POSTED UNDER Lower Facelift REVIEWS
55 Year Old, Looking for a More Youthful Appearance
ORIGINAL POST
I work in an office and over the past 3 years I...
WORTH IT$5,200
I work in an office and over the past 3 years I noticed a pronounced saggy around my mouth and jaw, and a turkey neck that seemed to appear just in the last year and a half to two years. I meet with guests and community contacts and noticed my face was becoming tired looking and I was showing my age. I think I started seriously considering a lift when people started asking me, "are you okay?" or "are you mad?" So I had to remember to smile more often, in order to keep a scowling face (which I was not mad or upset) but my mouth would automatically frown when I was showing a straight face, it was awful. I knew I needed my lower face and neck done. It was an easy decision and I was looking forward to it. It was the best thing I could have done for myself. The recovery was so much easier than I thought. I'm currently just over 3 weeks post op. The numbness around my ears and neck are still very much there, and the swelling started higher, near cheek bones, and has settled more down in my jaw and chin right now. I can't wait to see the outcome, when all numbness and swelling subsides.
I do want to mention, the first few days taking antibiodics and pain medicine was a worry to me since I could barely open my mouth. I needed to have some food in my stomach before taking the meds so I wouldn't get an upset stomach. I found the perfect food with some substance and it was so good and refreshing, during the first few days!! (I tried saltine crackers and toast, forget it...the food breaks up and falls into the gum line and it was impossible to move my tongue around to try and move it out of my gum line.) What I found perfect were the cold, sliced apples! I had a brand new bag in the refrigerator and I cut the skin off of them, and I nibbled them, 4-6 slices before my meds and it was fantastic.
I am so pleased with my surgery, and absolutely attribute the great work to my plastic surgeon, Dr. Rosato. I'm so glad he did my face lift, and I'd highly recommend him.
I do want to mention, the first few days taking antibiodics and pain medicine was a worry to me since I could barely open my mouth. I needed to have some food in my stomach before taking the meds so I wouldn't get an upset stomach. I found the perfect food with some substance and it was so good and refreshing, during the first few days!! (I tried saltine crackers and toast, forget it...the food breaks up and falls into the gum line and it was impossible to move my tongue around to try and move it out of my gum line.) What I found perfect were the cold, sliced apples! I had a brand new bag in the refrigerator and I cut the skin off of them, and I nibbled them, 4-6 slices before my meds and it was fantastic.
I am so pleased with my surgery, and absolutely attribute the great work to my plastic surgeon, Dr. Rosato. I'm so glad he did my face lift, and I'd highly recommend him.
Mary9279's provider
UPDATED FROM Mary9279
25 days post
Today, Day 24, a bit of swelling, but I'm good with it!
Even with swelling and numbness, I'm so happy. Sometimes I don't see much change, and then I look at photos from before, even last year, and say, "Oh yes, there is change, indeed." I like the way my skin feels when I apply makeup, it goes on so much smoother. The area around the front of my ears, not so much though, because rubbing where my skin is numb just feels weird. But I know this will gradually improve over the next couple or few months. In 1st photo, it's a closeup a few mornings ago. 2nd photo, is from a couple weeks ago, showing the chin and neck profile, no gobble gobble! Love it! (Yeah, I know, I let my eye "show". I am trying to be discreet, maybe covering my eyes isn't all that discreet...) hmmmmm...
Replies (6)
February 12, 2015
Great results
February 13, 2015
Thank you. I'm coming up on 1 month on the 15th and will post a couple more pics. I think my swelling has decreased a little bit. Still really numb around my ears and one side of my neck, but I know I can expect this for quite a bit longer.
February 15, 2015
HI Mary, Thanks for sharing your experiences :) Did you have general anesthesia or local? Was the procedure called a lower face lift or neck lift? Hope you are feeling better each day and your swelling is going down. You look great! I think you have good bone structure which helps! Take Care!
February 15, 2015
I had general anesthesia, didn't remember anything, took two melt in the mouth nausea pills 1/2 hour before I left for my appointment. No problems with being put under. I had blood work and an EKG a few days before my surgery. When I was waking up, (it seemed I was only asleep a few seconds), and as I awoke, I could hear the nurses talking about their kids or something, but chattering away :D. Then they noticed me waking I think and I heard one of them say, "she's waking up" and right away they were asking me how I was feeling, and if I felt any pain? I felt groggy at first, and then was fine within a few minutes, and had no pain. My head was wrapped and I felt a little mummy-like but that was it.
This is what I know right now, as far as exactly what kind of lift I had, but I see my doctor on the 20th, so I will ask him. I told him I wanted what his nurse's assistant had and she called it a cheek lift. So when it came time for my consultation, my doctor asked me "so what do you think you are having done?" I said, "well, what Bonnie had, a cheek lift!" He said "okay, yes, a face lift." And he said let me show you on the TV screen what we are going to do and I'll show you some before and after photos of my patients. He showed me where the incisions would be (in front of my ears) and said something about removing the fat under my chin, so I was thinking, oh wow, yes I think that would be great. He didn't really give my face lift a name, but I can tell you none of my incisions go higher than the lower temple area and down to my ear lobe. My left side same thing but the Doctor said I had to have a little more work on my left side and I noticed the incision wrapped around the back of my ear. No forehead, no brow, no under the eye, no scalp or back of neck (just a small horizontal incision under my chin, and vertical incision on each side of face in front of ear) no fat transfers either.
Thanks so much for your comments! Are you thinking about having something done, or have you had this or similar surgery before? I'm going to post a few more photos - my 1 month mark is tomorrow!!
Blessings,
Mary
March 28, 2015
How is your numbness? I see on one pic of your rt. side a piece of skin right under your ear is that like a climb of skin fold from being pulled and stitched there? If so would you need a be k lift with that or did you also have a neck lift? U look good . Thank you.
March 28, 2015
Hi Marmara, yes my skin has evened out, no folds, bumps, everything is smooth now. My 2 month check up was a little over a week ago and my doctor said all is fine. The scar is a little pink still, but he said it's healing well. I am very pleased with my results. I did have a little lifting of the neck area and a little lipo under my chin. Thanks for writing and your compliment.
UPDATED FROM Mary9279
1 month post
Sunday, 2/15 is my 1 month mark in my healing!!
I was getting ready to go out this afternoon an snapped a few photos. I'm going to unleash and show my face ;p (eyes and all, silly me). I still am numb on both sides of my face and haven't felt really much more than an occasional little tickle, but I think I read that when the nerves start connecting they will feel more like pins and needles, some itching, and maybe a sharp quick pain every now and then...but I think in the last week my numbness has shrunk to smaller areas. My swelling is really up and down, today not bad at all. Fingers crossed I don't puff up in a day or two, LOL. Even so, it's seems to be only noticeable to me. Here are a few shots from today :-)
Replies (5)
February 15, 2015
you look really great, and even though the incision lines are around the front of your ears, they really aren't obvious at all! Well done for taking the plunge. And for only 1 month postop, your progress is really astounding.
February 16, 2015
You look awesome!! Did you just get a lower lift?
February 17, 2015
Yes, lower lift and neck. Small incisions are in front of each ear, from lower temple to end of bottom part of ear; and small incision under chin. Left side had to have a little more work, the doctor said. My incision wrapped partly around the back of my ear. I was and still am a little bit, more swollen on left side, and still numb on left side in a 3 inch area. Thanks for your comment! :-)
May 11, 2015
Replies (9)
Whoa!!!! Your results look fab! And great tip about the apple slices. Thank you so much for sharing on RealSelf!