at night 2) Last night I slept without pillows under my knees 3) I am still very dependent on firm compression for full functioning 4) Pain localized to the lipo sites and upper abs. 5) I experience itchiness around my incision, but when I go to scratch it, I can't find the source of the itch because the skin is numb: how can it itch and be numb at the same time? 6) This week, I'm going to walk 1-2 miles each day as a way to introduce exercise back into my life. Happy healing to all of you, and for those of you about to embark on a TT journey, good luck! It's well worth it. Updated on 4 Feb 2014: I love my tummy! Never thought that I'd say THAT :-) Updated on 7 Feb 2014: I can't really explain how much better I have felt this week. My swelling has been way down and much of the soreness is gone. I have had much more energy that before. As for swelling, it may just be that this has been my 5th week and things are finally starting to subside. However, I also started taking Bromelain this week. It's hardly a scientific trial, but if I had it to do over again, I'd take the bromelain from the beginning. Before surgery: weight: 152 bust: 38 natural waist: 31.5 waist at bb: 33.5 hip: 39 After surgery (this morning): Weight: 148 Bust 38 Natural Waist: 31 Waist at belly button: 31.5 Hip: 39 My nurse said that they removed a little over 2 pounds in skin in addition to the fat that was extracted. My scar has been improving although it still has some pleating and (of course) is bright red. It's a nice shape and fits well within my panty lines. The Doctor still has me wear tape over it, so much of the lumpiness that you see on the scar is a result of the tape. I haven't had tape off for long enough to get it smooth, but when I do, I'll snap a picture. This weeks milestones: 1. Going from standing to laying down and vice versa has gotten much easier. 2. Sleeping comfortably on my side and switching from side to side without fanfare. 3. Wearing spanx more and more (and the industrial strength waist-nipper less and less). It's a hard trade off though because I find the spanx to be so darn uncomfortable. 4. I'm wearing jeans! 5. I've been taking brisk walks of about 2 miles in length and am looking forward to week 6 when I can increase my activity level. What else... I'm so thankful that I made the decision to do this and that my family has been supportive. It makes me sad that people are judgmental of others who choose elective surgery to help them feel more comfortable with their bodies. The recovery process has been a bit of a long-row-to-hoe, but I would still enthusiastically recommend the procedure to anyone who is tired of carrying around extra skin and a saggy abdomen. There's no reason to look pregnant when you're not! Here are some photos from this morning. Not much change from last week, but the swelling has definitely gone down at the incision site. Updated on 12 Feb 2014: Yipee.... Things FIT! Updated on 14 Feb 2014: When I signed up for surgery, I was so nervous and excited but the thing that scared me most was the recovery. I expected pain, wild emotions and to feel stir crazy from a lack of exercise. All those things happened at one time or another. But now I'm at the 6 week mark, the magic recovery mark, the go back to the gym and work-out mark, the start helping with firewood mark and I'm relieved, excited and glad to be here. Tomorrow I'm going to add some jogging to my morning walk and on Monday, I'm going to try a spin class. Wow! To believe that it's actually time. This is cool. When I was gearing up for surgery, this date seemed so far away and now it's here! Any news? *I woke up on my stomach the other night. It wasn't comfortable, but I was there. *My tummy is starting to soften up a bit. *The big news of the week is that I'm getting a lot more mobility in my waist / hip / chest area: I can roll my hips and ribs a little and I can stand straight and arch my back a little. This is a huge milestone for me.... I'm a Zumba instructor and I have been looking forward to this moment. I have really missed listening to music and making up routines while washing dishes or doing chores. But yesterday.... oh yeah.... I caught myself doing a little salsa. And it felt good. *My posture stinks! I think that this is partially a result of not being able to make my spine fully erect for weeks and weeks. I catch myself slouching.... really slouching and when I go to sit up, I realize that I can sit *really* upright... lift my chest up and elongate my abs upright. So... I guess it's time to work on my posture. Any suggestions? I'm posting a couple of pics from this morning, but my monthly friend just showed up and I'm a little more bloated than usual. From here, I'll post monthly pics and I hope to see a reduction in the pleating and swelling. I have one little "nob"... call it a miniature dogs ear... the size of a pencil eraser... on the right side that will most likely need a touch up. See you at the two month mark! Updated on 17 Feb 2014: Went to spin class this morning.... tired now but off to work. Updated on 28 Feb 2014: Things have been rolling right along. I've started running. I'm up to 2.41 miles and although it's hard, it's not quite like starting over from scratch. There's one place on my tummy where I feel little zaps of pain but it doesn't happen if I wear my super-duper waist cincher. Today *was* going to be my first day back at my strength training class. BUT, I'm not feeling ready. I've been carrying firewood up the stairs and that's enough. I can do it, but I still feel like I need to be careful. Spin class has been awesome. I can work really hard, get my endorphin rush and be happy all day! All without hurting anything :-) I didn't realize it until I started exercising again, but I NEED to exercise, it keeps me happy. When I was exercising a few times per week, I didn't notice how much better it made me feel. My scar is calming down quite nicely but there's still quite a lot of swelling above it. There's still pleating on the left side but it is getting better. On compression: I wear a mixture of spanx, the super-duper waist cincher and nothing. Sometimes it feels fine to wear nothing so I do. But not if I'm doing any sort of exercise. Then it's the waist cincher. On a somewhat sad and very frustrating note, I've put on a little bit of weight. I'm at 151 which was on the high side BEFORE I had 3-4 pounds of flab and skin removed. You can probably see it in the pictures. Updated on 6 Mar 2014: I taught a Zumba class today! I haven't done that since December and I was really worried about it. It was hard and I'm tired, but I'm not hurt and that's the important thing. I probably didn't have 100% of my hip/rib mobility back... in fact I know I didn't (body rolls were not happening for me) but it was pretty darn fun. Now I'm whooped and very hungry. Hope you all are well! Updated on 28 Mar 2014: I love my new waist. The other day, I wore my favorite "skinny" capris that I have not been able to wear in years (since I was 10 lbs lighter) and they were comfortable. But I have to admit that it's been hard to really get used to my new shape. I used to keep an eye on my waist to gauge my weight and now my waist looks great even when I'm gaining weight. Now, my face is getting rounder, my boobs are bigger and my thighs are a little bit bigger, but I'm not attuned to those changes the way I was to my belly. It's hard to explain... I just don't want to gain weight to where I feel like I need to lipo my thighs and get a breast reduction :-) I'm still easing my way back into exercise. I'd say that I'm about 60% back to my pre-op level of fitness. Adding weights to my routine has been the hardest but I've been making some good progress during the last week or so. It's nice to see the beginning of muscle definition in my arms and legs. I've been missing it. I'm planning a 10K in May. Compression is becoming a thing of the past. I wear my waist-cincher when I run, but that's it. Sometimes I wear spanx, but I hate them. Spanx has to be the most uncomfortable thing ever! Well.... I suppose corsets were worse... thank GOODNESS I was born after the corset craze ended! At my last appointment, my doctor said that he's not worried about my pleating (although I am), but he is a little concerned with my bb (but I wasn't... until he said something). He says that I need 6 full months before we can evaluate the pleating.... ok Belly is still sore and swollen sometimes: at the end of a long day, after exercise. Swelling is located above the incision and sometimes above my bb as well. Weight: 152 (oh my!) Waist: 32.5 (at bb), 31 (natural) Hips: 39 Bust: 38 Face: oh wait.... Good luck ladies, wherever you are in your journey. Thanks (as always) for your updates and support.
Today/Fri August 30, 2013 is day #3 post operation. So far my healing appears very promising. Prior to surgery, my upper eye lids had numerous folds, under eyes were hollow, my appearance tended to convey chronic tiredness, heaviness and advanced aging. One bothersome area was my right eyelid, it had a tendency to droop excessively, more so than my left eyelid. During surgery Dr. Qaqish discovered my right eye lid muscle was defective (he stated the correct muscle term/condition but I don't remember ), and in need of repair which he performed. The stitches are the type that dissolves, hopefully they will leave minimal scaring. Though I look swollen, red, and blue from the Obagi Chemical Peel. I'm very pleased so far with my improvement. The skin on my face is starting to harden and turn brown from the Obagi peel, it feels like I have one of those clay- base masks applied to my face, however, I can't wash this one off!! I'm keeping my facial expression to a minimum to prevent any cracking on the peel. I'm hoping the chemical peel will address my fine lines, skin discoloration, and pigmentation, especially on the "driver's" side of my face! On day two I was given cleanser and moisturizer to use twice daily which removed the blue dye, and brought relief to the dryness i felt around the corners of my mouth. My lower eye lid area where Dr. Q injected fat cells( harvested from my stomach) is swollen. I recall from my consultation, about half of the units of fat injected will actually graft into my face, so I'm loving the fullness under my eyes!! I'm taking the following medications Cephelexin 3 times a day (antibiotic) Acyclovir 4 times a day (anti viral ) to prevent herpes blisters during the peel. The doc prescribes as a precautionary measure, as the peel can aggravate and cause fever blisters . Pain medicine was prescribed but so far I haven't needed it. Updated on 31 Aug 2013: Shows poor skin tone, sun damage, hollowness and dark under eye area, and droopy upper eyelids. Updated on 1 Sep 2013: Sunday, Sept 1, 2013 I'm going into my 4th day post op. The Obagi Blue Peel is starting to peel, especially around my mouth. The new skin revealed is just that , NEW!, it's amazing. from what I can see, the skin tone is clear, a little pink, and it feels extremely smooth and soft. I will be a horrible person if I expose this new skin to the sun.. that's how nice and perfect it looks. My cheeks and forehead have not began to peel, but it feels like its ready...the skin on my cheeks is stiff, brown, and a little itchy at times.. It's so tempting to scratch, pick at it .. but I wont!!! Pics: I tried to get a close up to post for you all to see. As for my eye lids, the swelling is still there, but reduced, I'm getting excited about my eye lid result.. my eye shape/lids/under eye are beginning to resemble my eyes 15 years ago!! which is so exciting...I'm rarely using my moisturizing eye drops... I do need a few drops when I wake up, and after my shower. So far so HAPPY with my progress!! Though I'm getting a little bored being at home, especially during this beach weather!! but heck, I can not subject myself, new face to this crazy sunshine!! it's evil lol!! .. I should have planned better for my down time.. bought a few extra books, movies, etc.. Updated on 2 Sep 2013: Woke up this morning feeling like my former self..the skin has peeled away from around my mouth, freeing me to eat and talk normally.., my eyes open and close with ease, I'm ready to take on the world! My refrigerator was empty, it was 6am, it was now or wait another day for my first trip out of the house. I'm keeping vampire hours now lol! It was rather funny, mostly seniors shopping at the crack of dawn. I received double takes, a stare or two or three lol!, but mostly smiles of warm concern for me which I gladly returned. I was assisted and offered help in every aisle, a lady my mom's age wanted to help me load my bags into my car, she was so sweet. I explained I had a cosmetic procedure done, and I was fine, it was purely superficial. She found my explanation shocking, she thought I was recovering from a burn on my face..she firmly stated I looked way too young for fixin'. Bless her sweet heart.. Attached are my latest pics from this morning. Im so ready for the peel to be over with, though its a small price to pay considering the results I'm seeing. I'm so happy with the way my new skin is presenting, the skin around my mouth thus far is coming in sooo smooth, and even toned, lacking the fine lines I had prior to the peel!! talk about real results!! fingers crossed it stays that way. Ongoing Challenge : Sleeping on my back NOT on my FACE. Updated on 5 Sep 2013: Sept 4, My doctor and his wonderful, super awesome staff seemed pleased and satisfied with my healing and result to-date. I almost lost it when I walked in the exam room this afternoon and found a beautiful gift basket waiting for me, a thank you / get well card attached from Dr. Q and his practice. It was filled with beautiful and thoughtful gifts to bring me comfort while recovering. I was emotional to begin with over my result, and to be acknowledged and cared for in such a fashion, as if I was not only their patient, but a friend.... well..I had to work very hard to stop the water works. I'm sure my doctor thought I was suffering from post surgical emotional, sappiness, excessive happiness, syndrome as I propelled myself at him for a hug instead of our customary hand shake when he walks in. I'm sure this happens to him all the time with his surgery patients, he is phenomenal at his craft. I'm very, very surprised with the Obagi peel result. ( I thought this was some minor companion procedure...its not! its truly remarkable on its own merits!!) My brown spots have faded away, i do see a few areas of mild, hardly noticeable discoloration. Its not brown, nor is it a spot, its more like a dash one shade pinker than my regular skin tone, Im hoping its merely a section of skin still in the healing process. This peel , is remarkable! I'll keep up on my review and post a final review in a month , or earlier if anything changes. With that said, I'm very happy with my new complexion. Prior to this peel I was a laser , IPL, Matrix RF user which cost about $1,000 a session and I would usually get 2 a year.. I have never received results like this from the laser!! My skin hasn't looked this clear and felt so soft, smooth and youthful since I was in my mid 20's, a HUGE result and well worth the inconvenience of downtime and peeling. My girlfriends are spouting admissions of jealousy at me, they want an Obagi Peel too!! My doctor indicated I could have another treatment in 6 months if I felt I needed it. I can wear make up in two weeks, but the way I look now, I don't even want to use foundation. In the pictures I plan to post to this review my face looks shiny, the shininess is due to the hydrating creme I'm applying twice a day.. the residual redness is due to the treatment, my doctor expected me to be redder. I'm still bruised and swollen from the fat grafting and eyelid surgery, but overall the actual skin tone is near perfect. Another pleasant benefit of the Obagi Peel; my face skin tone now matches my chest skin tone. I always felt like I had a "farmers" tan, brown splotchy face, white chest.. With the Obagi peel I'm pretty seamless. I also noticed the slew of broken capillaries around my nose are 75% gone, definitely diminished. Prior to the peel my nose and outer nose crease were like a busy city road map of red veins.. I ALWAYS wore concealer, now, none is needed. Dr. Q mentioned he injected a teaspoon of fat under each eye.. I noticed when I smile the wrinkles under my eyes are missing!.. I pray it stays that way, and its not due to the swollen tissue. For the first time in my life I'm a fan of my resistant stomach fat:)hopefully it behaves the same way in my face!! My eyelid stitches were sewn individually across the incision..and have mostly dissolved, i have two sutures left on each eye.. My girlfriend who`s a physician (not cosmetic) was very impressed that my doctor did the sutures this way. According to her, it takes a significant amount of time to do, and this type of stitch lessons the possibly of scarring compared to the single pull through stitch (this was her opinion). btw, I'm using my own lingo referencing the pull out stitch. I know I'm not out of the woods regarding scarring, and the possibility of getting bumps along the incision, but I'm very hopeful, and honestly I'm not too concerned if it happens. beats out having droopy eyelids! I'm ecstatic with my doctor's eye work, just everything about it I love, each day it gets better and better. I know I keep repeating myself.. but I'm still OVER THE MOON about my result.. My eyes resemble my eyes 15+ years ago!!!.. truly, I couldn't be luckier. I couldn't find a close up picture of my eyes from years ago..digital didn't exist back in my day lol!..so I attached a picture of my 9 year old son's eyes, my family and old friends mention all the time he has my eyes..Now I believe his eyes do resemble my eyes, we finally look related.. I'm tired of being referred to as "your friend", or nanny! I wouldn't mind being referred to as "sister" hehehe!! in my dreams..in my dreams. I'll update on my next appointment in 4 weeks!! I will share earlier if anything else comes up! take care : Leilalei Updated on 5 Sep 2013: Updated on 11 Sep 2013: 2 weeks post operation: Obagi Chemical Peel: Still in process of healing, my skin is still so smooth, and soft. I notice tinges of very minor color, not brown , nor pink, almost like a super light stain from where some of the original darker brown spots and discoloration were, still a massive improvement. I tried to capture it on the pics..this phone cam is substandard. In a week or two I will post some detailed pics from a REAL camera. Under Eyes Fat Grafting: My favorite so far! After 2 weeks my right under eye fat graft appears almost smoothed into my face matching my natural cheek line. My left under eye fat graft still has a little bulge to it. Overall I'm very happy with the fuller look I've been sporting under my eyes and above my cheeks, I appear so much more youthful and rested.. as of now my under eye wrinkles (crowsfeet) are gone !! keeping fingers crossed it stays this way. Eyelid Bleph: My other favorite! I'm very happy with my result, I'm so thankful my doctor was conservative, I'm loving the look he achieved I'm healing up so FAST! I try to pull my surgery card to get out of doing things, but I'm not coming across as believable. I have to close my eyes and point to where my sutures were to give them proof! Challenges: weight gain, rubbing my eyes, and sleeping on my back!!! Updated on 20 Oct 2013: Using eye make up for the first time! Skin from Obagi Peel continues to improve.. I do notice I have a little scar from where the fat was injected, however the benefit of the under eye area fat grafting far exceeds these tiny scars. Fat seems to have settled in perfectly. Due to fat, crows feet are still gone from right side , and mostly diminished on left side . Eyelid almost completely healed up! (suture line is fading) !
I've gotten Botox once or twice a year for the past four years It has definitely been worth it. It usually costs me $300 per treatment. I get a bit in the globella are to erase "11" lines and a little bit to cover a vertical line across my forehead. I do not erase crows feet, because they look happy. Dr. Clemente Qaqish in Escondido, CA does such a neat perfect job. His treatments are guaranteed. I am going to let him lipo my upper arms next year. Also, his office mate, Dr. McDonald does fabulous implant teeth!
Depending on a variety of factors related to age, sex and the number of times you've received botox treatment, the effects of neuromodulators like botox last 3-6 months.
