Initial Consultations, Lower Facelift, Upper Eyelid in Dec. 2015

I thought I would let everyone know how I feel 2 moths to the day after my procedure. My face is still numb, from near the front of my ears radiating out to my cheeks and lower jaw. The skin on my cheekbones and jaw bone are numb and tingling at the same time and sometimes I get a sharp pinpoint pain in my cheek bone area, but it doesn't last very long. My skin behind my ears is finally healing, although it is still red and itchy sometimes. The peel I had on my upper lip and under my eyes FINALLY went back to the normal color, but it still gets purplish red if I get too hot or my face gets overheated. For that reason, I think I have decided against getting any sort of peel on my face. (I guess I'll just keep my freckles) I don't or can't wait 2 month for it return to normal!

All that being said, overall, I am happy with my procedure results. I know longer have that soft loose skin on my neck, and the wrinkles that were forming on the side of my face are gone. Also I love my eyelid lift. I look more awake and no more mascara/eyeliner on my upper lid because of sagging eyelids!

So it is 45 days after my procedures and although overall I am happy with the results, my incision I had behind my left ear and my tragus (on the ear) is very slow to heal. It is still red and tender and feels hard and lumpy. My right ear is much better but it still feels a little lumpy behind it. My cheeks near my ear and temples still feel very hard and numb and my neck area is numb and feels tender, hard and ropey. I know this will even out in time (I hope!) I was happy with my upper eyelid surgery. I also had some sort of peel under my eyes and my upper lip during my surgery and it is just now getting back to a normal color and not being red. It took away some fine wrinkles, I think, but overall, I don't think it was worth it because it took forever for it to get back to normal. The pictures I have posted are of behind my ear and on my tragus. Also one of the side of the cheek where you can see the pulled muscle underneath, that I hope will even out with time. Overall, I think my PS did a really good job, but just be aware that any of these things can happen to anyone, anywhere on your body. From what I have read, no one can really predict who will heal well and who will not. I did all the right things before the surgery, eating well and taking all of the supplements. Hopefully , time will heal the wounds. (I have no idea why some of the pictures are sideways.)

Last year I decided 2016 would be my year of transition in mind, body and spirit. I turned 55 and as much as I didn't want to admit it, I felt like I needed an eyelid lift and facelift. My eyelids were getting crepey and droopy and I had loose skin on my neck and jowls! I wanted to grow old gracefully, without having these procedures done. I thought about just letting it all go, just letting my hair go gray and just accepting my age as it was progressing. But my mindset wouldn't let me do that. Maybe I wasn't brought up that way. I have always felt better and more confident if I thought I looked better. But with this came the thoughts of vanity and all that money! Was I being superficial?Well in the end, I decided that this was something very important to me. I want to look good as long as I can, just like so many of you. So with great anticipation and anxiety, I booked my procedure date, which was 5/5/16. Just coincidence that it was the same date as my age? I didn't think about that until the other day. Anyway, got my upper eyelid and lower facelift done on May 5th. It went fine, and I spent the night in the facility where I had the procedures done with a nurse nearby in case I needed anything. That was really nice to have and more comforting to me than going home the first night. After that, I basically went home and hunkered down, out of sight for a week. It was hard to sleep elevated on on your back only and I did feel bruised and sore and swollen, especially the first 3-4 days. I did find the pain pills really helped and helped me to sleep in the upright position. It was also hard and tiring to chew on any food, but my kind, sweet husband was able to get me anything I wanted, from popsicles to milkshakes. I also had some Atkins milkshakes for protein and has lot of pineapple juice as well. I also took the Vita Medical vitamins, Bromelain and Arnica Montana. Seven days later, I go to get the sutures from my upper eyelids removed. That went ok. on the 10th day got the sutures removed from round my ear and temples. The ones behind my ear and on the back of my neck where the dissolvable kind. Unfortunately for whatever reason, some of the skin behind one of my ears turned black (necrosis, I think that's what it's called.) Just loss of blood supply to the area. I did used to smoke on and off, but I quit completely in Oct. 2015. he doctor said that might have something to do with. I also read if the skin is pulled too tight, it can happen too. who knows? What's done is done, and now I have to figure out the best way to deal with it. I go back on Monday.My neck and sides of my face are still very tender to the touch, very sensitive, and they feel really hard, like cement, and my neck muscles feel ropey and bumpy. All that being said I love the way my eyes look now, and I no longer have a turkey neck and sagging jowls! I still don't feel anywhere near normal, just going out if I have to and I am still self conscious about any swelling and scars that may show. I know I'm just about 22 days out and it takes time. I will just be glad when it doesn't hurt to touch the areas anymore. Overall, I am happy I got it done and I will post some pictures in the near future, but they will just be close ups, because this was a covert operation. Now, if I could just lose 10-15 pounds.. That's next!