Ok, it is today. I've been researching &...
ok, it is today. I've been researching & researching on the boards and today is the day. I stated getting consults in 2006 when I was in esthetics school, with an otolaryngologist/plastic surgeon in2010, a formal consult with an oculopast surgeon in 2011, a the head of plastic surgery in 2013 and then last week I woke up and listened to the recording I made of the oculopast.
So after I listened to my recording, I said, this is it, I'm doing it… NOW. Obviously, problem is, surgeons aren't so readily available. I called the office & Donna was as helpful as can be & we schedule for Friday. Problem was, I was about to go in & called with a question. We never actually said the date. It wasn't last friday, it is today. Funny when you get geared up & then poof. So, today is the day. I am nervous I won't get the result i want, not because he doesn't do an excellent job but because I'm the girl that gets my hair cut & is shocked when I look in the mirror & it is my face, not the model in the photo. I'm also worried that my lower lid will look even more wrinkled but I plan on doing laser at a later point for that. I've also been looking into the ultherapy for my lower face & in fact had a consult yesterday who thought I am a great candidate for it re: my jowls. It is about a 30 min treatment and I am taking 5 mg of valium about 1/2 hr before procedure- just because I will be a better patient. Oh, I am also probably getting lip filler ( HURTS but the tiny lines do go away) and perhaps other filler. Won't do botox until we see the results of surgery because i've had a problem with my eyelids being wonky for a month after Botox & he wants to let things settle first.
I'll post pics and recovery.
ok, it is now 3 days post op….
Hopefully I'll be able to attach all the pics. I am trying to take 3 pics each day so you can see progression. There are a couple of extra- like last night it seemed worse and this morning the skin under my eyes where the filler was put in looks awful. I'm hoping it gets better cause it looks bizarre. The skin just hangs there right below the injection.
All in all this hasn't been bad at all. I did take 7mg of valium sublingually 1/2 hour before the procedure because I knew i'd be a better patient. I also did take 2 tylenol when I got home as well as 1/2 am oxy. I took another 1/2 oxy at midnight. I don't think these were necessary, but I HATE pain & live alone & was a bit scared. I have had some eye itchiness- I think the sutures. it was making me nuts. I was given post op instructions after my procedure. this was of course, after my valium. The instructions say use ointment yet does not say what kind or where to use it. I'm a bit concerned about this. I put just a tiny bit of triple antibiotic on the sutures just in case.
An interesting side effect, at least for now, it mist of my furrowed brow is gone. I did not have botox because in teh past, it created this weird crepey thing with my lids & he wanted to see what the procedure would do first. I did have filler in my NL folds and lips & under eyes. I'm not sure what to think about these yet. I've had filler in these areas before. I've liked the results but VERY painful. I'm not sure I like it. But I think I should reserve judgement until after swelling subsides.
Dr. K was GREAT. we chatted through the procedure about random things. He's got a great bedside manner.
5 days post op
ok, my eyes are starting to look more normal. I was freaking just a tad. They were so swollen towards my nose. I used to have people tell me all teh time I look like the girl from avatar, but now I REALLY did. the shape looked totally different. Today a lot of the extra swelling near my nose has subsided and the bruising is turning yellow which is usually a good sign. No pain really. Tad discomfort. mostly where the stitches were poking me or the dried blood being sharp. I've been applying warm compresses a couple of times a day as well as teh ointment & that is helping. There is a line on each eyelid that looks like a light crease but feels like a paper cut. That kinda smarts. I've not had any pain meds since saturday.
me careful if you are on valium or pain killers…. with a credit card nearby
so, the first couple of nights I was by myself- not a big issue for having uppers done. Though I warn you, I am a very very frugal person & NEVER by on impulse. I received a package of skincare supplies from HSN in the mail yesterday. YUP, I was wowed by the woman who covered her port wine stain with this makeup. And yes, it DOES NOT cover my bruising. It will be sent back….Any one have any makeup tips? My BF's 50th bday dinner is next friday & it will be the first time I can actually use makeup (if all is healing right) on teh eye itself. I am not much of a makeup person & have never tried to cover anything more than a pimple...
just changed "would I recommend"
yes! subtle, no one would know unless they saw my bruising. Found very light readers today that for the most part mask any redness so I'm good to go. Unless wearing the light readers screw my eyes up….
healing pics… I forgot a couple of days… sorry
all in all, things are really good. I barely itch anymore. Most of the pain was the stitches poking my skin like tiny needles. I tool cuticle clippers & clipped the ends off VERY CAREFULLY as to not take too much or cut the knot. As the swelling reduces, the stitches are more "exposed" so more pokey. I do have some bumpiness in the scar on both eyes, and I assume it will gone away. Hope hope. I think I will have a tiny bit more filler in my lips (lower) because he didn't do & my mouth still looks like a smoker although I never touched the things. What can I say, I just have an "expressive" face….
sorry I've been remiss, forgot a couple of days and computer keeps crashing on upload
All in all, I'm quite please. I do have some bumpy skin and hopefully it will no away. I am now able to wear light makeup under my eyes and with glasses, they are fine. I'll warn you, .75 readers aren't so great to wear all the time. I think they are giving me a slight headache, but they look so cute! My itchiness is for teh most part gone & the "pain" was due to the stitches getting longer as the swelling subsided. I took cuticle clippers & **** VERY**** carefully clipped the ends being sure NOT TO CLIP THE KNOTS.
Also, I had a bit of juvederm in my upper lip. I think I will get a tad in my lower. The idea was to get rid of my "never touched a cigarette in my life yet still have smoking lines…. and the bottom lip still has lines" I'm going to try to post this, then pics. Maybe it will help.
also forgot to photograph a few days
days ~6-10 and post of is March 25- HOPEFULLY I can wear a tad of cover up next Monday for my BF's 50th celebration….
first post op today- day 11.
Dr. K VERY pleased with my healing. Gave me the ok to color my hair ( for all of you wanting to know how to present the new you, I was told, eons ago, when you have work done, change something0 lose weight, get a haircut, change the color- something, so when people say you look different, they don't realize it is the surgery. I use a demi permanent & haven't done it since mid Janurary, so overdue. No haircut since August, so just that will help. Dr. K also said the bumps in my scar will take 8months + to heal. No problem as long as I know they will go away.
One last thing I did not know- I had a bit of juvaderm left over & he is keeping for me. just found out only have 4-5 weeks to use it, so plan that into your calendar.
Thanks all for your support & kind words!
my unprofessional advice on the order to do treatments
ok, based on experience & information I'm learning as I go, I would
1) do laser/ultherapy & see how that works & where it gets you. Because the collagen can rebuild for some time, let that settle & re-assess.
2) do upper/lower bleph if still needed, maybe fillers at this time
3) then do fillers & botox.
I don't want to do the laser now because there can be some degradation of the filler & it seems like a waste. I'll most likely wait a year for teh laser since the fillers last ~ that long. Just something to keep in mind.
It was 2 weeks ago today….
OMG this was so easy… No one notices anything 2 weeks later, except that I look great. Every once in a while, it looks bruised to me and I still have a small red patch under my left eye where I got filler, but no glasses, no sunglasses & I'm cleared for makeup ( which I barely use) and mascara. Wow- just in time for my BF's 50th!
13 months later
well, I am happy I did this. I do wish he took a bit more out as it seems to have settled a bit and thought I am not hooded, the skin is sagging. It may have to do with the fact that I have holes in my scars that fill up with makeup and I cannot resist purging since they are like deep blackheads. I had one "cyst" cut out & need to see if he is willing to do one of the other ones. he is very conservative which is a good thing. ALSO if I had to do again, i'd consider a brow lift although he thinks that is a bad idea. when I lift my brow, it looks better & I know my eye brows are below the brow line & I get shadowing from the sag.
