Motivation:
After years of weight loss attempts, nothing was helping the genetics behind my jowls, or extra chins, or my weak chin. My "features" were pointed out daily by family, friends, coworkers, and even strangers I just met. I contacted Dr. Fechner's office and they were extremely friendly and scheduled my appointment immediately.
Pre-Op:
Dr. Fechner provides ample paperwork to educate you on the habits that need to end a week, days or hours before surgery to ensure the least amount of complications are probable during the procedures. Including detailed post operation instructions for recovery. ( I highly recommend you put these all in your Outlook or Gmail, or any electronic calendar to help keep track of the routine )
Procedure:
I was brought onsite to Dr. Fechner's office, where he is equipped to perform the surgery. **If you haven't already had quotes put together by other surgeons, they require you to pay anesthesia and hospital room rental fees** My parents and I and went over the expectations for post-op. After that, I was whisked away to the operating room. Dr. Fechner used the "twilight" anesthesia, I was technically awake during the procedure but the only part I remember is the first and that was the buccal fat reduction.
Day 1-4 Post Operation:
I went home the same day I had the surgery, I live alone so my parents drove me to and from, as well as took care of me for the first 24-48 hours. I experienced swelling in my cheeks and neck like I had never had before. The cheeks resembled someone who had their wisdom teeth out. The pain was maneagable I stayed ahead of the pain and made sure to take the meds routinely 4-6 hours apart. The swelling on the neck was VERY uncomfortable the first few nights I had no ability to prevent saliva from going down the wrong pipe while sleeping. You sleep elevated for a week or so. I had a really hard time doing this. Personally I got 2-4 hours of sleep at a time. By day 5-6 I was feeling better and got into a rhythm for caring for the incision under the chin and changing the gauze and rebandaging.
Day 5-13 Post Operation:
Pain is much more maneagable, by this point I was on Tylenol during the day, and the stronger stuff to try to sleep longer periods of time. I was able to wear clothing that could be pulled over my head. The incision under my chin was still early on in the healing process and I had a little bleeding (just a few spots through the gauze) When I tried to clean my apartment top to bottom.
Day 14: Return to work
I had taken Dr. Fechner's advise to this point, and had not shaved once since the procedure. This helped mask the bruising on my neck from the swelling. I was able to razor shave my face, it wasn't easy ( My skin has no sense of touch, but comes back over time) Shaving isn't easy, you cannot determine the pressure you are applying to the skin so the process took much longer than normal. Swelling in my face was down considerably by the end of week two, the swelling in my neck was still noticeable to my coworkers. I was still a little stiff (turning my neck to talk) and talking for long periods of time was challenging for an additional week or so.
Day 56: Six week follow up
Neck swelling is pretty much gone completely and swelling in my jowl area is still reducing but is only noticeable to me. Still not much feeling in my neck ( not a bad thing, no pain while shaving! ) I am still cautious not to shave over the incision under the chin as the healing process in this phase (for my skin) may not like that. It was great to see Dr. Fechner's team again, they truly care about you and take an interest in your progress. From the front desk to the nurses, everyone Dr. Fechner works with is professional, personable and positive.
Next appointment is the 6 months post op appointment!
If you are considering a procedure like mine and have questions about my experience feel free to ask and I will check back to answer them as soon as I can.
Thanks Dr. Fechner and your whole office, I couldn't have hoped for a better experience. I couldn't be happier with the results!
- Anonymous, (Born and raised in Worcester County, Massachusetts)
After years of weight loss attempts, nothing was helping the genetics behind my jowls, or extra chins, or my weak chin. My "features" were pointed out daily by family, friends, coworkers, and even strangers I just met. I contacted Dr. Fechner's office and they were extremely friendly and scheduled my appointment immediately.
Pre-Op:
Dr. Fechner provides ample paperwork to educate you on the habits that need to end a week, days or hours before surgery to ensure the least amount of complications are probable during the procedures. Including detailed post operation instructions for recovery. ( I highly recommend you put these all in your Outlook or Gmail, or any electronic calendar to help keep track of the routine )
Procedure:
I was brought onsite to Dr. Fechner's office, where he is equipped to perform the surgery. **If you haven't already had quotes put together by other surgeons, they require you to pay anesthesia and hospital room rental fees** My parents and I and went over the expectations for post-op. After that, I was whisked away to the operating room. Dr. Fechner used the "twilight" anesthesia, I was technically awake during the procedure but the only part I remember is the first and that was the buccal fat reduction.
Day 1-4 Post Operation:
I went home the same day I had the surgery, I live alone so my parents drove me to and from, as well as took care of me for the first 24-48 hours. I experienced swelling in my cheeks and neck like I had never had before. The cheeks resembled someone who had their wisdom teeth out. The pain was maneagable I stayed ahead of the pain and made sure to take the meds routinely 4-6 hours apart. The swelling on the neck was VERY uncomfortable the first few nights I had no ability to prevent saliva from going down the wrong pipe while sleeping. You sleep elevated for a week or so. I had a really hard time doing this. Personally I got 2-4 hours of sleep at a time. By day 5-6 I was feeling better and got into a rhythm for caring for the incision under the chin and changing the gauze and rebandaging.
Day 5-13 Post Operation:
Pain is much more maneagable, by this point I was on Tylenol during the day, and the stronger stuff to try to sleep longer periods of time. I was able to wear clothing that could be pulled over my head. The incision under my chin was still early on in the healing process and I had a little bleeding (just a few spots through the gauze) When I tried to clean my apartment top to bottom.
Day 14: Return to work
I had taken Dr. Fechner's advise to this point, and had not shaved once since the procedure. This helped mask the bruising on my neck from the swelling. I was able to razor shave my face, it wasn't easy ( My skin has no sense of touch, but comes back over time) Shaving isn't easy, you cannot determine the pressure you are applying to the skin so the process took much longer than normal. Swelling in my face was down considerably by the end of week two, the swelling in my neck was still noticeable to my coworkers. I was still a little stiff (turning my neck to talk) and talking for long periods of time was challenging for an additional week or so.
Day 56: Six week follow up
Neck swelling is pretty much gone completely and swelling in my jowl area is still reducing but is only noticeable to me. Still not much feeling in my neck ( not a bad thing, no pain while shaving! ) I am still cautious not to shave over the incision under the chin as the healing process in this phase (for my skin) may not like that. It was great to see Dr. Fechner's team again, they truly care about you and take an interest in your progress. From the front desk to the nurses, everyone Dr. Fechner works with is professional, personable and positive.
Next appointment is the 6 months post op appointment!
If you are considering a procedure like mine and have questions about my experience feel free to ask and I will check back to answer them as soon as I can.
Thanks Dr. Fechner and your whole office, I couldn't have hoped for a better experience. I couldn't be happier with the results!
- Anonymous, (Born and raised in Worcester County, Massachusetts)
