Dr. Sadati is an Artist!

I spent four years saving up to get rid of my jowls and turkey neck and wanted to be certain the work I had done would be both long-lasting and entirely natural looking so I also did research for four years.

Two surgeons names kept coming up as being excellent and they had the best before and after photo galleries of Orange County’s Plastic Surgeons, so when I had the money, I interviewed both. I saw Dr. Sadati first and he gave me a very in-depth presentation about the natural lift. I liked his personality and his confidence as well as the fact he could do it in under two hours with only twilight sedation. My second consult, was with another experienced surgeon but his recommendation was for a deep plane facelift that would take 5 or 6 hours under general anesthesia. I was torn because I wanted to ensure the work would last but I didn’t want the extra time in surgery or the general. The cost was the same for both versions. I talked again with Dr. Sadati’s office and they assured me the natural lift is as permanent as the deep plane procedure—and my own research showed there was less risk of nerve damage.

I’m glad I chose Dr. Sadati. My before and after photos are the proof I made the right decision (sorry I can’t share them but no one knows I did this). I just look 10 years younger. I do not look “done” at all! I told no one except my husband and I stayed out of public for two full weeks so the swelling could go down and the scars could heal. I wear cover-up makeup to hide the residual red mottling on my neck. (They say it will take another three months to clear up completely.) But here’s the funny thing: no one I have come in contact with has said a word to me about looking different or asked if I had anything done. However, I have had several people tell me how much they like the way I’m wearing my hair these days (I haven’t changed it) or asking what makeup I’m using (again no difference from before). I guess other people don’t memorize the way you look. I hated my jowls with a passion but I think no one else realizes they are gone. Just that I look good. But for you who are still considering this: My jowls are gone. I have a great jawline and tight neck. My scars have all but disappeared at 3 months. Every single time I look in the mirror, I see who I think of myself as being. Before the operation, every glance in a mirror made me feel older than I do inside. I am so grateful for the availability of this process and especially for Dr. Sadati’s skill.

His staff are great as well. Everyone from the front desk to the surgery techs to the aesthetician has been kind and helpful and friendly.

I don’t remember the surgery itself. The twilight sedation works as well as a general if you ask me. My recovery was a little more difficult than I had hoped for although there was never any pain. I didn’t sleep well with my head elevated. Many women post they went back to work in a week. I suppose you can, but truly, I felt swollen and hated the way the prednisone made me feel. I stayed away from everyone for two weeks. Then wore turtlenecks and full coverage makeup. I suppose it’s easy as far as surgery goes but it’s still surgery. And I had a little complication with a seroma that had to be drained every day for a week which made me cranky but gave me a chance to see the smiling Dr. Sadati every day to have it aspirated. He always made me feel welcome and not a bother at all. He seems to be a genuinely nice man who cares about his patients.

It’s kind of strange because you don’t have pain from the incisions. You just can’t really feel your face and ears and neck from the inside. You have this aftercare of cleaning the wounds and then treating them with an anti-scar cream for a few weeks where you touch your face but only your fingers feel it. When you do start to get feeling back, you get “zingers” as your nerves and skin and the SMAS layer reattach. I don’t know how long it will be until I actually feel completely normal again. It’s been three months and at this point, my nerves are still tingling (sort of a pins and needles effect) from above the ear on one side of my head, down under my chin and back up the other side to above the ear. My earlobes feel like they are curled up even though I’ve checked in the mirror a hundred times and they look terrific. And while I can turn my head fully from side to side, or down, looking up still feels like I’m stretching out the skin.

One thing I highly recommend that the Dr. and staff didn’t really suggest, even though they offer it in their spa, is the lymphatic drainage. I read about it on Real Self and I called to set it up with Fernanda. It made a HUGE difference in how I felt. You do swell, especially if you have ANY salt, for about six weeks. And you can’t really turn your head very far in either direction for several weeks. I had three of the lymphatic drainages with Fernanda, each one a week apart. They really, really helped reduce the swelling.

The hardest thing for me after the surgery was not being able to do yoga and exercise. I’m very active and all he’d approve was stationary biking and walking for the first six weeks. I am back to my full activities now and that has also helped me put this behind me.

In closing, I have to say that it has been totally worth every minute of discomfort and every dollar spent. I would do this all over again to see my inside image of myself reflected in the mirrors I pass. Before surgery, I felt old every time I saw myself and it affected every thought I had. Now I look like I feel. Thank you Dr. Sadati for restoring me to myself.