My Experience Having Deep Plane Facelift and more

I'd been studying and comparing different procedures and different providers seriously for a year. I talked with my husband who said he loved me the way I look now but if it would make me feel better he would support me. So I made a couple appointments to visit with the two Drs. I was going to choose from. I liked them both but when considering the extensive procedures I would have done I had to consider who I would feel most comfortable with.

I let the Dr. I chose know of my intentions and the $50. initial appointment fee would be applied to a $500. surgery appointment fee. My appt. would be 25 days before a scheduled 8 day cruise. After seeing several of RS clients and their recovery photos I felt I could be presentable on our cruise.

My surgery was scheduled for March 29, 2023. I was the 2nd surgery that day. I would have preferred the1st appointment but as I found out it was a nose procedure for a teen girl so not very long. I was asked to come in at 11:45 but was called at 9:00 am about and was told he finished earlier and could I come in asap? I was just starting a shower. So we got there at 9:30am. The Dr has a beautiful modern surgical suite within his office complex. I am an RN so I was very impressed with his pre-op nurse in her detailed care getting me ready for surgery. She explained what would happen at each step of the procedure. Another person came in to start the IV. The Dr had already met with me to mark me up when I first got there. Then the nurse anesthetist came in to review allergies and other health related items. In fact I recognized her from a hand surgery I'd had at another facility a few years previous. I prefer nurse anesthetists over anesthesiologists for personal reasons from my years working with them. I walked into the surgery suite and laid down. A funny thing was the nurse anesthetist asked me what kind of music I liked and called Google to play it but I was soon put to sleep. Hope they liked Country.

To be clear I had the following procedures:

1. Deep Plane Facelift

2. Neck Lift

3. Lower Transconjunctival Blepharoplasty

4. Full Face Fat Transfer



Th total cost included anesthesia and facility fee. This also included the collection of fat ( from my inner thighs) and preparation to later to inject.

I was in surgery about 4 1/2 hrs as close as I can recollect. I was in recovery about an hour. My husband was called and I was taken to my car via wheelchair by a back exit. Who wants to see strangers at a time like this. I had an appointment for 7:30 am the next morning. Then dressing around my face/head were removed and Dr did. Quick look/see that everything was normal. Next appointment was 4 days later. They removed the staples at the back side hairlines. No pain. But the Dr said, "you're nurse. We've found that leaving the drains in longer had less selling at 1 week". So I agreed to leave them in for another 5 days. I admit the worst part for me were the drains. Sleeping was so hard for me as I don't sleep on my back ( which you have to do during all of this) but if you even move just little the pain in your head where the drains are will be immediate and you'll try not to move that way again. So I go in about 8-9 days later I get the drains removed. There is another gal that just removes staples and non-absorbing sutures and drains. They are inserted down the side of your head down the side of our neck. They aren't sutured in so she took out th first one pretty quickly and it hurt like hell. By I know there are two of them so I know i'm going to have to go through it again. So I waited a bit before she took out the 2nd one. I thought yeah, I can sleep on my side now but Nope. You are still swollen and it still hurts to be on your side.

You'll see by my pictures how swollen you face will be. Every day it was little better. I'd told my husband to beprepared for it to look really bad but rest assured it would get better over time. And it has. I have to say this surgery is not for the faint of heart. I'm wiring this review at 12 weeks post op. I have another appt. June 9th for follow up and "Post Op" photos. Oh I forgot At my pre op appt at 2 weeks before my surgery" before" pictures were taken.

I'll post my own before photos and then the surgery day and every day for a week, then weekly and then monthly ending with today.

Overall I'm very happy with the surgery. I know there will still be more improvement over the year. The one thing I've found is the swelling under my eyes still increases and decreases every day. Pest ting was on my cruise I had. 90 min massage an when I it back to suite I was all swelled up. So don't do things that causes your face to swell. Still try to sleep on back as much as possible, do massages on your side, try not to bend your head over, bend your knees to pick up stuff. And the biggest help is gel ice packs. I'm still using them. I've used them from the beginning. Oh and the main reason I went with Dr Balikian was anesthesia during surgery.

The other Dr. I interviewed, though experienced and very nice only used local and possibly oral meds during surgery. I couldn't think about the extent of this surgery being performed on me and I not be completely under General anesthesia.

Here are my pictures. I hope I've been able to answer questions and given my perspective on my surgery experience. Also excuse typos.