Eric S. Mager, MD

Hi everyone, I am so happy to be reading about your experiences. I wanted to peel back about 10-15 years to match my lifestyle and decided to do it fully and all at once. This was my 65th birthday present, (April 2) Always loved myself in photographs, even up to several weeks ago. I am at day 11, having had the surgery April 26th. The eye surgery was easy, already healing very naturally, as well as the manuvering under the check to be higher and fuller. The lower neck jaw line however, is similar to what others have described, very tight, tender, (but becoming less tender), swollen! Cannot move yet from side to side easilyand ugly as sin to me. Some stictches and the staples in head are still still in. I will see my PS tomorrow to have more stitches removed. My lower numb face, jaw line is attachment to half numb ears, it's scary. I am watching the changes each 12 hours, bruising changing colors to yellow, some of it disappearing, but the lower face, oh my goodness, I hope it does not take 12 weeks to look normal, but I just evenutally want to look normal. I do understand it might feel numb but that is acceptable. I have been lucky in that I am uncomfortable at times but no pain. I took 2 oxycodine every 6 hrs then after about 7 days I started taking 1 every 4-6 hours. Now I can go way beyond 6 hours to take one. I feel like "the fly" head for those old enough to remember that movie. And how about Bride of Frankenstein. Well, I took a perfectly lovely face with some age appropriate wrinkles and went under the knife (7 hour surgery) and I just hope that all goes well and that I have not distroyed a perfectly lovely life. I will not stop being on my game and doing everything I should until the swelling goes down. I was eating very little and lost a few pounds that made me happy. I am in the best health I have ever been in. I play tennis and ski and work with weights, (but not again for another month) I feel great, I just want to heal correctly without complications for deformity. Lots of continued success to all of you. We just need to hang in there and question something that doesn't seem right!Updated on 14 May 2013:Hi everyone, Today is day 17! I visit with the PS each week and this past Monday he remove the last of 2 stitches. He aspirated my right cheek again, but the brusing is disappearing. I will make an effort to post photos, honestly I will try. Today is the first day I did not take an oxycodine. I took 3 tylenols. My mouth opens more. My neck is less stiff. I feel like I look like a freak, especially without make-up. I am a make-up person. Eyes came out beautiful but I look forward to not seeing the scars. I think it was a bit much to do the entire face at one time. Just having the eyes done would have been very easy. I cannot say how I feel yet, as I hate the discoloration and swelling, kind of bumpy skin and numb, still feels like a plastic face. Not happy right now. I went out for dinner and the movies Saturday night, saw Gatsby, entertaining but long. Nice and dark in the movie theatre for me to hide. Not shy about seeing friends, I want to share the process with them, and you. I must say I did not experience pain, just feeling uncomfortable. At one point last week when the PS put a new bandage around my head I did not realize it until I got home and my friend left that I felt like I was choking and almost panicked. Got another friend to drive me right back and the nurse cut some of the gauze and then I was fine. Just a little too much too tight. I will post some regular photos of me so you will see why I didn't think I should do anything. but then you look closely in person and it's a whole new wrinkly world, LOL...that I said, you gots to go, now! I will work on those photos!! I was also happy to lose a few pounds from 131 to 126 but seems to be creeping up again, but that's fine, I like to lose weight cause I love to eat! Love my PS so far. Still Praying for Good Results.Updated on 14 May 2013:I hope these photos help in some way.