facelift recovery

Hello everyone - I know this thread is a bit old but I just wanted to let everyone know my experience because I relied on all your comments so much after my mini-lift and chin lipo when I had a very crooked smile and thought I'd made a huge mistake. My doctor assured me it was just swelling but I wasn't sure I believed her when my smile was still crooked after 6 weeks but at about 8 weeks everything evened out and I'm now thrilled with the work I had done. I would suggest that if you are considering having a mini-lift before a vacation or a special event that you make sure you give it enough time to heal (at least 2 months). I went on a trip to Italy about 3 weeks after my surgery and although I had little pain, no bruising at all and very minor swelling, my smile still looks crooked in all the photos. It's amazing how much difference just a milimeter on one side can make such a huge difference. 

I had facial surgery a year and 2 months ago and still feel like I'm being hung. The neck area is tight and with the least swelling from eating ANY salt it is worse. Also the cheeks & forehead are tight feeling. I can't eat anything with salt or it makes it worse. Still itch from the top of my head from a forehead lift. I'm going to see another cosmetic surgeon to get his opinion as to whether I will ever get relief. It's not getting the least bit better with time.

I had a composite facelift 21 days ago, before the face lift I would spend time on you-tube listening to patients, saying that hardly no pain at all and out and about in 2 weeks.

I had to spend the first night in the surgery center, where I had the nurse from hell. She let my pain get out of control, and I thought I would die. 

I did not expect to have no engery after 21 days, all the numbing, lumps and bumps where you don't expect. The brusining is now starting to fade, the numbing and tightness around the neck and jaws still there. But this is a major surgery, I think it will take 2-3 months to get back to normal and maybe longer than that. The you-tube girls are lying about the pain, and recovery time (in my opinion) Now for the good news, my neck will look wonderful after recovering, and the jaws are gone. So I know I will be happy when I recover, but it is a long time to recover, this surgery is painful, you feel like hell for a long time, and I can't wait to get back to normal.

After this I was going to have lipo around my tummy and arms fixed, but after this experience I am finished with all cosmetic surgery, I just don't think my body is up to it.

I am 63 and just hoping that someday I will feel back to normal. But I do think when it is all over with, that the results will be there, it is just a lot more surgery and recover time that I had planned on. I know the moment I woke up from surgery, saw my husband in the recoveyr room, I was in so much pain the first words out of my mouth was "this was a mistake" I am sure I will not feel like that is 3-6 months. (hoping anyway)

Thank you for sharing. I had a face-lift 3 weeks ago and the lower right side of my mouth is drooping. It really shows when I smile. My crooked mouth is also noticeable when I talk. You words gave me hope that this will resolve itself soon.

Facelift surgery is good option for those who want instant solution for this fine lines, wrinkles and extra fat which are associated in the chin area. It is painful option.

Jaws are gone..you mean jowls?

There's a clinically researched food supplement that you can buy which enhances your own adult stem cells. It's based on harmless botanicals with no drugs or stem cells actually in it. Stem cells are part of the healing process, so the more you have the better it is for healing (more stem cells means less scarring too).  

all the best

 

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I was actually scheduled for my surgery on Monday, but after reading this decided against it. I am happy, healthy and just want to look a little younger. More like I feel. However, maybe good enough is good enough. I can't imagine going through physically, what you are going through. Plus the mental anguish. I feel for you. Quick question....what you are experiencing seems, according to the Doctor's, affects only 1 - 4% of the people that do this surgery. Do you feel you are one of these low statistics and it's just been bad luck? Or, do you feel Doctor's minimize the risks involved?

And if you would be so kind as to share, would you consider yourself healthy prior to the surgery? Also, did you smoke? As this seems to affect the healing process for the scars. But of course, not the other issues mentioned.

Thank you for being courageous enough to share. It would also be helpful to know who did your surgery and where you had it done, if you haven't already provided that.

I wish I would have read this website before but is late now. I am glad to hear about you. I am a 66 year old and a month ago I had a neck/face lift, fat transfer under my cheeks and eyes, upper eye lid surgery. I am scare because I don't look like I used to. One side of my jaw hurts and my cheeks feel bloated but hard and numb. They tell you 2 weeks but it is not true. I can't do my usual running, gym or social life because I feel and look odd. I know is too late but I wish I wouldn't had it done.

Yes -- I know exactly what you're talking about! I am 1 month post-facelift at age 60 and am feeling many of the same emotions and experiencing many of the same symptoms as you are. I wish I could go back in time and un-do what I've set in motion. I have a large divot and a lump in my right cheek. Like you, I have discoloration on my face that isn't normal bruising. I can deal with the normal blue-purple-green-yellow color thing that happens with a bruise. That's normal and I'm always confident it will go away. These are very weird brownish discolorations that have been brownish from day 1. They have not regressed even 1 mm. Make-up does a very poor job of concealing them, and in fact, they almost look worse with make-up. I didn't expect this crushing fatigue to last so long, and I didn't expect to feel so down. I hope to hear back from you since you are further out than me. I hope to hear that you've turned a corner, so it gives me hope that I , too, may turn a corner. I also was getting weary of doing the fillers and wanted to do something more permanent. I went to a surgeon with a very good reputation, but I guess even when you place yourself in the best of hands, things can happen. I wish you well.

Hello,

   I am about 7 yrs. post op after having a deep plane smas done by Dr. Kridel.  I had lower eyelids and cheek implants done at the same time.  The recovery time was really truly Hell.  I developed severe anxiety that seemed to take over my life.  The pain was really minimal, but the swelling, the scars, and looking at a stranger in the mirror was really difficult to go through.  Now I would go back and tell myself to just relax, sip some tea, and breathe!!  It does get better, but it takes time and patience!  The implants especially caused so much swelling.  It is just shocking to look at yourself and not see the same person I saw before, but wasn't a change the whole point.  I felt like I wa just not happy either way!  What was wrong with me?!  I felt so mad at myself for committing to something that I couldn't back out of!  I felt stuck, trapped, alone, and panicked!  Everything just takes time and patience.  Something I am not really good at!  Yoga helped.  Just learning to relax myself helped because I was going to cause myself to have a heart attack if I didn't learn to calm down.  A year made a huge difference.  It seems like such a long time, but the next 6 have been great!  People never guess my age.  The only side effect is nerve pain at times behind my ears.  It hurts sometimes, but is acceptable considering what my poor face went through!  If you are careful and do your research and go to a skilledfacial plastic surgeon, then most facelifts go well, and in time most issues resolve themselves.  As long as the end justifies the means then it ends well.  I am sorry for those who experienced bad results at the hands of a bad surgeon.  Lots of issues can be resolved with revision work.  I do recommend Dr. Kridel.  I am thoroughly glad I did what I did, but like I said before, the months just after are truly rough, and as long as you go into it with those expectations, then you won't be so shocked.  It's a slow process! 

Wow, nice to share this. I had lower facelift done July 4th; it is Aug 3rd, I guess it's about a month now. Yes I feel numb on my cheeks and around my ears - you're right, I can't sleep on my ears, or hold the phone. It feels as if I have a tight scarf around my neck. My turkey neck is gone - all looks good, but the healing? I think we're looking at another month.

Is there any healing cream?? to soothe and tenderized the neck & cheeks???
foxy

I had a mini facelift and liposuction on my neck 2 weeks ago and I was told that I would be able to return to work in one week with the use of a little makeup.  That was a complete lie!  My smile is very crooked and the swelling in my neck and on the sides of my head is enormous, not to mention all the bruising.  I wish I had done more research before I had this procedure because I would never have had it! I have to return to work next week and I am going to look like a complete freak!  Please if you are reading this post and are thinking of having plastic surgery, do more research before you sign the consents!  

5 years ago I had a mini lower face and neck lift, my down time was minimal and fuss free infact I returned to work after 3 weeks.  However once all of the swelling and bruising had gone, so had the effects of the lift.  My face looked just asit had before the surgery but with scars around my ears and up into my hairline, my neck wasn't too bad though .  One year later I had a revision with the same surgeon, he also did my lower eye lids.  Again BIG mistake, all that he did was take away more skin from my face and supported it all using my ears! I ended up so much worse than before, my eyes have noticable scars under the lashes and out to the corners, when I am out in the sun, these scars stand out more white and obvious.  My face pulled my ears into 'pixie' ears and made the scars look huge!!   5 weeks ago after saving for several years I underwent yet more surgery to correct my 'pixie' ears.  This meant having another mini lift (which I didn't want) but it was the only way she would/could re-do my ears and scar tissue.  I have had the most horrific time with bruising and swelling, after 5 weeks my face is still yellow down both sides and my surgeon re-opened my right side as she thought I had a large hemetoma but there was nothing in there. So I now have a new set of stitches on the right side plus still have a large swelling that she now says must be just that - swelling! hopefully it will all settle down but the discomfort and tingling are almost unbearable and don't get me started on the tightness, which she told me  "tight is good"!  I cry an awful lot these days and so wish that I had NEVER started on the plastic surgery road, would I do it again...........NEVER EVER EVER!

I couldn't stand my droopy lids any longer. I rang a p.s. clinic which said he only does op with general anesthetic, and it was really expensive. I went to cosmetic surgeon Dr Lua at the B Clinic on the Gold Coast. Good price, local anesthetic and performed in the treatment room, and am very happy with result.