POSTED UNDER Facelift Reviews
64th Birthday Coming Up - I'm Looking Tired and Droopy - Ugh! Los Angeles, CA
UPDATED FROM Marcia Sue
7 Months Post-op BEFORE AND AFTER pictures! WOW what a difference!!!!
Marcia SueAugust 14, 2016
Browlift / Forehead Lift Before and After Photos
FOREHEAD LIFT / BROWLIFT
I am 7 months post-op browlift, upper eyelid lift, lower facelift and and neck lift by Dr. James Pearson (Beverly Hills and Hermosa Beach). He is an ARTIST. I really feel so good. I am wearing my hair longer, I've lost 15 pounds and I just feel WONDERFUL about my whole being. This was one of the best decisions of my life - the journey definitely had it's tough days but Dr. Pearson called very often talked me through the process - so I ALWAYS knew what to expect. I think that's the reason I recovered so well. I'm so thrilled with the results. Please let me know if you have ANY questions.
- See more at: http://www.pearsonmd.com/photo-brow25.htm#sthash.tL4pKiCy.dpuf
FOREHEAD LIFT / BROWLIFT
I am 7 months post-op browlift, upper eyelid lift, lower facelift and and neck lift by Dr. James Pearson (Beverly Hills and Hermosa Beach). He is an ARTIST. I really feel so good. I am wearing my hair longer, I've lost 15 pounds and I just feel WONDERFUL about my whole being. This was one of the best decisions of my life - the journey definitely had it's tough days but Dr. Pearson called very often talked me through the process - so I ALWAYS knew what to expect. I think that's the reason I recovered so well. I'm so thrilled with the results. Please let me know if you have ANY questions.
- See more at: http://www.pearsonmd.com/photo-brow25.htm#sthash.tL4pKiCy.dpuf
UPDATED FROM Marcia Sue
The Most Excellent and Caring Doctor in Existence
Marcia SueFebruary 26, 2016
I had my surgery. It went so well. I was very surprised about the following:
1) There is no pain
2) After the first three days you feel almost 90% - still tired but really OK
3) Walking every 3-4 hours is a MUST starting post op day 1
4) It takes awhile to adjust to your new face (about a month or so)
5) The right doctor can make or break your post op period - I had the best doctor EVER
6) It's really important to follow the treatment plan post op
7) It was great to have a nice big jacuzzi tub - so calming for me
8) There is a huge psychological impact to this surgery. Although I could see results quite soon, it was so difficult to see the bruising and the swelling. But time heals....
1) There is no pain
2) After the first three days you feel almost 90% - still tired but really OK
3) Walking every 3-4 hours is a MUST starting post op day 1
4) It takes awhile to adjust to your new face (about a month or so)
5) The right doctor can make or break your post op period - I had the best doctor EVER
6) It's really important to follow the treatment plan post op
7) It was great to have a nice big jacuzzi tub - so calming for me
8) There is a huge psychological impact to this surgery. Although I could see results quite soon, it was so difficult to see the bruising and the swelling. But time heals....
Replies (3)
March 1, 2016
You look great. Almost ready to make the decision. Want to hear more about your experience. Thanks for sharing..
March 1, 2016
You look awesome. Thanks for sharing. I am 60 and thinking about some facial surgery. How long did you have take off from work?
UPDATED FROM Marcia Sue
64th Birthday Coming Up - I'm Looking Tired and Droopy - Ugh! Los Angel
Marcia SueNovember 5, 2015
Just a quick update - thank you to the ladies who have answered my first posting!
I've now scheduled consultations with three doctors (local in LA area). I've done a lot of online research and read countless reviews. I'm a person who usually makes rather quick decisions (in business) but this is a big decision that can impact your feelings about yourself (positive and negative) so I'm going to try and slow down and evaluate which doctor/office I feel is both the most qualified to perform surgery on my face (oh my god!) but also has that extra something special to make me feel comfortable with my decision.
I've read SO MANY reviews on REAL SELF and it's very helpful (thanks to everyone who has posted). I do notice that so many of us ladies hide the fact that we are having a face lift. Why do we do that? Is it because we think it is vain, are we afraid in case it goes wrong, do we feel embarrassed or concerned that others will look on this as being selfish? I'm going through all of this now and I can say that I both feel I should be upfront about it and I also feel that I want to keep it all to myself. I've told my husband and he's supportive - but I think he will just die when he sees the aftermath of the surgery that first week. It's pretty courageous what we are willing to go through, isn't it?
Any help out there???? What sort of feelings have you had early in the process? Would love to hear.
M
I've now scheduled consultations with three doctors (local in LA area). I've done a lot of online research and read countless reviews. I'm a person who usually makes rather quick decisions (in business) but this is a big decision that can impact your feelings about yourself (positive and negative) so I'm going to try and slow down and evaluate which doctor/office I feel is both the most qualified to perform surgery on my face (oh my god!) but also has that extra something special to make me feel comfortable with my decision.
I've read SO MANY reviews on REAL SELF and it's very helpful (thanks to everyone who has posted). I do notice that so many of us ladies hide the fact that we are having a face lift. Why do we do that? Is it because we think it is vain, are we afraid in case it goes wrong, do we feel embarrassed or concerned that others will look on this as being selfish? I'm going through all of this now and I can say that I both feel I should be upfront about it and I also feel that I want to keep it all to myself. I've told my husband and he's supportive - but I think he will just die when he sees the aftermath of the surgery that first week. It's pretty courageous what we are willing to go through, isn't it?
Any help out there???? What sort of feelings have you had early in the process? Would love to hear.
M
Replies (4)
November 5, 2015
After thinking about it for several years I took the plunge and 3 weeks ago I had a neck, lower face and brow lift, I'm 54. The delay was finding a Dr. that I trusted, I didn't personally know anyone who admits to having had surgery and I didn't want to select one purely on ratings. (A few years ago I went to a highly rated surgeon for fillers and botox and he messed up my face, it took a year before I looked back to normal). Earlier this year a guy I know had a face lift and it looked great so I went to his surgeon and while I was having my first consultation I saw a woman who had him do her neck lift, she looked great to so I went with him. I had general anesthetic due to the brow lift, if it had just been face and neck I would only had needed a local, the surgery took 4.5hrs. I am still swollen and bruised but most of my discomfort and bruising was due to the brow lift, I had hardly any bruising on my lower face or neck. The sides of my face and neck are swollen but the neck swelling looks good because it takes away all the wrinkles! I have not regretted it for a minute, the Dr. appears to have done exactly what I asked for, but I'm too swollen at the moment to know how much of an improvement there will be. I went through various emotions prior to the surgery, in the weeks leading up to it I nearly cancelled multiple times. My adult daughter, my mother and my fiancé didn't want me to do it mainly because of the general anesthetic, and I didn't tell any friends so I had no support. I was terrified on the morning of surgery but as soon as the Dr. came in to talk with me I was OK and next thing I knew it was all over. My Fiancé was supportive and I spent my first night in a medical facility because I didn't want to burden him with looking after me, he visited me there, I did look revolting, I was throwing up was very bruised and had a drain in for two days. I think he still loves me though! I am happy to give you more details if it would help. Good luck!!
November 6, 2015
Thank you so much for your posting. Yes, please tell me more details. While in the process of making this decision I'm a sump for input. I'm pretty much convinced to go forwar and I think it will be a done deal after my consults if I find the right doctor. So, the next phase I foresee is the anxiety, fear and who should I tell stage. Anything more you want to share would be great. M
November 5, 2015
The 'telling or not' thing was a really big deal for me. Took up a lot of headspace.
In the end I told one male friend who lives overseas beforehand so I had some support, and I told my best friend (an ex) after the fact because I knew he would notice and be all looking at me weirdly and I preferred to just have it out on the table vs waiting for him to say something.
My reason for 'not telling' is because people can be really judgemental about 'surgery for vanity', which is odd when they are not at all judgemental about 'exercise for vanity', but I digress.
My decision was primarily because judgemental reactions would be disguised as 'concern about your health' or would convey pity in an 'oh, it's so sad that she feels so bad about herself' way or be a denial 'you don't need it, whyyyy?' all of which are obscenely patronising and not at all supportive. The reactions are not only patronising, but profoundly negative, and I really didn't want that in my space while I was going through the process.
The one friend who I told beforehand tried really hard, but he didn't 'get it', so he was of the 'but you don't NEED it, you look great!' school of thought and genuinely thought he was being supportive. People who love you will pretty much always go this way and think they are being nice/helpful/sweet when in fact what they are doing is questioning your judgement, and it's actually quite horrible to be in a position to *convince* someone that you don't look good as a way to get them to understand. Still, he WAS wonderfully supportive *despite* not 'getting it', and as someone who has shared the entire process with me, when he saw the 'after' shots a month post-op he finally 'got it': 'holy hell, that really DID make a big difference. I didn't expect that! You look amazing!' which is gratifying, but I couldn't really convince him beforehand.
I'm not telling anyone else. If anyone notices that I look different (I really don't expect them to, people are hellishly unobservant), they will mostly be too polite to say anything which is great. The only other person who I think will notice AND who will say something will be my sister. I won't see her until December and if she does say something I will tell her the truth because it feels unfair to let her believe that I somehow got the best out of our gene pool.
In the end I told one male friend who lives overseas beforehand so I had some support, and I told my best friend (an ex) after the fact because I knew he would notice and be all looking at me weirdly and I preferred to just have it out on the table vs waiting for him to say something.
My reason for 'not telling' is because people can be really judgemental about 'surgery for vanity', which is odd when they are not at all judgemental about 'exercise for vanity', but I digress.
My decision was primarily because judgemental reactions would be disguised as 'concern about your health' or would convey pity in an 'oh, it's so sad that she feels so bad about herself' way or be a denial 'you don't need it, whyyyy?' all of which are obscenely patronising and not at all supportive. The reactions are not only patronising, but profoundly negative, and I really didn't want that in my space while I was going through the process.
The one friend who I told beforehand tried really hard, but he didn't 'get it', so he was of the 'but you don't NEED it, you look great!' school of thought and genuinely thought he was being supportive. People who love you will pretty much always go this way and think they are being nice/helpful/sweet when in fact what they are doing is questioning your judgement, and it's actually quite horrible to be in a position to *convince* someone that you don't look good as a way to get them to understand. Still, he WAS wonderfully supportive *despite* not 'getting it', and as someone who has shared the entire process with me, when he saw the 'after' shots a month post-op he finally 'got it': 'holy hell, that really DID make a big difference. I didn't expect that! You look amazing!' which is gratifying, but I couldn't really convince him beforehand.
I'm not telling anyone else. If anyone notices that I look different (I really don't expect them to, people are hellishly unobservant), they will mostly be too polite to say anything which is great. The only other person who I think will notice AND who will say something will be my sister. I won't see her until December and if she does say something I will tell her the truth because it feels unfair to let her believe that I somehow got the best out of our gene pool.
November 6, 2015
You are amazing! You have summarized all the reasons and feelings for keeping this to yourself prior to surgery. I am going through exactly this thought process. I've actually received two responses on RS that were of the "you don't need it" variety. It's such a difficult decision and what I've noticed about reading profile stories is the amazing courage of the women who have this done. After all, who would commit to a surgery that makes you battered and bruised if you didn't really believe it would improve your feelings about yourself? Thank you so much for your insight. I hope to get to the other side of the rainbow successfully as you have done. I'm thinking seriously of keeping this to myself or sharing with only a very few highly trustworthy and supportive people like my husband and son based on your posting. It's kind of a shame and a disappointment that we need to hide this major event in our lives isn't it? M
November 6, 2015
You're so welcome, I'm glad it helped some.
It's a reason that this site and the honest reviews on it are so helpful. Out there in marketing land, we get fabulous 'before and afters' and that's it. As if it's that simple (not just physically, but mentally AND emotionally).
I'm two months out with a really good result and I *still* have to expend a certain amount of energy to managing my expectations and concerns (hair loss!, pixie ears!, neck dropping!, eye bulge! etc). And this for really very minor things in the face of a great result. It's quite astounding.
"It's kind of a shame and a disappointment that we need to hide this major event in our lives isn't it?"
It is a big disappointment. And because of those attitudes, there is shame attached to going ahead with it. Don't even get me started on the social pressure for women to conform to beauty standards (slim, young, beautiful!) and how that is coupled with the vilification women get if they try to do just that (vain, petty, superficial!). It makes me livid!
All that to say: Do what feels right for you. Make sure you have the support you need from people you trust. Tell other people only if it's going to stress you out if you don't. Everyone else can see how fabulous you look and wonder: most will be much too polite to say anything and it's none of their business anyway.
It's a reason that this site and the honest reviews on it are so helpful. Out there in marketing land, we get fabulous 'before and afters' and that's it. As if it's that simple (not just physically, but mentally AND emotionally).
I'm two months out with a really good result and I *still* have to expend a certain amount of energy to managing my expectations and concerns (hair loss!, pixie ears!, neck dropping!, eye bulge! etc). And this for really very minor things in the face of a great result. It's quite astounding.
"It's kind of a shame and a disappointment that we need to hide this major event in our lives isn't it?"
It is a big disappointment. And because of those attitudes, there is shame attached to going ahead with it. Don't even get me started on the social pressure for women to conform to beauty standards (slim, young, beautiful!) and how that is coupled with the vilification women get if they try to do just that (vain, petty, superficial!). It makes me livid!
All that to say: Do what feels right for you. Make sure you have the support you need from people you trust. Tell other people only if it's going to stress you out if you don't. Everyone else can see how fabulous you look and wonder: most will be much too polite to say anything and it's none of their business anyway.
November 11, 2015
I had a lower facelift and upper blethoplasty 17 days ago. I was very private about the proceedure,didn't want input or judgement. It was my decision and of course it was all about vanity. I went to lunch with friends yesterday and fessed up to the eyes and then blurted out okay there was more! They were facinated and overjoyed....what a relief. We tend to overthink what others might say. Most people are focused on themselves and don't notice changes in others. I move out of State a few years ago and am making a trip to my roots in So.Cal in a few weeks
November 12, 2015
I am 72 and had a full face lift in January 2015. It was the best decision I have ever made. It was originally scheduled in 2013 and I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to cancel the surgery. As soon as I was one year out from the cancer surgery, I rescheduled the face lift. Go for it but do your homework and get a great surgeon. You will not be sorry.
Replies (1)