I had a TT and lipo almost 5 months ago and the...
I had a TT and lipo almost 5 months ago and the only other cosmetic surgery I really wanted after that is a lower facelift as I hate my saggy neck and jowls. I met with Dr. Nease and he suggested Revalift with CO2 laser resurfacing of the face. I have only a two week frame for recovery before heading back to work as a teacher and he assures me that is completely doable. For information purposes because Dr. Nease has developed the Revalift here is the details on it as per his website:
"RevaLift is a new concept developed by Dr. Carey Nease here at Southern Surgical Arts. It is designed to provide mid-range facial rejuvenation for women and men who want to combat signs of aging. Results are more extensive than a laser face lift but not as comprehensive as a full cosmetic face lift.
RevaLift differs from a cosmetic face lift in several ways. It focuses on revitalizing the lower face, targeting the upper neck and jowl. It does not address the eyes or brow or the lower neck. The procedure is recommended for adults who have developed mild to moderate jowls or excess skin on the upper neck, and perhaps some deep laugh lines around their mouth. RevaLift is a surgical procedure that typically takes about an hour and a half. It is performed using local anesthetic and IV sedation. First, the surgeon uses a laser to melt fat under the skin and heat the skin. This allows for shorter incisions, helps the skin tighten as it heals, and reduces downtime. The surgeon then makes incisions (about half the length of those needed for a cosmetic face lift) and removes excess skin. Before closing, deep stitches are put into the muscles in front of the ears, which enables results to last longer.
Because the incisions are so much smaller, scars are smaller. They are well-hidden along the hair line, in the ear and part way up the backside of the ear. Following surgery, most patients will experience only modest swelling or bruising. Total downtime is 7-10 days, compared to two to three weeks for a cosmetic face lift."
I will post "before" photos soon :-)
Quick Addition to Review
My surgery is scheduled for Dec. 16 and I have two weeks home for recovery before going back to work. I am pretty sure other than some residual swelling I won't have much in the way of issues going back to work from the facelift. A little more concerned about the laser resurfacing recovery but Dr. Nease assures me that I will be ready. I of course will be scouring all reviews here on to see how others have done and are doing with their recoveries!
One week Pre Op
A week to go and the nerves are up and down as is typical before surgery. I try to imagine the recovery, the results and plan ahead as best as possible. Working on my shopping list, trying to get ahead of all my Christmas shopping as well. The surgery to do list now is: Revalift lower face lift, CO2 laser resurfacing and Volbella lip injections, upper back lipo and tummy tuck scar revision. My Tummy tuck doctor will do the lipo first, then they roll me over and he will do the scar revision while his partner, my facial PS, will work on my face. I think I am more nervous about the CO2 laser although I know that the lipo will probably be the most painful part of the recovery. Hopefully I will be able to stand up straight soon after the scar revision (fix dog ears and remove little vertical scar that shows above panty line.) I have also planned a haircut just before I go back to work to help throw of the obvious cause of the changes in my appearance. I have been trying to do tons of research on make up after CO2 and I am praying I won't be too red when I go back to work. Really hoping it helps with the sebaceous hyperplasia spots on my face too. Also looking forward to being able to wear a high neck shirt without a saggy chin hanging down over it. I am adding before lower face photos and hopefully in a week or so will have some good after photos!
Tomorrow is the Day!
I am trying to get everything completed for work and home so that tomorrow will be stress free. Nervous and excited. I am suppose to report for surgery at 10:45 am so that will give me some time to get things laid out before I leave so when I come home the bed and chair will have the waterproof pads to protect them from the liposuction drainage. After my tummy tuck and lipo last summer that was the one thing I missed and wasn't prepared for, you leak like crazy from the lipo holes! Since I will be getting some lipo touch up as well as the facelift and CO2 I am trying to make sure I am ready from top to bottom. Tonight and it the morning is wash with hibicleanse and take a pepcid tonight and in the morning as well. Then show up and be transformed. I will try and check in afterwards, I thought they might be doing IV sedation but it may actually be general. I hate the waking up and constipation from general but if that's what the PS prefers for all they have to get done tomorrow then that's fine with me. Hoping and praying for a great outcome!
On the other SIde
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16 Dec 2016
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Day of treatment
Made it through surgery and settled at home. So here is the run down so far. Lipo areas aren't even sore, just leaky, face lift are is achy but no pain, the CO2 was burning pain at first but after about an hour it was gone and is just mild sunburn feeling. The scar revision by far is the most painful. I haven't taken any pain meds though so while it may be the worst it's not horrible, I will take a half a pain pill before bed though because it will keep me awake. Compression around my head so far is tolerable but yeah it is annoying. I go back in the morning to get rid of the heavy duty wrap and get a light compression one. Now it's just wait and see! I already see some smoothness to my skin, a lot of the sebaceous hyperplasia seems to be gone. Washing face and keeping aquaphor on it is all I am doing atm. I will check back after seeing the PS tomorrow!
Day 2
Went back today and had the big compression bandage removed, Such a relief! It didn't bother me too much at first but as the night went on it started to make my ears ache and pinch under my neck. Sleeping was incremental but not too bad. I did end up taking pain killers because of the compression and my scar revision on my tummy was hurting. Today was just removal of the big bandage reminder of instructions and to not be heavy handed with the aquaphor so I avoid any yeast infections on the skin. Today everything aches but it's not painful, I was given the elastic chin strap with the velcro pieces over the forehead and around the back of the neck to hold it in place. That is night and day for a week then only at night. Stitches should dissolve but half the staples come out Friday and the other half the following Friday. I will get some photos next time I wash my face.
Day 3
The nights are not so bad. Not sleeping through but if it weren't for my neck pain from a herniated disk I think I would be. Since I am a side sleeper upright and on my back is challenge. Washing 4-5 times a day as instructed and applying a thin layer of aquaphor. I am not seeing the peeling yet but there are some sandpapery places on my face. The incisions ache and the sides of my neck are really sore but nothing awful. I feel like today the swelling is slightly down. I got to take a shower today and wash my hair, that helped me feel much more human. I am sure it will take a few days of hair washing to get all the gunk out especially around the incisions as I am being super careful not to pull the hair there but with the majority of it gone I am feeling much better. from the front I still look round face and puffy but from the side my neck looks amazing albeit very bruised. No pain killers since the one I took before bed last night but I did take an ibuprofen today. I am definitely looking forward to Friday when some of these staples come out and the chin strap is only worn at night!
Photos from day 2 and 3
I will add some side views of neck without the strap next time I wash my face.
Day 3 no bandages photos
Adding some photos without the chin compression bandage. It's a lot to take are of the face lift incisions and CO2 lasered skin all at the same time (as well as two lipo spots and tummy scar revision) but I have gotten into a schedule and my daughter helps me so it's working out. I am really looking forward to a week or two out from here.
1 week Post Op
Tomorrow will be one week post op and I have my one week check up in the morning so I will know more information wise and will pass on what the PS has to say, for now here are some side views of which I am extremely happy about. Looking forward to the ugly bruising going away and my skin to finish healing!
Good 1 Week PO Visit Today
Today was my one week po visit and it went very well. Most of the staples were removed, the rest will come out at my two week po visit. No more aquaphor! Just keep moisturized with skinceuticals epidermal repair cream. Makeup is allowed in two days and head wrap only at night so things are progressing right along. Still waiting on the bruising to go away, comes with the territory of being very easily bruised and very fail complexion. From what I have digested from other clients of my PS they don't have this level of bruising normally but a good strong wind will give me a bruise. I was and am taking arnica/bromelain so I suspect that's why I only ended up with mostly yellow bruising and not a ton of deep dark purples ones, so for me an improvement. I only look jaundiced, not beaten! I was asked for pictures of my incisions so I am adding those today. Funny thing is my ears didn't really swell at all, so no throbbing or intense pain there and to be perfectly honest, this experience hasn't been all that painful. The tummy tuck scar repair hurt more than anything. It is healing very nicely as well. My daughter mentioned the lines around my eyes were gone, that's thanks to the CO2 laser since the surgery only focuses on mid to lower face and upper neck. All in all I am extremely happy so far, just really ready for the bruising and all the swelling to be gone. I am sure it will be less noticeable once I start wearing my hair down again, but it may be turtlenecks for awhile waiting on the bruises to go away, but hey I can wear turtlenecks now! I lucked out too on the CO2, so far no itching! PS said that the itching is usually caused by too much aquaphor too long creating a yeast infection on the skin. I have not had that yay! Sleeping well with the aid of a half an ambien at night but the back sleeping is going ok. I do have one tiny spot behind one ear oozing a little puss in the morning after sleeping since yesterday but PS looked at it and said he isn't worried and to keep a light coat of bacitrin on it. All in all marking one week as a success!
Two Week Update
I had my two week check up this past Friday and all is well, some scabbing behind one ear but everything is looking good. I occasionally get a little random bump inside my mouth at the lip line I am guessing it's the Volbella settling in, nothing horrible or even annoying just something I noticed. My skin looks so much better, the CO2 didn't get rid of all the sebaceous hyperplasia spots but reduced them greatly. I went back to work today, so far people have only commented on how much weight I have lost and not anything like did you do something to your face? I did have one person if I did something to my hair, and yes I have grown out my bangs some so that maybe throwing people off as well. I will add photos later of my ears healing so you can see for now where is a shot today of my skin. I am wearing a turtleneck and before surgery I would never have been able to as my neck and chin hung down to much and it looked terrible. I am really thrilled with the results and so glad I took the plunge. It's still difficult to turn my head much as it's still really tight but the rubber skin feeling on the places that got pulled back is feeling less so every day. Progress every day is good! I am a happy girl!
Ear Healing
My ears are healing up, scabs are gone for the most part, now it's just waiting for the skin to smooth out and the scars to lighten. I still have some bruising behind one ear and on the back part of my cheek but nothing that concerns me, just taking some time for it to heal. I feel good, the tightness is better as I don't feel like I can't move my head one direction or the other like I did. It's more a snug feeling and the rubber skin feeling is going away as well. All in all everyday is a bit better and I am still really happy with the surgery and the laser resurfacing. I do plan to ask when I go back if there is anything that can be done about the remaining bumps of sebaceous hyperplasia as some of the larger ones still feel prominent but that just be me focusing on them.
