Deep Plane Face Lift w/Fat Grafting

This may be my last update for awhile. My healing continues - slow and steady. The good news is that the pulled indent on my cheek is finally going away! It took forever and it had me very concerned. What a relief! My scars along my temples are not as raised as before. Dr. Ort asked me about placement of those before surgery. She said she typically does them at the hairline, but she would go with whatever I chose. I’m glad that I asked her to hide them higher up. My neck is still a little hard and swollen under my chin but always improving. My neck still has a very slight red mottled appearance but pretty soon I won’t have to wear makeup to cover it up. And I still have a little red mark at my throat which I think was caused by the seam of my compression bandage. The scars are still pinkish along my ears. My face continues to get more feeling and less numbness.It’s like an expanding circle of sensitivity from my nose spreading outward. I’m beginning to feel nearer my ears. I like my face better now. I look younger and not so haggard. A coworker commented on how beautiful my face was since she had never seen me without a mask during the pandemic. I have more confidence in how I present myself on the job and to my community. I’m looking forward to how my face continues to heal. It has been a long journey for me with much patience. I’m still getting used to my new expressions, but I like what I see.

Tomorrow will mark 7 weeks from my surgery and the last few days I have started to see what my face will be when all the swelling is gone and I like what I see. I look at my before and I look so haggard. Now my nasolabial folds are gone. My neck still has swelling under the chin but it is tight and no jowls. Of the 2 pulled indents (see earlier photos) the one by my ear is gone. The one at the cheek is still there but still receding. I saw Dr. Ort last Tuesday and she showed me how to massage that area and it should release. It’s a dissolvable stitch that will eventually go away. I have not really touched my face at all because I was afraid to screw up the Dr’s work and also it was as hard as a rock from the swelling. Initially I did work along my jaw as Dr. Ort showed me to reduce swelling, but I stayed away from my cheeks and neck. I now have been massaging that area and working on rotation of my head to loosen things up. The numbness is ebbing and scars are healing. Patience is still key but I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. Today, I can say I am happy I went through with this procedure. I will continue to update.

I just wanted to update my healing process so that other RS-ers hear about our healing journeys. Some are fast which amazes me that people can look normal 2 weeks later. Mine is slow, but there is progress nonetheless. I just have to be patient. I have no bruise under my right eye - that finally faded out about Thursday of last week so 3.5 weeks. Dr. Ort suggested silicone tape for my scars so I have been using that at night and silicone gel during the day. Some days I feel new bumps along the scars behind my ears at the hairline. Those seem to be receding. I still have the pulled indentations on my right cheek but they are slowly looking better. Dr. Ort said that wasn’t unusual and it will go away in time. I still prefer going out in public with a mask because of them. That’s what I dislike the most because you cant hide that with make up. My swelling keeps going down and I’m getting more sensation back in my face. My jawline isn’t as rock hard and my smile is getting better (not so crooked). My sore under my neck has slowly healed (see photo). That was just me forever gooping on the aquaphor. My neck doesn’t have green/yellow bruising but it looks mottled with red. Makeup covers it. So I just have to be patient as everything settles. And “settle” is definitely the accurate word for it. I’ll check back in a month.