My results have improved my quality of life immeasurably

Adding an update at 9 months post op. I tried to take photos of my scars in harsh daylight so everything is clear since that's what I wanted to see when I was considering this prodecure. If my ear looks warped from behind its because I'm pushing it to show the scar back there more clearly. Behind the ear scars are still slightly pink but they blend in pretty well with my ear color at this point. The scars in front are fully white. You can slightly see them in very bright lighting but you have to look closely. I have full feeling back in my face at this stage, no numbness and everything feels normal. Knowing what I know now I would have been much less nervous going in. I love my lower face. 10/10 worth it.

Writing to report that I'm at about 4.5 months now and I feel like I'm about 80% at having full feeling back in my face. Behind my ears feels completely normal and my skin has all the feeling back. The deeper layers still just have a very slight tingle. I thought I'd post in case anyone was wondering what to expect! Feeling will come back with a bit of time and the numbness hasn't been bad at all.

I am writing this review 9 weeks out from my lower facelift with Dr. Lee.
As a younger patient getting this procedure, I thought it was important to share my experience. In my research I found it rare to hear from people who would typically be told not to consider a facelift and in what cases it might be a good choice. I am 35 and since high school have always felt a bit bottom heavy in the face. I didn’t feel like I looked aged or unattractive necessarily, but I wanted a more lifted and less cheeky look. I was a great candidate for buccal fat removal at 29 with another doctor and while it was a definite improvement, it still wasn’t quite as dramatic as what I was hoping for. At the time I was told I was too young to consider a facelift. 6 years later I still had prominent cheeks that were now moving into early jowl territory. I tried filler a few times, and while I liked it, I felt like it made me looked a bit altered and I just wanted to look like the most attractive and natural version of myself. Through a ton of obsessive research I found Dr. Lee. His double board certifications and glowing reviews convinced me to book a consultation to see what his recommendations might be. I was so impressed with the entire experience. I had met with a few other surgeons but after leaving Dr. Lee's office I had that good gut feeling. I felt like he really listened and understood what I was going for. He is so kind and down to earth, and confident in the way that comes from passion and experience. The way he speaks about what he does shows a real love for it. I felt so comfortable with him and his responses reflected everything I was looking for in a surgeon. After he explained all my options, including non invasive, I decided on the surgical option of the faceology mini lift. The term mini varies from office to office, but I was told they call it a mini lift here because I did not need the full neck lift that is part of the faceology lift. This was a lower facelift where he did trim the smas (yay!), not a skin only lift. I had anxiety going in but the whole office was so wonderful. I felt incredibly well looked after by the entire team, it made such a huge difference in my experience that everyone was so sweet and caring. I wish I could remember everyone’s names from surgery day ( I was so out of it), but every single person was absolutely wonderful. The recovery was a breeze and I just slept most of the time. I would also like to note that unbelievably I had absolutely no bruising. There was a slight yellowing about a week later but at no point was there any black or blue. My face looked pristine the day after surgery, just a bit swollen. Dr. Lee has a very gentle touch and his stitches are so tiny and perfect! Two nurses in my family stopped by to see me 3 days later and they were extremely impressed with his detailed “finishing”. Follow the instructions they give you, take your meds, rest, and you will be fine! At my one week follow up I got my sutures removed and was able to go out to breakfast after the appoinment. I would have this procedure again with Dr. Lee in a second. At 9 weeks out from surgery I’m back to all my normal activities and my scars are improving week by week. I’m still getting creative with my hair styling at this stage but nothing is noticeable unless you know what you’re looking for. Everything is beautifully hidden in my hair and ears. My tragus is in tact, my earlobes are normal and beautiful, and my sideburns are very much still there! My greatest fear was having a weird sideburn or hairline and Dr. Lee took the time before surgery to show me exactly what was going to happen and how much would change (down to how many folicles!) As a type A personality I was deeply appreciative of his patience and willingness to be so specific with me. My results have improved my quality of life immeasurably. I think there’s a stigma around someone in their 30’s having this procedure, but I also beleive that may be due to the assumption that a facelift only addresses age related concerns. I think for the right candidate a facelift can improve your appearance at an earlier age as well. My confidence has gotten a huge boost and Dr Lee absolutely delivered what he promised, above and beyond. I look like a more attractive version of myself and I don’t think anyone would be able to tell exactly why. I feel like at 35 I finally have the face I wished for in college. I didn’t want to wait to fix something I’d always been insecure about because I was “too young for a facelift”. Thank you Dr Lee for hearing me out and for helping me. Thank you also for your integrity in offering me less invasive options as well and sharing the pros and cons of everything. I’m so happy I chose the surgery but I will be back for Profound!