POSTED UNDER Neck Lift Reviews
Lower face, neck and brow lift - feel like I’m being strangled 24/7
UPDATED FROM carlotabt
2 years post
Two years post-op update
It's been a rough couple of years. Not just because of the surgery, but that played a key role in my state of mind while dealing with broken bones, an osteoporosis diagnosis, a c. diff infection, and an acute onset of inflammatory arthritis, all in 2022.
My neck and the entire perimeter of my face still feel stiff and uncomfortable. There's still a constant sensation of pressure under my jaw, and I still have an ugly network of broken blood vessels on the front of my neck. My ears are still hypersensitive. It hurts when my hairstylist has to pull the tops of my ears away from my head to trim around them. I still have to use a folded towel to keep the backs of my ears from touching my pillow while I'm sleeping.
I stand by my initial review. I wish I'd never done this to myself. The aesthetic results were not worth the money or the pain and are already starting to fade. Don't do it.
My neck and the entire perimeter of my face still feel stiff and uncomfortable. There's still a constant sensation of pressure under my jaw, and I still have an ugly network of broken blood vessels on the front of my neck. My ears are still hypersensitive. It hurts when my hairstylist has to pull the tops of my ears away from my head to trim around them. I still have to use a folded towel to keep the backs of my ears from touching my pillow while I'm sleeping.
I stand by my initial review. I wish I'd never done this to myself. The aesthetic results were not worth the money or the pain and are already starting to fade. Don't do it.
carlotabt's provider
Replies (5)
I copy and pasted the link into my browser, but the only results I get are other people's posts on Realself or links to doctors on Realself. None of the results include the words "community" or "forum." When I instruct Google to include them it takes me to different unrelated links.
I would like to be included in the discussion.
I would like to be included in the discussion.
It is tricky, sometimes getting to the forum. I feel like it’s purposely made difficult. You can first try using a different browser and see if that might work or try this.
Click on realself in upper left corner
This takes you to the real self community where you can click on forums for many different topics. Scroll down till you see facelift. There should be 717 topics. Click on that which takes you to Facelift forums and scroll down a few topics and until you see my post titled. “Does tight feeling after a lower face and neck lift ever resolve?” They are currently five comments on it. Hopefully this should work. Thanks we could really use your input as well.
Click on realself in upper left corner
This takes you to the real self community where you can click on forums for many different topics. Scroll down till you see facelift. There should be 717 topics. Click on that which takes you to Facelift forums and scroll down a few topics and until you see my post titled. “Does tight feeling after a lower face and neck lift ever resolve?” They are currently five comments on it. Hopefully this should work. Thanks we could really use your input as well.
This should be the beginning of the link.
https://community.realself.com/
https://community.realself.com/
Alternatively, you can also click on my realself name above “Questioning234” and look at the discussions I have started and you will see the discussion titled “Does tight feeling after a lower face and neck lift ever resolve?” Click on it to add your story.
UPDATED FROM carlotabt
1 year post
One year post-op; still in pain
One year post-op update:
I am still in constant discomfort. It's downgraded from the outright pain I experienced for most of last year, but is impossible to tune out. The entire surgical area—from my eyebrows to way up past my hairline, from my temples down to my jawline, and the underside of my chin and front of my neck—feel stiff and thickened, like there's a layer of sheet vinyl inserted under my skin. My ears are still very sensitive. I have to sleep with a baby blanket folded up behind my head to keep the backs of my ears from touching my pillow when I sleep on my back. I curl the blanket into a C-shape and position it around my ear when I sleep on my side. Getting a haircut is still uncomfortable, too, because the hairstylist has to bend my ears away from my head to use the clippers. The "chinstrap" effect is still in full force, as if a hand is clamped under my jaw at all times.
I'll admit that my eyelids/eyebrows, jaw and neckline do look better than before the surgery. BUT aftereffects of the surgery, such as the weird indentations above my eyebrows whenever I lift them, red pinprick marks (petechiae) on my forehead, the broken blood vessels on my neck, and the indentation on my left cheek, were not part of the bargain. I've just been left with a whole new set of perceived flaws in addition to chronic stiffness and discomfort.
This surgery was the biggest, most expensive mistake I've ever made. If time travel were possible, I would gladly pay ten times the surgical fee to go back and not put myself through this.
I am still in constant discomfort. It's downgraded from the outright pain I experienced for most of last year, but is impossible to tune out. The entire surgical area—from my eyebrows to way up past my hairline, from my temples down to my jawline, and the underside of my chin and front of my neck—feel stiff and thickened, like there's a layer of sheet vinyl inserted under my skin. My ears are still very sensitive. I have to sleep with a baby blanket folded up behind my head to keep the backs of my ears from touching my pillow when I sleep on my back. I curl the blanket into a C-shape and position it around my ear when I sleep on my side. Getting a haircut is still uncomfortable, too, because the hairstylist has to bend my ears away from my head to use the clippers. The "chinstrap" effect is still in full force, as if a hand is clamped under my jaw at all times.
I'll admit that my eyelids/eyebrows, jaw and neckline do look better than before the surgery. BUT aftereffects of the surgery, such as the weird indentations above my eyebrows whenever I lift them, red pinprick marks (petechiae) on my forehead, the broken blood vessels on my neck, and the indentation on my left cheek, were not part of the bargain. I've just been left with a whole new set of perceived flaws in addition to chronic stiffness and discomfort.
This surgery was the biggest, most expensive mistake I've ever made. If time travel were possible, I would gladly pay ten times the surgical fee to go back and not put myself through this.
Replies (4)
A mini face lift and neck lift ruined my life. It left me in constant severe pain and 90% disabled. I changed overnight from a healthy, active, happy newly retired person to someone who can't shower or move without more neck pain. Multiple specialist including Mayo cannot help me.
I am so sorry for your suffering you have had to endure for so long. I can empathize with the severe neck tightness and choking sensation. I am 9 1/2 months post op from mini lower FL/NL. I have also suffered from extreme anxiety and depression. I went to the ER at least 5 times feeling like my throat was closing in. I had CT’s, x-rays, lab work and everything is normal. I am now taking anti anxiety and antidepressants which helps me cope better, but I am still very uncomfortable every day. It has completely ruined my quality of life. And like you, I would pay anything to go back and never have this surgery. I have been trying varies therapies, PT. acupuncture, but they have not been very helpful. Have you found any treatments that helped? Do you think your symptoms are from nerve damage or the surgical technique? I am trying to understand why some suffer from chronic pain while others seem to get back to normal.
I think it was done too tight and my muscles will not stretch from the injury. If all goes well, I will be flying from Florida to Denver to have a reversal surgery Oct 14th with Dr Imola. I dont know of any other surgeon who has done more than 1 revision of this type. The procedure
expensive and I understand that the outcome is 50/50. I am desperate and willing to try anything at this point. The pain is just too much. I also got vertigo a few weeks after the surgery. Heat makes the pain skyrocket, so I have been mostly house bound for over 2 years. I really hope that your symptoms have improved some.
expensive and I understand that the outcome is 50/50. I am desperate and willing to try anything at this point. The pain is just too much. I also got vertigo a few weeks after the surgery. Heat makes the pain skyrocket, so I have been mostly house bound for over 2 years. I really hope that your symptoms have improved some.
I am sorry you have suffered so much. It must be awful to be home bound. My symptoms are much better now. I found a combination of Amitriptyline and Ativan work very well to provide relief and allow me to live my life again. I still feel a snug sensation in the front under my chin and the chinstrap feeling, but it is very manageable and not choking or burning pain anymore. I have also considered surgery, but like you said it is only effective for some and can create more problems with further scarring and nerve damage. I really hope the surgery provides relief for you. I know of a few people that have some relief after revision procedures. Please provide an update after your procedure. It is so important for all of us who have suffered from these surgeries to know what may help get past this. Have you found any treatments or strategies that help?
I'm sorry, I didn't see your reply until now. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I'm now two years post-op and still uncomfortable. Not acutely painful, thank goodness, but consistently uncomfortable. I still use a hot pack from time to time, but mostly I just try to ignore it and go on with my life.
I knew before the surgery that I am a highly sensitive person, unable to tune things out if they irritate me, like music I don't like or that's too loud. I also have very low heat and cold tolerance. I wonder if that sensitivity extends to something like this.
Having this surgery was, like I said, the biggest, most expensive mistake I ever made. I will always regret it.
I knew before the surgery that I am a highly sensitive person, unable to tune things out if they irritate me, like music I don't like or that's too loud. I also have very low heat and cold tolerance. I wonder if that sensitivity extends to something like this.
Having this surgery was, like I said, the biggest, most expensive mistake I ever made. I will always regret it.
Oh gosh thank you so much for mentioning being sensitive - I am so sensitive to the slightest things and I hadn't factored in how much that would affect me.
So glad I found this thread :(
So glad I found this thread :(
I'm sorry, I didn't see your reply until now. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I'm now two years post- op and still uncomfortable. Not acutely painful, thank goodness, but consistently uncomfortable. I still use a hot pack from time to time, but mostly I just try to ignore it and go on with my life.
I knew before the surgery that I am a highly sensitive person, unable to tune things out if they irritate me, like music I don't like or that's too loud. I also have very low heat and cold tolerance. I wonder if that sensitivity extends to something like this.
Having this surgery was, like I said, the biggest, most expensive mistake I ever made. I will always regret it.
I knew before the surgery that I am a highly sensitive person, unable to tune things out if they irritate me, like music I don't like or that's too loud. I also have very low heat and cold tolerance. I wonder if that sensitivity extends to something like this.
Having this surgery was, like I said, the biggest, most expensive mistake I ever made. I will always regret it.
UPDATED FROM carlotabt
8 months post
Still struggling
Eight months post-op. I've been seeing a psychologist for the last month. My preliminary diagnoses are PTSD and severe depression. I'm taking Gabapentin for chronic pain and anxiety. Be careful what you wish for, people. It doesn't matter how good I look when I feel like this.
Replies (5)
I totally agree. You definitely have post stress trauma. When A doctor through negligence or arrogance performs a procedure he knows is painful and/or disfigured you you have every right to feel traumatized. Your body is being cut up and sliced up and it definitely destroys your self image
Thank you for your comment. I think the hardest part of this has been the fact that I willingly paid to have it done to myself. As I've said in the review itself and other replies, I don't think the doctor's skill or surgical techniques are at fault. I just feel that plastic surgery in general is presented as this quick and easy solution, with all the focus on before-and-after photos and no mention of how it actually feels and how long it can take to recover.
Unfortunately some doctors don't adequately prepare the patient for what to expect and often discount the patient's pain level when it is legitimate and long lasting.
This is true, it’s happened to me. But because I have had beauty procedures throughout life, I knew longterm pain is a lot more common and normal for some. Never can predict how a patient will heal or respond, everyone is unique. The good news is it will go away in time, and the result is beautiful. I’ve lived through actually being physically botched, which is the worst since you not only have the pain but you’re physically ruined from an aesthetic standpoint. If I could advise any patient it would bs to say: Read all the fine-print warnings, consult with a minimum of 4-5 surgeons, and go into it accepting that the worst case scenario might happen. Be prepared. Hang in there everyone.
When they do a neck lift they do liposuction in your neck that leave your skin very creepy and thin and wrinkly
I did not have liposuction. The doctor and I agreed that I didn't need it; there was no excess fat to remove.
I had the same procedure, different doctor. He repeatedly told me that he could only tighten the skin so much or it would not look right. I'm happy with the results but they also said it wasn't that painful. At my later post op appointment, I told them that they shouldn't say that because it is quite painful. It felt like I was lying on barbed wire for the first two weeks. I am 20 months post op and don't have pain but I can feel a little tightness around my ears. It's not a problem.
I hope you feel better soon! Your story is very helpful.
I hope you feel better soon! Your story is very helpful.
I've time it will feel better. Visually speaking, amazing job. Try TMS brain stimulator for anxiety. It removes that feeling. Amazon sells them. I use it. Works or depression. Fisher /Wallace is getting there's FDA approved. 70 percent of people with PTSD get relief. Go there.
I am reaching out to see if you would be interested in posting your story about your neck on the discussion I started. I am trying to gather as many people as I can so that these problems will be more known and make a greater impact with many sufferers in one post. And offer more support with other women.
I think your insights would be very helpful for others facing this ordeal. It’s not talked about enough on RS and all the comments are dispersed in many different threads. It will be much more impactful if we consolidate our horrific experiences and what treatments, medicines, procedures that were helpful.
Are you interested?
Thanks,
Here is the link to my discussion:
https://community.realself.com/forum/tight-feeling-after-face-neck-lift-resolve