hi everyone!
i have never written a review like this, so i don't really know where to start. my surgery is scheduled in a little over two weeks. my surgery date is march 8 to be exact. this is the first invasive surgery i've ever had, so i'm very nervous.
i'm having a hairline lowering procedure and a brow lift with dr. jason dudas in san francisco. initially, i sought a couple other doctors in regard to having a brow lift and they suggested a hairline lowering, especially since any sort of brow lift would push my hairline back even further. so, i sought consultation with dr. dudas because he specializes in the procedure. he's a great listener and very kind. he answered all of my questions and talked over the procedure with me thoroughly. i was even 30 minutes late for my appointment because i couldn't find parking in the city and he still waited for me! very kind.
i believe i'm currently at 7.5cm. i have a widows peak that i believe is as low as 6/6.25cm. i addressed that i would like to have it lowered to the widows peak by 1-1.25cm, which is what he agreed upon and i'll probably talk about more in my pre op. my scalp has normal laxity, so i hope it won't be an issue. i'm not seeking a huge reduction because i'm more focused on the brow lift and i still want to look like me. i just want to slightly lower my hairline and lift my brows.
i have my pre op on wednesday (2/22) and i'm super nervous about the whole thing. i see a lot of reviews about hairline lowering; a majority of them are positive, but then i see the negative ones reporting lots of hair loss (sometimes permanent) and terrible scarring. all and all, it doesn't make me feel better. i've been a bit uneasy as the surgery date gets closer and closer. a lot of patients have reported nausea and vomiting with the pain meds as well. so, i expect a difficult recovery process.
i'm just praying i'm lucky.
overall, i trust my doctor, especially since i'm not going to have a very large reduction. also, dr. dudas specializes in hairline lowering and he's very skilled with incisions/scarring. i've seen a lot of his post op photos and a majority of his incisions are practically invisible by 3 months.
i'll give more updates after my pre op! xo
Updated on 27 Feb 2023:
i had my pre op last wednesday! dr. dudas and i discussed my aesthetic desires. i spent more time going over the pre operative packet in regards to what not to consume. i have to refrain from foods, herbs, medications, and liquids that may thin my blood. other than that, i've been approved to continue taking my current medications except for the morning of surgery; also, you cannot eat or drink later than midnight the night of surgery. i am not going to eat or drink hours earlier to be safe.
more updates to come the morning of surgery! xo
Updated on 8 Mar 2023:
Updated on 8 Mar 2023:
when i woke up after the surgery, i wasn't in any pain. i was very comfortable. there was some goop left in my eyes, so it was difficult to see, but that was all eventually wiped off.
i had some discomfort after i got home. which was approximately 3-4 hours after the procedure.
fortunately, i took a zofran (anti nausea med) a couple hours before (on the ride home) i took a pain med because my body takes longer for things to kick in.
i waited and then took some bites of some soft foods (i ate smashed avocado and smashed banana) and i drank a load of water.
i took a pain med soon afterwards. i wasn't nauseated at all, but when i did feel a bit nauseated, i could take another zofran again (every 6 hours).
i feel like a lot patients are prone to feeling this way after the procedure, so it's important to be diligent about the timing of taking your medications, so you don't feel too much discomfort or nausea.
a majority of the discomfort i feel now is from my throat because i was intubated. it's really the only thing that aches at this point; it's hard to swallow and open my mouth after sleeping.
i'm still not having any pain in my head or experiencing any nausea, i just feel tightness. it's kind of like a mild/moderate headache, so it's very bearable.
dr. dudas approved me to take an ibuprofen. the pain meds help, but i don't like feeling even just a little bit nauseated.
my face is very swollen, but i haven't bruised (at least yet).
i'm sleeping in a 90 degree, borderline 45 degree, angle to make sure the swelling doesn't increase and i allow it to subside.
sleeping is important for me because it helps any nausea subside too. my eyes are closed a lot.
my mom helps me get up and walk every two hours to maintain my blood flow and health.
i've been drinking A LOT of water to make sure all of the IV fluids get out of my system. i've had my mom take me to go pee 3 times already.
it's important you're 24/7 adult is comfortable doing that with you. it's especially important when the pain meds kicked in.
overall, the recovery process hasn't been difficult so far.
i'll update more soon. :)
Updated on 8 Mar 2023:
my head is completely covered and wrapped, so i cannot show my incision. i will post pics once the wrap has been removed during my post op.
Updated on 16 Mar 2023:
i was slightly nauseated the first few days and experienced mild to moderate discomfort.
after the first day of recovery, i got off of the pain meds and i only needed to take tylenol/advil to keep the discomfort at bay! awesome.
i had my stitches take out yesterday. the incision is currently skin toned because it hasn't healed completely. dr. dudas said i can expect it to become red/pink as it heals within the next two weeks.
the swelling process in the first week was brutal; i couldn't take any photos.
my forehead was like a balloon, but now i'm beginning to recognize myself more and more as it subsides. i can already tell that i would look like myself in a month.
the incisions were very clean and dr. dudas did a great job, but i underestimated my ability to actually inspect them and take photos everyday. i didn't realize how much it would gross me out, so i could only take one.
the yellowish stuff on the incision is from the petroleum dressing placed on top.
wrapping my head includes:
- applying bacitracin
- applying petroleum dressing (the yellow strip)
- wrapping gauze
- wrapping bandage
i'm still applying antibacterial ointment and wrapping my head to reduce swelling. i'll be applying ointment and wrapping my head for another week until the incision completely closes. i miss being able to take a real full shower, but i know it will feel so good when i can do that in a couple weeks, maybe sooner!
i haven't had any signifiant shock loss yet, so i'm keeping my fingers crossed ????
it usually begins/appears in the first 2-6 weeks after surgery. i'm definitely shedding a lot more than i used to, but i'm only losing the short fine hairs. i only noticed one tiny bald spot on the side of my incision; which is expected. i'm praying i won't lose too much hair
in case i forgot to mention:
i had 1 cm reduced from the front and 2 cm reduced at the very end of my frontal hairline to round out my hairline, because it was boxy before and i wanted more of a soft, rounded shape.
the very top of my scalp is completely numb, but i think i feel a tiny bit of sensation coming back - working its way from the back to the front of the scalp. i feel tiny tingling (not itchy) sensations on the top of my scalp night; its so wonderful to feel.
super super lucky people begin to feel a sensation coming back after the first month, but it can take several. i'll let everyone know if i'm fortunate and how soon it comes back.
i'm going to start taking vitamins to help my body heal and stimulate hair growth.
i'll update next week ! :)
Updated on 16 Mar 2023:
Updated on 24 Mar 2023:
I already 100% regret this procedure. I feel like I've ruined my life, I'm not sure if I'm being too quick to judge. If it gets better, it will be a miracle. 16 days out and my forehead looks small and boxy. I told Dr. Dudas that I like my forehead size and only want to alter my hairline. Less than 1 cm was taken off. I was at 8cm and now I'm at 7cm with a mild brow lift, but for some reason it looks way too small. I measured it multiple times to make sure I'm not crazy. I'm already severely depressed and Dr. Dudas won't answer my emails. I'm completely heartbroken and I feel like this is completely my fault. I remember calling Dr. Dudas assistant and trying to cancel the procedure and get hair transplants instead, but she led me to believe that I would be happier with hairline lowering. I'm crushed inside. I don't know why my forehead looks small and boxy. I'm still swollen. The shape is coming back, but I know it will never be the same. I've already shed a lot of hair, but for some reason I don't have any bald spots. My anxiety is through the roof. The most I can do after I heal is laser the incision and the hair and incision will go back by maybe 0.3 of a centimeter. I think it will make a little of a difference. I feel like I want to die, I'm so so heartbroken.
Updated on 4 Sep 2023:
as you all can tell by my previous post, this has been a serious journey of emotional and physically healing after a crisis. i have learned so much. identity crises are far more common after cosmetic surgery than we think; so common and intense that i had been admitted into a psych ward, hospitalized in the ER, and have had intensive trauma therapy since.
with that being said, i'd just like to say that dr. dudas is an phenomenal surgeon, truly. he has been with me every step of the way of this very difficult process, answered every late night call, and has kept in touch since. but, i would also like to thank God that i went with dr. dudas rather than any other surgeon. even though i regret what i put myself through, his work is remarkable. he's truly an artist, he pays so much attention to detail and values the quality of life his patients have.
at the beginning of my journey, i suffered from a serious identity crisis in regards to my physical appearance after the procedure. at the time, i believe i had made a mistake, but as time progresses, i'm accepting more and more of my decision. physically, i am healing completely and nearly perfectly. i'd like others to know who are interested in this surgery to either completely avoid it or proceed with serious, serious caution. i wouldn't trust just any surgeon with this procedure. it is invasive and intense, requiring months of healing and post operative care.
with that being said, i'd like to say that my results are astounding ..i mean seriously optimal. i'm not going to change anything. all of the numbness is my scalp has resolved as i can feel it 100% once again. all hair i lost due to shock loss or expected shedding has completely grown back. and more importantly, you can never tell i ever had anything done. the scar is invisible. i have showed my extended family my "scar" and every single cousin, aunt, and uncle replies with "what scar?" the reduction was just as conservative as the plans i had made with dr. dudas before the operation. it was only reduced it by 1 cm in height (currently at 7.25cm) , so yes, my forehead is still "round and high" and i wouldn't change a single thing.
secondly, i would like to explain the reason of my crisis. i suffer from serious OCD and BDD (body dysmorphia disorder) and that is in no way dr. dudas' fault. i had no idea i had these conditions prior to surgery and if i had known the magnitude of my illnesses, i would not have gone through with the procedure. i made a decision with a silent mental disorder and didn't realize until it took its toll on me.
i was in pain and darkness for what seemed like forever until i reached a certain point in my healing; emotionally and physically (especially with the help of anti depressants), where i could finally see a light.
although i did have this surgery and in no manner want to be paint myself as a hypocrite, the lesson i have learned from this journey is "gratitude over everything".
prior to surgery, i had been so warped into the way i looked that i believed i needed cosmetic surgery to improve my happiness and the way i felt about myself. like many of you, i was on social media constantly being shown products and ways to look "prettier", "younger", "thinner", or "more attractive". it got so bad that i would come across reddit groups dedicated to criticizing foreheads of female celebrities saying "if she had a smaller forehead, she would look prettier" and "large foreheads make women appear older".
at this point, i just want to scream to the world ENOUGH. i have deleted all social media.
physical perfection is a delusion, it's simply not real and will never exist. emotions and opinions about such are not truth.
there's so much more to us than our physical appearance. the quality of life is not based off of how we look, but rather what we do with our time. i wish i had spent more time going on walks with friends, travelling, reading, painting, or heck SKYDIVING rather than constantly critiquing my physical appearance in the mirror.
for the longest time, i regretted my decision because i believe i didn't appear "normal" after the procedure due to swelling and my scar not appearing flat yet.
i missed the life i used to have; not having to wear a hand or a hat, or hide my face whenever i went out in public. i never realized how ungrateful i was. i wish i just had more gratitude for my health or my life! i was so sucked into this idea of "perfection" that i forgot who i was and how much i had to be thankful for.
so before you, yes the one reading this, decides to pursue cosmetic surgery think of all the things that you have rather the the things you could have.
lastly, i'd like to say BIG FOREHEAD SUPERIORITY. pm me if have any more questions for me or want more photos. i haven't been able to post for a long time because i couldn't manage to take photos of my progress. ty for being so patient.
[PHOTOS BELOW]
note: the white streak across my forehead and along my hairline is not the scar. it's an embarrassing tan line on my noggin from wearing a headband outside for the entire summer to protect my hairline.