Alas, after a certain age, every woman is responsible for her own face. -Albert Camus (with gender liberty taken!)
Well, it happened this year. A big “6-OH” birthday and the question of whether to have the facelift. I’d had my eyes done a few years ago, and the good eyes just make the bad neck “badder”. In answer to my question, Dr. Boyd asked me “Do you feel you are ready for facial surgery?” Since I’d already been thinking of it for 3 or 4 years, the answer was “absolutely!”.
During my consultation, Dr. Boyd and I decided that my major concerns could be addressed with a lower facelift, neck lift with a little liposuction under the chin, and a “temporal lift”, which is kind of a lateral brow lift. As I approached the surgery date, I felt fully educated, and the pre-operative session with the nurse reinforced that I was pretty knowledgeable (through research and friends who had made the big step, not to mention babysitting one or two post-op) about how the recovery period would be.
Week One: After a comfortable overnight stay, I went home with a big dressing. Most exciting was that I didn’t have the “rabbit ear” drains that many of my friends described. Dr. Boyd uses a type of “tissue glue” that he says will reduce swelling and bruising and eliminates the use of the drains. Except for feeling some facial fullness, there was little discomfort. The first night home, I fell asleep flat on my back and woke up with my head feeling like a blown up balloon. After that, remembering the nurses’ instructions, I spent the next five nights sleeping in a sitting position in my recliner chair to keep the swelling to a minimum. My Day 3 post-op appointment at the office was memorable for having the dressing removed and my hair washed. I rushed home to examine closely in the mirror – it was impressive that I had just a little swelling in front of the ears and on the sides of my neck (kind of like baby “gills”), and the bruising was also limited to those two areas. On the fourth day, I went out to lunch with my hair pinned up. The sutures around my ears were virtually invisible and the rest of them were hidden in my hair. I don’t think anyone noticed that I’d had surgery, just that I had a very stiff neck. I went back to work on Day 6 – just a half a day with a scarf around my neck. I was able to put on make-up (not too close to the ears) and pulled little strands of hair in front of my ears and if I didn’t say, no one knew! Day 6 was also the appointment for a great facial lymphatic drainage massage at the Winter Park DaySpa. I highly recommend it as a way to keep you from feeling that your face is too fragile to touch.
Week Two: In my own bed, I used two pillows to keep my head propped up at night. Dr. Boyd also suggested a chin strap to discourage that little bit of swelling that gravity draws to that area. I use it at night and when I’m sitting around the house watching TV or doing needlework. You have to keep adjusting it so it doesn’t get uncomfortable around the ears. Back to regular work on Day 7 with full make-up. The stitches around my ears were removed late that day, and the scar there is almost virtually invisible. Swelling and bruising is limited just to the sides of the neck – very discrete and I cover with make-up and a scarf. The rest of the stitches in my hair were removed on the 10th day after surgery. I was instructed to gently massage the scars with a finger tip. Fortunately, I’m now back on a regular hair shampoo/conditioner schedule.
Week Three: I’d describe myself as pretty much back to normal, except my ears feel “full” and the area in front of them still lacks feeling. I can tell I still have a little bit of swelling, but since I have a naturally round face, I’m sure no one else sees it. I do get tired a little easier, but my book said that’s normal for the first month. Since I wasn’t entirely clear on where the scars would be located, I’d let my hair grow for a few months before my procedure. I was impressed that my hairline in front of my ears and along the temple wasn’t changed at all after surgery. Some of my friends complained of noticeable scarring behind the ears that resulted in changing their hairstyle, but mine seem to be all in the hair, and I can wear my hair clipped up or in my usual ponytail just fine.
Week Four: Dr. Boyd okayed a trip to my hairdresser, but suggested no harsh chemicals just yet. He does suggest that if you color your hair, you do it right before surgery so you don’t have to do it again for a few weeks after. Since my face was looking really good (at the time of surgery, I’d had a little Botox in the forehead and crows feet area, and Juvederm at the sides of my mouth and to fill in an old scar under my lower lip), I made an appointment with my hairdresser. He declared that I looked at least 15 years younger than my age, and then looked carefully for all my scars before proceeding (remember – only your hairdresser knows for sure!) then suggested bangs – which I had never had, and a kind of sassy, retro shoulder-length flip. I left with a bounce in my step and a smile on my face.
To Date: I’m in my fifth week post-op and feeling great about my decision and very happy with my looks – and I still look like me. It’s natural, not tight or shiny or stiff looking. I’m still using the night chin strap as reinforcement against residual swelling. Dr. Boyd printed my pre- and post op photos so I could see the difference. What a great neck – I’d been keeping my hand under my chin when conversing to hide it for the last few years, but no more.
The best story – I fly a lot and last year (pre-surgery) a TSA agent told me my driver’s license picture didn’t look at all like me and I needed to get a new ID picture. Of course it didn’t look like me – it was a great picture (how often does that happen?) taken over 10 years ago– since you renew by mail in Florida, I can still have that good picture until my current license expires in 2017. Difference now is I really look like that picture again. The passport one will have to be changed, though!
-One Happy Patient of Dr. Boyd’s!