Having facelift surgery in 10 days - support and advice needed

[MerryForever]

HI there,

I'm due to go for surgery on 15th March. Face and neck lift under local anaesthetic. I'm 53, medium weight, would like to be a bit lighter. I've had a horrendous few years personally and it's shown a lot on my face. I'm in a better place now and feel this will give me a boost to restart the 'new me.' I'd love to hear from anyone really as I haven't told many people I'm having it done as it seems so vain. My dd is very supportive though. I don't have a current partner.

Any tips from those who have had similar procedures? Or chats with anyone thinking of getting some work done. Or even haters who will tell me that looks don't matter and I should bin it off.

Teeth are supposed to be off white!
Try different shades of red, from orangey to true, to blue-y red, there is one for everyone.

Impressive progress OP, your jawline looks fab.

@chewbacca when I’ve had my facelift (and a side order of teeth whitening) I’ll investigate.

as it is I was on another thread and there was a link to a place where you can upload you photos and get an age. Ones from 2 years and 6 stones ago had me at 44yo; recent ones ranged from 57-72!!

howolddoyoulook.com

Fuck it. I’m now booked in for two initial consults.

Hi OP, it’s been 3 weeks, how’s the healing going?

It’s been a much bigger healing process than I’d anticipated and I’m still not fully there - numb completely from my ears to about 2 inches into my face. It’s a bit like wearing a crash helmet. Quite tight in places too but much less bruised. I’ve got some healing going on behind my right ear still. I don’t know exactly how I’m going to look yet but despite the long healing time, no regrets!

Oh and also for those considering the procedure - a lesser talked about side effect is hair loss. It’s temporary but mine’s still shedding badly. A combination of cortisol and having your scalp manipulated during the surgery.

Thank you so much for sharing your journey

so much resonates with me and I’m grateful for you sharing everything…would love to do this

Been revelatory for me too. I am not put off, but feel I have a far more realistic understanding of the enormity of the procedure and the aftercare (and deep deep well of patience) needed afterwards.

Thanks for the information OP, I agree it’s really helpful to hear how long the process actually takes - especially for those of us considering this in he next few years.

The hair shedding is interesting. The nerves will repair I expect that will be a strange experience when they start firing up.

Thanks for sharing the journey.

OMG! @CautiousLurker01 I really shouldn't have 😱

I look 5 years older than my age, am devastated 😂

I look a year older 😁

@justasking111 was it you who originally posted this horrendous link?!!

Shame on you (especially from those of us who are now weepin') 😂

That was my reaction too! Still can just about laugh… at least I am healthier than I was when I was fat (and apparently very much younger looking 🤣)

I have a witty elderly Aunt who says "there's no wrinkles in a balloon" - she's not wrong
I'm not even going to open that link, I'm happy in my delusion!

Hijacking @MerryForever thread to update on my face, neck, brow lift plus fat graft under GA. I’m 61, very fit, low blood-pressure and rarely get ill so a good candidate. No work needed other than moving everything back up. It has been fucking horrendous. Do not believe those happy clappy Instagram posts showing people nipping out to Selfridges hours after - they’re a lie. Extreme pain first night (in hospital); felt sick so avoided oramorph and fentanyl. Codeine and paracetamol didn’t touch the pain. You can’t open your mouth so eating almost impossible plus the compression garment gets in the way. I’m launching into day six and may be up for a walk later, to put it into perspective. I don’t care about bruising and swelling, just want to feel my usual self but operation was NINE hours so will take some time. I do feel the pain is hugely minimised and people are being told they can whizz home that night - no bloody chance in my case. I stayed in hotel on second night, which was fantastic and much nicer than the hospital so could just about manage the hour’s car ride home on day two. Oxygen chamber: highly recommended by surgeons but as my ears are already in agony, the pressure and popping does not help at all. Results seem good as far as I can tell - I had this done as I’d started to flinch when I caught sight of myself - jowls, change of shape plus dissolved filler which seemed to dissolve my face, too. So, if you’re considering same, do not underestimate the support you’ll need or the pain levels.

You look great OP

That sounds absolutely gruelling, @Facelift101. I find surgeons in general tend to be overly dismissive of post-op pain, discomfort and time needed to get back to anything like normal. It's useful to have your reality check, plus OP says it's been more than she expected. I hope you're getting more comfortable now.

A friend had a breast reduction. She said that was very painful afterwards. Drains were put in and trying to sleep without shuffling around almost impossible. She slept on the sofa so that she couldn't fidget.

Thanks so much, @TryForSpring . Had @MerryForever not started this thread, I’d have been seriously concerned at my slow recovery so I’m very grateful to have had a heads up. Ironically, black eyes are fading very quickly..

I’m glad you posted this - it really is a much bigger procedure than you think. I remember reading most people seeming to bounce back but then they may have had an SMAS lift or something more minor. My surgeon did prepare me really - he said swelling gets worse over the first week then slowly subsides but isn’t fully gone for several months. By 6 months you should settle into what your face is going to be. He said bruising should be mostly gone by the end of week 2 - I barely had any bruising but some has come up after week 2 and is still there. He said by week 4 you should be “presentable to strangers” ie people who don’t know you’ve had surgery. I really looked very strange for the first 2 weeks - like I’d had huge cheek implants and loads of Botox because nothing in my face moved properly and I couldn’t turn my head at all. I’m still shocked by my new face.

even now, coming up to 4 weeks, I’m swollen and stiff, my ears ache and my mouth doesn’t fully function - I can’t drink through a straw or blow a raspberry. But things are slowly improving.

despite it all, I don’t regret it for a second. I HAD to do it.

Facelift101, you’ll get there. This week will be the worst then next week will be patchy - some better days and some backward slides, the week after will see a real turning point. That waking up in the morning where everything hurts and feels kind of locked just goes.

Drinking through straws and blowing raspberries is, of course, my usual pastime …

OP you look incredible! I am in my 30s (and confess on the Botox train!) but totally planning on a facelift as and when required! Looks great and not at all severe. Just fresher and younger. I hope you’re delighted.

@MerryForever Huge thanks - so helpful and reassuring. Like you, this needed to be done - I actually really liked my face and it changed so much (sunbathing/filler/fair skinned). I’ll keep faith high and expectations low until week three - once again, it illustrates how removed from real life social media is..

I am, despite all the moaning, very excited and feel already so much less ashamed to be talking out of my face at people. The face I ended up with was worn out by life and the inner me is raring to go!

this was always about how I feel about myself - not trying to “ look younger” or fall into societal norms of beauty. I’ve never had a thing done except the odd pedicure and facial hair removal. So this is a big decision.

Everyone said to me to avoid looking in the mirror too much and I ignored them. I still do and keep looking. But I think the important thing to remember is that whatever you see is going to change again. My face throws up new surprises every day and I know it’s far from settled. So if you can look with a kind of detached curiosity rather than a devastated “what have I done???” I think that helps. I’ve done both but am more in the curiosity mode now.

I also liked my face but years of extreme family trauma, work trauma and deaths, all rolled into one, my face suffered hugely and looked tired and sad even when I was no longer feeling tired and sad.