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Posted underSMAS Facelift q&a

Why do my face and neck remain wider and fuller 16 months after a SMAS facelift and neck lift? Would a revision help? (Photos)

I am 16 months post-op from a SMAS facelift, neck lift (platysmaplasty), submental liposuction, chin implant, brow lift, and upper/lower blepharoplasty. Before surgery, my face and neck were slimmer, my jawline was more defined, and my neck appeared longer. Since surgery, my lower face, cheeks, jawline, and neck have remained significantly wider and fuller. My jawline is less defined, my neck appears thicker and shorter, and I feel I look older than before surgery. My weight is approximately the same as before surgery, and I did not have facial fat grafting. On the first postoperative day, my surgeon and assistant performed a very forceful manual drainage procedure on my neck. Similar manual procedures were performed on my face during the following days. They were painful and involved strong pressure rather than gentle lymphatic massage. For about two months after surgery, I was unable to rotate my neck normally. My neck mobility improved only after physical therapy. Sixteen months later, my appearance has not improved. Could this still be persistent edema or lymphatic dysfunction, or is fibrosis, scar tissue, SMAS/platysma positioning, or another structural problem more likely? Could the early aggressive manual drainage have contributed to this outcome? Would revision surgery realistically improve my appearance?

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