Beginning to End, Facelift Journey

I had more pictures to add. These pictures were all taken over a 3 day period at approx the 7 mth post-op mark. Some are really embarrassing to post, I am without makeup and a little sleep-deprived. I threw in a few pictures taken at a party for a family member's birthday, where the point was not to point out imperfections but to show some random pics in regular, somewhat relaxed-posed positions. I welcome comments, and I hope these help people to see what I was talking about when I say that things had relaxed while keeping in mind I even helped matters some by refilling some of the lost volume with filler in the nasolabial folds. If you are confused by anything, ask away. I'm sure with the amount of pics I posted, I forgot to give some details.

Here are the promised photos in various positions. I will just reiterate that I mention the eyes because while no surgery has been done on the lower eyes, it WAS part of the plan. I was told we could simply resolve the hollowness with some undereye filler but am being told it simply isn't that easy. The condition of the skin (too much, and thin) would make the filler appear blue and may actually look like bags under my eyes. I focus on this because I feel like no matter how well the lower face improves, until the lower eyes are addressed, it will always t"ake away from", if that makes sense. That said, I will mostly include photos that focus on the neck and lower face. Also, keep in mind because of the relaxation I had filler in the nasalabial (?) folds/lines already too. Some pictures are contorted, just like the "befores" were to put emphasis on the lines/fold/wrinkles. In the first month or so after surgery I could not make a double chin no matter how hard I tried, I am simply showing in these how I look by simply looking down or tilting my head down & to the side. I will try to make comments with the pictures. Sorry in advance if I overdose you with shots!

It’s been about 6 months since my surgery and it appears I will be having some revision in the neck area. (sorry if I posted this before, I didn’t want to re-read everything, but it was evident fairly early this would be needed) The Doc wanted to wait to wait until I had healed for close to a year before he did the “repair” (my word, not his) I will say that, at least in my case but I have read about it in others, that after the initial swelling does down your skin appears to relax more again and you lose some of what made you love your initial result. I’m sure this has to vary patient to patient because I have seem patients in their 6 mth/9 mth and later “after” photos where their skin looks tighter than mine looks now. I have added filler in the nasolabial folds to improve the appearance and that has helped restore some of the tightness I had right after surgery. My biggest dissappointment is my eye area, the plan was to add undereye filler address the aging and hollowness and a “botox browlift” to help open the eyes up more, even after the upper bleph. After 600 dollars worth of botox, I got no improvement. In addition, I decided to go to a Plastic Surgeon closer to my home to save time and travel to get the under eye filler and he told me my skin quality was not good enough for undereye fillers. He said the best improvement would be surgery (not likely to be cleared for that) and then after that, skin tightening treatments for roughly 3 months, before I even attempt a filler. Even then, I may not be happy with the result. I feel this really ages me, especially when I smile. I still plan on exploring options. I didn’t go through all this to look aged because of loose thin crepe like skin under the eyes, that is made much much worse when I smile. I want to be able to smile. Pics to come later.