39 years old neck lift, corset platysmaplasty, lower face lift

This morning was my pre-operation appointment with Dr. Machida. I decided to add the lower face lift to my neck lift, because it will address the minor sagging that has started along my lower mouth. There is also excess skin that should be removed along with the excess skin of my neck.

Dr. Machida first goes over your allergies, current meds/vitamins and then tells you to stop taking anything that will thin your blood. Then he goes over your face and neck in a mirror and points out the non-symmetrical aspects of your face as they exist pre-surg . For example, one side of my smile is thinner, one eye opens a bit more than the other, one side of my jaw is more bulky. He does this so that afterward you don't freak out since surgery cannot remedy tiny inconsistencies, not should it be expected to. Most people (myself included) are not aware of their asymmetry until the doctor points it out and I thought the dr. was very thourough to do this.

He also points out that skin can sometimes return to its lax state depending on how much elastin your skin has based on heritage, past smoking, sun exposure, diet, etc. I am youngish but he says he cannot know the true condition of my skin my simply looking at it. Unfortunately people who are very fair like me, from Irish or Norwegian bloodlines, age the absolute worst. (Asian and African Americans age the best under ideal conditions.)

Then he discusses what a neck lift CAN'T address: horizontal lines (not a concern of mine) or really anything lower than the trachea. He doesn't access lower than that because of the difficulty and also so that those anatomical structures don't swell and kill you after surgery. That's fine with me, all my problems are above the voice box anyway. He explained that with the lose skin and me not having neck fat, the salivary glands may become slightly visible at the very top of the neck where the jaw meets it, and there is nothing that can be done about that. He shows where the scars will be placed behind my ears and under my chin. I confirmed with him that the platysma muscle will be corseted and that we are addressing both platysma tightening as well as excising the loose skin, not simply tugging and stitching. He confirmed.

Moving on to the lower face lift. Dr. tells me a lower face lift does not address laugh parenthesis and asks again if I even want one. He does not feel it is totally necessary. I explain I am addressing marionette bagging and the flattening out of my dimples, which are turning into lines rather than into cute holes. He said that the lower face lift WILL remedy these two things and that as long as my expectations were not to lift the cheeks then we can do it. He also says to expect the skin in front of my ears to be a little bit bunched up for up to 5 months as the sutures heal and the fat layer settles. If I do any photoshoots I will likely need to wear my hear over my ears. I agree to this.

Once everything is discussed to my satisfaction he asks if he can pray over me before surgery, to which I agree. Surgery is in 7 days!!

I am convinced that a series of 1540 Fraxel lasers using the Palomar machine is responsible for my accelerated skin aging. I did a series of 4, as they tell you should be done, and the lasers totally destroyed the underlying fat layer of my skin, leaving me with extreme skin laxity on my lower face and neck.

I slept most of the day. The pain isn't that bad and if somebody wanted to begin taking Tylenol instead of their prescription painkillers they probably could with no problem.
Yesterday I went for my one-day check up and got in trouble because I had unwrapped the overnight binding that is a pressure dressing. It is meant to be tight but I couldn't stand the pressure on my ears or under my neck and so I took it off. Then Dr Machida had to put another one on and this one will stay on until Monday. They looked underneath and we're happy to find that I have very minimal swelling, however the pressure dressing is important so if you can don't take it off.
My corset platysmaplasty sutures are very tight and all I can eat are spoonfuls of oatmeal. I can't wait to see my results in the mirror. The dr. showed me the preliminary results yesterday at the day 1 check up, and my neck was so smooth and tight!!!