Early Forties Lower Facelift and Neck Lift

I am a week away from my lower face and neck lift and my nerves are getting the best of me! I have some sagging skin under my chin and beginnings of jowls that are forming which are making me look "stern" and I don't like it! I feel like I constantly have to have a smile plastered on my face so no one will think I'm upset - haha! I know I have a weak chin but really don't want to do any type of implant, so I'm hoping this will firm up my neck line and jawline. Any tips would be much appreciated! I have been following several real selfers and am so grateful for their unfiltered reviews, it helped me to make this decision! But I admit I'm scared because what if I'm that one in however many that ends up messed up and I destroy my face. Oh the nerves!!! I have been saving up for over 9 months because I've wanted to do this for so long. Part is hereditary (weak chin) but age and gravity are not helping me! I have all my meds, ice packs galore, arnica gel and pills and wedge pillow. My husband is taking off work the day of surgery and day after to help take care of my kids but I'm hoping I'll be ok on my own after that. I have some older teens that will be able to keep my younger ones occupied.I'm most worried about swelling and bruising. I haven't told anyone I am doing this for fear of judgement and have to see family on July 4th, so I'm hoping I'm not bruised or swollen by then!.

in less than 2 days I'm hoping for a less "droopy" appearance! ;) Does anyone know about skincare products and when I should resume my retinol ect after surgery? I have it written down to ask my surgeon but in case I forget, I would like to know when you all resumed normal skin care? I am also going to be trying a new to me product - it's an ointment made with medicinal manuka honey and aloe that is supposed to help promote healing and also be anti-bacterial. My doctor recommends cleaning the incisions with hydrogen peroxide and applying aquaphor to keep them moist instead of using scar strips but I'm thinking of using this honey ointment instead of the aquaphor. I know medical grade manuka honey has great benefits...maybe I'll try one side with the honey and the other with the aquaphor. This is the brand I will be using https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007EBRA6A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm home and resting, the surgery itself was completely painless. The staff and Dr. Vargas have been amazing with calming my jitters, I was so nervous! I went in at 7:30 this morning for all the pre-op prep. Met with Dr. V and the anethesiologist beforehand and they both answered all my extra questions. " Cut" time was at 8:30 and I was home by 12:30 (about a 25 min drive to our house from the office). I'm fully wrapped in gauze so no pics because you can't see anything! I get the gauze off tomorrow at 9:30 and will try to get some pics of the incisions. Pain wise, I wouldn't really call it pain, just a constant kind of throbbing discomfort behind my ears especially and my neck ( similar to a sore throat). My sweet husband who is caring for me made the mistake of only giving me one Tylenol when we got home, so I'm a bit behind on the discomfort and trying to catch up. I just took 1/2 of a hydrocodone, I was really trying to avoid taking any of them but I need to get on top the discomfort so I can get comfortable and rest. If I sit too upright, the front of my neck pulls, but if I lay flat, the stitches in the back of my ears start throbbing. So I'm trying to find a happy medium so I can get comfortable - haha! My eyelids and face that I can see are super swollen, probably from the IV fluids, but I look like a pumpkin head with the wrapping right now! ;) I'm hoping when the gauze is removed tomorrow, that might help the back of the ear issues when laying down propped up tomorrow a little. If anyone has suggestions on finding a comfortable position, please let me know!! Thank you for your encouragement, I will try to update daily progress especially the first week to 10 days.