Botched jaw and chin surgery and lipo

[BotchedinBelgium]

Hi everyone,

I had jaw reduction and genioplasty done in Belgium a few months ago and have been very depressed and unhappy with how things have turned out. The surgery has left me with thinner lower lip and for whatever reason also changed how my smile due to my lower lip not pulling down as much as it used to. I seem to also have these bumps on my lower lip that I don't used to have. Add to that a small bump under my chin which is the size of a rice grain and hemosiderin staining on my entire upper neck due to the lipo.

I do not like how I look and it has ruined my face. I feel like I have been overcorrected when all I want was a subtle improvement. The surgeon just did what he wanted and went overboard with the bone reduction. As a consolation, I atleast am alive and can talk and eat normal. I am constantly anxious and have been depressed ever since.

I do not know how to cope and this lockdown is making it more difficult for me as I cannot see another surgeon to have a look at me. My family's has been supportive but every waking day I feel miserable as if I am now living a nightmare.

I am on a waiting list for anxiety treatment but I need to wait 3 months. I often think I'm better off dead. I look much much better before but was insecure about my slightly wide chin with flatter tip. Now my oblong face is no longer oblong as it is now shorter and more narrow.

How can I cope and does anyone know any surgeon in London or UK who can help reconstruct my jaw and chin. I can only find one surgeon in London called David Dunaway who may be able to help but no one else. I appreciate any advice.

The surgeon in Belgium dismissed all of my concerns. I am intouch with a law firm to file a claim but need a surgeon's note.

Thank you,
BotchedinBelgium

[Biscuitsneeded]

This is going to sound really harsh but I think your problems are not to do with the shape of your face. Insecurity/anxiety/unhappiness drove you to seek surgery in the misguided belief it would make you happier in the first place. Cosmetic surgeons prey on people's vulnerabilities, and people with poor self-esteem often fixate wrongly on their outward appearance when it's the inside that needs fixing. I'm sorry you're not happy about what the surgeon did, and I appreciate it's difficult in lockdown to feel you can get any help, but I think the help you need may be therapeutic rather than cosmetic. If the surgeon really did botch the job (have you asked your family for their honest opinions?) then yes, you may need someone qualified to correct the damage, but after that maybe try to stay away from cosmetic surgery altogether and focus on learning to like yourself a bit more. For what's it's worth, I have a really square/short jaw and all this lockdown zooming is making me have to look at it more than I would choose to (!), but then i think, hey, all these people have chosen to include me in their zooms so if they can cope with the sight of me perhaps it's not such a big deal after all, and more importantly I can't be a horrible person or they wouldn't invite me! Think about what YOU have to offer the world rather than what you think is wrong with your appearance.

[BotchedinBelgium]

Of course I have asked my family about my face and they have confirmed I don't look right. I don't understand how you can say my problems have nothing to do with my face. I don't think you can tell that to victims of botched surgeries where the damage is physically evident. It's rather unsympathetic and biased. You're free to have your own opinion like everyone else but I don't think you can discredit the damages done to victims of botched surgery as if they're hypothetical.

I posted here because I am seeking advice on how to cope and for a referral to a surgeon if possible. I do not need to be blamed and be told to accept the wrong doing of the surgeon.

[Biscuitsneeded]

OK then I apologise. If you family agree the surgery has been botched then it sounds like you do need some recommendations and I'm afraid I can't help with that. I hope you find a reputable surgeon who can help you feel better.