Chin Lipo Journey (Swelling or FAT?!)

So Ive been meaning to update this review. I've been hoping to do so when I feel that my results finally settled. And there were moments where I felt that things were progressing very well. In fact, February was a great month. My jawline and double chin were very close to how I looked when taking off the garment. Then it reverted...

After more than nine months, I think I can call this procedure a failure. An improvement? For sure, but not enough for a relatively mild case of stubborn chin fat. I've gained about 15 pounds February though, and my surgeon noted the fat pad at our last appointment in March. I've lost 9 of the 15 pounds, but my chin is still not flat and defined.

INTERESTING: A the 5 month mark (back in mid November) I got a facial fat graft from the same doctor. I'll be going in for a second round in the coming weeks since I've retained about 50 percent from the first transfer (22-24 ccs fat from abdomen), and I felt a little about 20% underfilled in general. That's a different story. However, I took a steroid days after the fat graft, and what do you know, the skin under my chin was defined and taut. Of course, when the steroid wore off, my double chin began to return.

I personally feel that my lymphatics were disrupted, possibly permanently. I have no idea. I don't know the science behind it. Maybe it takes a couple years for damaged lymphatics to improve. But I've conceded to the fact that I will not get the results I was hoping for. If I do get what I'm hoping for, I'll be surprised, but no longer view it as cathartic.

I dont know why my chin still fluctuates. I've had days where I'm defined, and then it goes back. It's incredibly frustrating. Plastic surgery has done a number on me psychologically, and I do admittedly envy the people who get instant results, especially with chin lipo. I don't why this has happened to me, but it's obviously depressing to feel that youve faced your fears (going through with surgery) after years of telling yourself you cant do it only to be left with a wonderful result - after I wear the garment - taunting you in the face.

If anyone can provide some insight into lymphatic injury, and whether or not it eventually heals, as well as the general timeframe for that, please let me know. The last time I wore my garment was early March, when I was 15 pounds overweight. Even with the weight gain, after taking off the garment, I look great. Maybe a little bit less defined, but still great. It's like the aesthetic gods are just taunting me. If this was just fat, I'd go in for another round of lipo (which should never happen with a mild to moderate case like me). But I do feel that this is something else...

So I still hold out hope in the very back of my mind.

3 months and still I have a lot of swelling. In fact, my chin looks worse than it did a month ago! Three weeks ago, my chin was shaping up really nicely. When I went to my post-op appointment, the pictures showed really great results on the side of my jawline. Under the chin still had a good amount of puffiness though.

This is so frustrating and the longer this goes on without improvement (and even a reversion of progress), I have less hope that my final result will be worth it. I don't know why this progress is taking so slow, or if these are just my results. I don't know why I show improvement, but then later, it all dissipates.

Please take a look at my photos from today, which also showcase the immediate aftermath of when I remove my garment (which I wear once every 2 weeks now). Now, even though I look much better when I take off the garment, there still appears to be loose skin and a little layer of fat underneath.

If you think this is still swelling or leftover fat, or something else entirely, please let me know. Do you think a revision would be necessary?

At the beginning of August, I noticed a big reduction in swelling for a week or so.

Since August 17th, the improvement has slowed down considerably. I'm still hopeful that my results will look like when I take off my garment. Notice how defined it is compared to without it. While results `haven't improved much in the last few weeks, I have noticed that my (hopefully) swelling takes much longer to come back after wearing the garment. Before, the swelling would fill up within 15 minutes; now the results stay for over an hour.

This is such a long process, but I'll continue to update every month. I'm a very slow healer generally, so I really hope my results continue to improve.