Hate outcome at 3mo post op

[glennstanzalone]

Do yo u maybe have a blog or something, because I also have a long face and gummy smile and will be having surgery next year. I just wanted to see some more changes you had.

I don't have a blog but I'll try to keep updating if/as my face changes more.

[sarzo14]

I would love to see your bofore and after smile if there's any way you could show us

[snapdresser]

I would say by 6 months you should have a good idea in most cases.... but some cases take longer. Rule of thumb is allow a year for everything to fully settle. I had swelling around my nose for 9 months post op my first surgery, and the same until 6 months post op after revision. And there is probably more settling that still needs to happen now even at 9 months post revision. Nothing is quick in this process.

Around my cheeks are swollen still and next to my mouth I think? My surgeon and a facial plastic surgeon told me to wait until 6 months but like every blog I read says 3 months! I feel like there's something wrong with me. I have deep nasolabial and buccolabial folds where I didn't before. My surgeon said part of it could just be who I am. I almost started crying. I feel like I've ruined my face completely.

Sorry I wasn't able to comment on this earlier; I actually have personal experience with that particular symptom and that's one of the last things that improved for me: cheek puffiness. I expect you'll see improvement in that over the next year or so, but it will be very slow. Like I said in another thread, that and gum numbness were the longest-lasting side effects for me. That said, my cheeks are still a little puffy, in line with my father, my brother, and my sister's cheeks. That's just the natural, inherited state for my soft tissues. Do either of your parents have puffy cheeks? If so, expect permanent puffiness on the order of what they have. I'm not sure if that's good news for you or not. So buckle down for the long run and get used to appreciating the other aspects of your new face in the meantime, like your profile, nice non-gummy smile, etc.

[LyraM45]

I actually realized this week I was still hanging on to cheek puff. In my 6 month records with my surgeon I thought it was all gone, but after records from my ortho the other day (now 9.5 months post), I realized I still had quite a bit of puff in my face in the 6 mo pics!

6 month pics here: http://www.confessionsofametalmouth.com ... hs-post-op

Final records for comparison attached.

[LyraM45]

To you guys looking for changes through healing, check out my website. I put together a good before/during/after summary on it recently. And you get two for the price of one on my website-- you'll see changes after my first surgery and a full revision. lol

http://www.confessionsofametalmouth.com

[snapdresser]

Wow, great results Lyra! You must be thrilled!!!

[LyraM45]

Wow, great results Lyra! You must be thrilled!!!

I think I'm finally settling in to the changes and I for sure I am glad to fix what was going on after my first surgery. And I am super glad to be an anal record keeper so I can respond to threads like this and say "look how the face puff evolved." lol

[glennstanzalone]

Wow, great results Lyra! You must be thrilled!!!

I think I'm finally settling in to the changes and I for sure I am glad to fix what was going on after my first surgery. And I am super glad to be an anal record keeper so I can respond to threads like this and say "look how the face puff evolved." lol

Thanks for the link and reply! Yeah I can even tell a difference when I forget to take my tumeric, my face puffs up again. I have a small frame so any bit of swelling really distorts my face. Do you think as my midface cheeks go down that my nose might not be as wide anymore?

[LyraM45]

Wow, great results Lyra! You must be thrilled!!!

I think I'm finally settling in to the changes and I for sure I am glad to fix what was going on after my first surgery. And I am super glad to be an anal record keeper so I can respond to threads like this and say "look how the face puff evolved." lol

Thanks for the link and reply! Yeah I can even tell a difference when I forget to take my tumeric, my face puffs up again. I have a small frame so any bit of swelling really distorts my face. Do you think as my midface cheeks go down that my nose might not be as wide anymore?

RE: nose width. You may see that come down a smidge, but in terms of where the actual cartilage is now, that will not change. Like, I had nose puff, esp mid nose this last time, but where the actual cartilage sat did not change. So, that should be able to give you an idea of where things will be.

[pantlover]

Wow, great results Lyra! You must be thrilled!!!

I think I'm finally settling in to the changes and I for sure I am glad to fix what was going on after my first surgery. And I am super glad to be an anal record keeper so I can respond to threads like this and say "look how the face puff evolved." lol

i second what snapdresser said! LyraM45, you look amazing! i'm so glad your revision surgery worked out. I've read about your experiences with Kaiser and was shocked at the sub par treatment you received from them. I had my surgery with Kaiser as well (although in a different city with a different surgeon - as it was my only option that didn't cost me a dime) and my experience luckily has been great. although you are absolutely correct, the time spent with the actual surgeon is nowhere close to what you would get with a private practice surgeon.

anyway, so good to see an update from you. I am 5 weeks post op now and most of my swelling is in my upper lip and cheeks (oh god my cheeks are ridiculous) so it's good to know that there's still hope. lol

glenstanzalone, even though i am a lot earlier in the recovery process than you are, my swelling is similar to yours. I even have lopsided swelling where my left side is puffier than my right. i have also noticed that as my swelling went down in my mid facial area, my nose did get a TEENY bit less wide. although i doubt that it's going to make much of a difference now. Personally, I actually don't think your nose looks bad at all.

[LyraM45]

Wow, great results Lyra! You must be thrilled!!!

I think I'm finally settling in to the changes and I for sure I am glad to fix what was going on after my first surgery. And I am super glad to be an anal record keeper so I can respond to threads like this and say "look how the face puff evolved." lol

i second what snapdresser said! LyraM45, you look amazing! i'm so glad your revision surgery worked out. I've read about your experiences with Kaiser and was shocked at the sub par treatment you received from them. I had my surgery with Kaiser as well (although in a different city with a different surgeon - as it was my only option that didn't cost me a dime) and my experience luckily has been great. although you are absolutely correct, the time spent with the actual surgeon is nowhere close to what you would get with a private practice surgeon.

anyway, so good to see an update from you. I am 5 weeks post op now and most of my swelling is in my upper lip and cheeks (oh god my cheeks are ridiculous) so it's good to know that there's still hope. lol

glenstanzalone, even though i am a lot earlier in the recovery process than you are, my swelling is similar to yours. I even have lopsided swelling where my left side is puffier than my right. i have also noticed that as my swelling went down in my mid facial area, my nose did get a TEENY bit less wide. although i doubt that it's going to make much of a difference now. Personally, I actually don't think your nose looks bad at all.

I'm so glad you had a great Kaiser experience!! I have heard good things from a few other Kaiser locations, particularly from Kaiser Anaheim and Dr. Belle. There is a guy in Kaiser South Sac that a few people said they did OK with too (I want to say his name is Dr. Huoang or something). Seems like a lot of the issues I've personally experience and have now heard from quite a few patients are centered around Kaiser Oakland. A few months ago I actually interviewed with a local ortho for a job in their office and they basically told me I am a perfect example of all the reasons their office refuses to refer to Kaiser Oakland. I am not the first, and won't be the last in terms of that kind of care from there. Seems it's even a known problem among professionals in the area here. Glad to hear your experience was better. If you don't mind sharing the doc and location with me (pm, or reply here-- whatever you're comfy doing), I want to add it to a list I have now where I am trying to differentiate based on experiences what Kaiser locations are OK and what ones to avoid in a section on my website.

[pantlover]

I'm so glad you had a great Kaiser experience!! I have heard good things from a few other Kaiser locations, particularly from Kaiser Anaheim and Dr. Belle. There is a guy in Kaiser South Sac that a few people said they did OK with too (I want to say his name is Dr. Huoang or something). Seems like a lot of the issues I've personally experience and have now heard from quite a few patients are centered around Kaiser Oakland. A few months ago I actually interviewed with a local ortho for a job in their office and they basically told me I am a perfect example of all the reasons their office refuses to refer to Kaiser Oakland. I am not the first, and won't be the last in terms of that kind of care from there. Seems it's even a known problem among professionals in the area here. Glad to hear your experience was better. If you don't mind sharing the doc and location with me (pm, or reply here-- whatever you're comfy doing), I want to add it to a list I have now where I am trying to differentiate based on experiences what Kaiser locations are OK and what ones to avoid in a section on my website.

I can def PM you! and if anyone else happens to come across this thread and is considering Kaiser for their surgery, they can feel free to PM me about my experience as well!

[jawregret1]

Hey glennstanzalone,

How's your face coming along? Do you feel better about it?