Disappointing result. Could it be swelling?

[flightlessbird]

Unfortunately I've just had type 3 brow bone reduction with a reputable surgeon (I do not feel comfortable disclosing who) and though my brow bone definitely has been noticeably reduced, there's still definitely a noticeable bulge and my forehead is not very flat at all.

It's only been a week since surgery so I was wondering/hoping that it could maybe be swelling--does that sound possible? I'm skeptical though since no other area of my face is swollen (my eyes were initially but are no longer). The result is disappointing enough to wonder whether the surgeon really even carried out a type 3...

[Kendra]

Hello flightlessbird,

I haven't had Type 3 (mine is scheduled May 2018) but I am not expecting to see positive results for several months after surgery.  The surgeon who will be performing mine provided CT scans - we drew on them in his office at my evaluation meeting, and after surgery I'll have a set of before/after CT scans.  But even without these I'd be fully confident any reputable FFS surgeon will have performed the surgery they have billed for.

I had a much simpler facial soft-tissue procedure in November 2016 - upper blepharoplasty (eyelids).  Swelling for the first several weeks prevented me from accurately seeing or even understanding the result, and at the one month mark I started to panic as I wondered if the crease in my eyelids was set in the wrong place.  At six weeks my eyelids suddenly settled into the correct post-surgical shape and I calmed down.  At 3 months I was very happy with the result and the final shape wasn't there until 6 months after surgery.  And that's just for eyelids. 

That's why doctors call us patients, they need us to be.   

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Kendra

[anjaq]

After one week, some patients of FFS look like a football - lol - the swelling is probably at the maximum about 3-5 days after surgery. It will take some weeks to go down

[IsabellaSwan]

I can only speak for myself, but my difference was dramatic at one week.

[keojampamd]

I typically obtain a CT scan of the Face in my office at the first postop visit to show patients that the forehead was maximally setback with the Type 3 approach along with checking to make sure all the edges have seen sealed.  That way patients understand exactly what was performed



Kyle Keojampa, MD, FACS
Facial Feminization Surgery
www.drkeojampa.com

[Dani]

I had FFS with a type III brow reduction about one year ago. The swelling took about 3 to 4 months to go down and the finished result took about 6 months. Be patient, my dear! 

[flightlessbird]

Thanks all! I am being hasty--the only other surgery I've had was minor and everything was back to normal in a week or so I wasn't prepared to understand the magnitude of this. I feel confident it's just swelling.

[Rachel]

I had major FFS 9/16/2016. I had forehead lowering, type 3, brows and blethoplasty, upper lip reduction, mandible reduction mid and lower face lift and fat injections. So at one week I was having stitches and staples removed. I was swollen and bruised. 6 months later I think my face was healed.

[sfbarbie]

Unfortunately I've just had type 3 brow bone reduction with a reputable surgeon (I do not feel comfortable disclosing who) and though my brow bone definitely has been noticeably reduced, there's still definitely a noticeable bulge and my forehead is not very flat at all.

It's only been a week since surgery so I was wondering/hoping that it could maybe be swelling--does that sound possible? I'm skeptical though since no other area of my face is swollen (my eyes were initially but are no longer). The result is disappointing enough to wonder whether the surgeon really even carried out a type 3...

I feel like I look totally diff than I first did after surgery. It takes months and months to a year for swelling to dissipate.

[KatieD]

I am having that surgery in September. At my age (59), I am planning on giving it a year for everything to settle down. Of course I'll be secretly hoping for sooner.