Very Painful - Atlanta, GA

My doctor told me the surgery would not hurt at all. But nearly 10 weeks later I am still in pain, and the first week was very painful. I think the doctor did a disservice by not telling me up front about how painful this would be. And I think he could have done a much better job of telling me how to take care of myself after having the surgery. He should have told me not to pick at the crustiness that had developed, and he should have told me to wash a couple of times a day so crustiness does not develop. He didn't give me much instruction other than saying take Arnica and take pain pills and something to prevent constipation.

The doctor charged $12,100 for facelift, neck lift, upper eyelid, and brow lift. The hospital fee was nearly $4,000. The doctor told me it would not be painful. It was horrendously painful. I am now in my 10th week post surgery and still there are spots on my head that are sore from the stitches and staples. I cannot color my hair yet because certain areas of my head are still raw.

I am 51 years old and I had developed jowls. I had a very square jaw because of the low jowls and now there is more of an angle to my chin. One of my eye lids has more of a full eyelid now, but it does not match the other side, which is not as full. I like the full eyelid but don't like the other one which looks thinner. The doctor said he could fix it, but I dread the surgery and being unable to open my eye for two days. After the initial surgery, I couldn't keep my eyes open for long until the third day as I kept ice compresses on them. Even though I put ice on my eyelids, I still have a bruise under my right eye. I probably should have put an ice pack under my eyes as well, but no one told me to do that.

I am not sure if the left side of my face was not pulled as high as the right side. The left side is a little more square than the right side. The right side I am happy with. The doctor said my face is still swollen, and that is why it looks different. I hope that is true. I can tell that the left side of my face is still tender and hurts, but the right side does not. So, I won't know for sure if the doctor is right until four more months.

Now that the surgery is over and I am slowly healing, I am glad I did it, even though I still hurt. The raw spots on my head hurt, the side of my left eye hurts, my left jaw still hurts, and my ears and behind my ears still hurt.

I did the surgery because I noticed my skin had drooped around my face. I used to take my hands and hold up the sides of my face and said how much happier I'd be if the skin on my face was held up higher and tighter.

My doctor was named in a 2010 issue of Atlanta Magazine as one of the best plastic surgeons for face surgery. That is why I chose him. I don't know anyone else who has gone to him.

I am please my doctor did not make my face too tight. No one could tell that I had a facelift.