Face, Brow and Neck Lift - Bellevue, WA

If some one asks me what it was like, I will tell them the following: Imagine your whole face being peeled away from chin to forehead, having some one dig around inside for awhile and lift the whole thing up from the inside out and then sew it up up, again from the inside out. Then you will go home with some nasty fluid drains that will require some one (hopefully not some one squeamish) to empty several times overnight. Next, you can look forward to nausea associated with anesthesia and/or brow lift. Not everyone suffers from this but I was gifted with at least 12 hours of repeated vomiting. Again, depending on a loved one to clean me up since I was incapable of doing anything other than groaning like a zombie and not able to communicate. The next few days were a blur due to the swelling shut of both eyes and my face blowing up like a blowfish. I was purple, yellow, green and red through much of my face and neck. I had a frankenstein suture line (including staples before removal) along my hairline that is puffy, red and overall a little angry. I have numbness throughout my face and neck. I didn't sleep well for the first 6 nights.

This is what a facelift means. It is not some little, arthroscopic procedure that you can do under conscious sedation. This is a full on assault of the face that is invasive, semi permanent and has a long recovery associated with it.

Still reading? Having said all that, I am 12 days post and in the midst of the healing process and can honestly say that I would do it again in a heartbeat. I researched for 2 years before deciding to finally pull the trigger. I looked at all my local PS's with the best recommendations that ONLY do faces. I come from medical so have access to the good, the bad, the ugly and the unpublished information. No one surgeon will have all glowing reviews. No two surgeons will give you the same quote or procedures. PS is an art form. It's not like fixing an orthopedic problem where there may be two approaches that will work and achieve the same result. PS is a very personal decision between you and whomever you finally trust to completely mess with your face. DO NOT discount shop. You will get what you pay for. Do your homework, know what to expect in your recovery. Follow directions. Unless you have an MD and have done a fellowship in PS, you are NOT qualified to change your post op instructions.

At 12 days, I have some strange puckering around some of the internal suture lines, swelling around one ear and overall discoloration that makes me look like I got the crap kicked out of me. I've been telling people "airbag to face". That seems to shut them up. I am hoping that within the week the weird puckering will resolve and I might be able to use some of the camo makeup successfully. I'm not a big make up person and my recent experience is akin to a jJr. mortician practicing on a week old corpse.

I think I have maintained an honest approach to this and am so far pleased with what I know will be the end result. Eye brows are back where they were 10 years ago, better jaw line than I had 10 years ago and overall a refreshed, smooth (not plastic) result. I would add photo's but I'm way too vain for that. Surely, I'd be recognized:))).

My PS is awesome and conservative in his approach to cosmetic surgery. He has an incredible local, regional following and is very responsive post op. I would HIGHLY recommend him to anyone considering a cosmetic or structural repair. Get consults from multiple docs and then decide.

Feeling great. Working out again, sleeping through the nights and seeing changes all the time. If I would have known how different I would feel, I would have done this two years ago when I started thinking about it.

Reflecting back on the last 3 weeks, I can objectively say the first 72 hours is the most challenging. It gets better after that. I realize everyone heals at a different pace but that was my experience. If anyone is looking for a great doc that specializes in faces and has the credentials and experience, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Dr. Sam Naficy.