Deep hollows, scars in my mouth never went down & face looks heavy

Last year, I decided to look into buccal fat removal. My consultation was over a FaceTime/video-chat call since they were not during in person consults due to COVID, which was understandable. That said, I do not believe I was properly vetted. The determination was made on a computer/ipad screen and I was not asked to send in any pictures of my face for review. I understand now that I, in no way, was a good candidate for this procedure. And I did ask during the consult if I would be a good candidate/have good results. I wish I had been steered away from it. I already had a narrow/thin face and low cheekbones. Most of the natural volume and beautiful shape my face had was due to my buccal fat pads. At the time, I also did not understand this. I was simply looking to add some highlight to my cheekbones and was told I would have a good outcome with buccal fat removal. I went ahead and scheduled it. I honestly should have taken a moment to process everything. I regret it. In retrospect, I am also confused about how it was determined if I should have all of my buccal fat removed or partial removal. Instead of looking at my individual/unique anatomy and determining what my face could handle/what was best for my features... Dr. Patel should me two images: One of a women who had full removal and one of another woman who had partial removal. I liked the cheekbones of the woman with the full removal and stated that, however that in no way should have been an indicator that I was a good candidate to have all my buccal fat removed. Looking back, that part makes me very sad. I feel as though I was misguided. I wish I had protected myself better and asked better questions. The day of the surgery, I felt rushed. When I went into the room to meet Dr. Patel for the first time in-person, he did ask if I had any questions and if I watched the surgery prep video sent to me the day before, but he did not take any time to study my face (in person) and go through the game plan. Instead, I was injected with the numbing medication and sent to the operating room across the hall. When the numbing medication was injected my face looked very swollen. At the time I didn't think too much of it, I just thought the bulk was coming from the solution... but looking back I'm not sure that's normal. When the surgery started, it was very painful for me. There was a lot of tugging (on one side more than the other). I could feel the sensation all the way up to my temples. It hurt and I was just in shock, honestly. When the procedure ended, Dr. Patel told me "You did well" and left the room. I was in shock and pain. I couldn't even speak. The two women who had assisted him during the procedure showed me my buccal fat on the table. But, again, I was in too much shock to process the size of them. My face immediately balooned. I expected swelling, but not so quickly. The swelling lasted about 2-3 weeks for me. Then my face went down to a normal-ish size. However, something looked... off. Everything looked like it was sagging a bit more, even my smile. I didn't look like myself. It's hard to explain, but it looked like I aged 10 years overnight... and not in a mature, chiseled way... but in a tired, old-looking way. I look haggard. And unwell. Around 3 months I started to see the hollows and, my goodness, they were so deep and kept getting worse and worse. I believe I was over-resected. Way too much fat was taken out. Additionally, the scars in my mouth where the incision were made never went down. They are still very thick. On some days, they pulsate. About a year later and my face no longer looks like itself. It's odd because it's full near the front and then hollow at the back, so the front now looks bull dog-ish and heavy, like you might see in an elderly person. The natural balance and transitions my face once had are now gone. My temples became slightly more sunken. My upper cheeks also dropped down a bit, making my under eye hollows appear worse (and they were never visible before, at least not to me). I feel this procedure has ruined my face. I am devastated and scared. I have been looking for ways to "fix" this... reconstructive surgery at this point... and basically what I'm learning is that it can't be "reversed" and I'll never look the same, but it can at least be improved somewhat. I'm looking at $12-20k in new surgery cost. So, a word of caution for anyone choosing this procedure, please do your research. Please research your provider (not on Instagram! The Instagram posts can be deceiving. Look at their reviews on line, look up their certifications, get in touch with past patients and hear their experiences, etc). Also be sure to ask what is the best approach for YOUR face, do not agree to a game plan that is based on the outcomes of past patients. And research the procedure, as much as you can. Look up the good and the bad... especially the bad. It's important that you know and understand all of the risks. When it comes to buccal fat removal, I can't recommend this to anyone. For some people it might work out. But If you're like me, this procedure can ruin your face and your identity.I can't even imagine how this will age with time. That thought terrifies me. Please, if you can avoid it, do not remove healthy fat from your face. There are other ways to add contour that are not permanent. If there is anyone else out there who is on a similar path of trying to find a way to fix the effects of their buccal fat removal, please let me know what you are considering or if you have any advice. Thank you.