« on: February 18, 2021, 06:13:56 pm »
Dr. Ley checked the incisions closely this morning, and she said everything looked good. Surgery can be a bit messy, but for those who want to see the incisions for a neck-lift and a face-lift...

         

« on: February 19, 2021, 08:06:48 am »
I slept well last night, and I'm feeling pretty good. No pain meds so far today, just a little soreness on both sides of my head. There is some bruising above my jawline on both sides, along with bruising on both sides of my neck. There is also a little numbness on both cheeks in front of my ears.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

« on: February 19, 2021, 08:02:40 pm »
I took a shower around noon. It was great to wash my hair and remove some crusty red reminders of the surgery. I had to be really careful washing my hair and around my ears. After my shower, Susan and I visited some of the shops in 'Old Town' Scottsdale. Tomorrow, we plan to drive up to Sedona, AZ. Highway 179 is known as the 'Red Rock Scenic Byway'.

Recovery is going well so far. The bruising on my face and neck has darkened a bit, but the only areas which feel sore are around my ears. Swelling has increased a little, but still nothing like the swelling from my jaw contouring.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

« on: February 20, 2021, 04:56:45 pm »
The drive to Sedona was pretty, but lots of other people had the same idea! It was a nice two-lane road, but very few places to stop and take photos. Despite the crowds, it was a nice day trip.

I slept well again last night. I've been taking some ibuprofen to stay ahead of any pain, but the discomfort is fading quickly. Both ears still feel a bit odd, and when I smile my cheeks feel a little tight. The bruises are beginning to fade, some are still blue, while others are green and yellow. The only black bruise is under my left eye, and it's fading as well. The swelling is beginning to subside, and I'm already liking what I see. In a month or so, I expect I'm going to be really happy with my new reflection.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

« on: February 21, 2021, 08:05:50 pm »
Susan and I did a little shopping today, then began loading things into our car. My post-op appointment with Dr. Ley is Monday morning at 9:30am. She will be removing my sutures and checking out one hematoma (or seroma) on the lower left side of my jaw. After my appointment, Susan and I will be heading home, with an overnight stop near Albuquerque. Once we get home, I'll post some 'before and after' photos.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

« on: February 23, 2021, 07:45:15 pm »
Susan and I made it home Monday night. My appointment with Dr. Ley was over around 10:00am, and since I was feeling good, we just decided to drive straight through. We made it home around 9:30pm.

While the tech was removing some sutures, she asked me how old I was. She said I had really good skin, better than many 30-somethings she knows. I told her being in IT probably helped, because we are always kept in the dark. I also mentioned that I've had several hundred hours of facial electrolysis, she immediately asked who my electrologist is. She said I had no scarring at all from the electrolysis, and apparently that is somewhat rare.

The area under my chin that I suspected was either a hematoma or a seroma, Dr. Ley thinks is just normal swelling. We plan to watch it for a while. I asked about my tragus, because they seem to have disappeared. Dr. Ley said they were just hidden due to the swelling. I didn't think I was swollen that much until I looked at my 'before and after' photos.

Now I'm at that stage when I'm a bit depressed, wondering if the surgery just made things worse instead of better. Looking at the 'before and after' photos helps me see that it is better, I just have a few more weeks of healing before I'll be able to see how much it truly helped.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

Pre vs Post Week #1 Front



Pre vs Post Week #1 Left



Pre vs Post Week #1 Right



Pre jaw contouring vs Post Week #1 Front

« on: March 03, 2021, 01:38:23 pm »
There is still quite a bit of swelling, but the bruises are beginning to fade. The swollen area under my jaw is also looking better, but there is still some surgical glue under my chin. I still have quite a bit of numbness in front of my ears, but eventually that should fade. I'm starting to look normal again. Compared to my other surgeries, this one was the least uncomfortable.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

Pre vs Post Week #2 Front


Pre vs Post Week #2 Left


Pre vs Post Week #2 Right


Pre jaw contouring vs Post Week #2 Front

« on: March 10, 2021, 08:19:41 pm »
Most of the sutures have dissolved, and the surgical glue under my chin finally wore off. There is still some swelling, and the bruises continue fade. No change in the numbness in front of my ears. The pre-jaw contouring comparison really shows a difference now.

Love always --Jessica Rose

Pre vs Post week #3 Front


Pre vs Post Week #3 Left


Pre vs Post Week #3 Right


Pre-Jaw contouring vs Post Week #3 Front

« on: March 16, 2021, 08:32:57 pm »
Except for the small shiner under one eye, all of the other bruising seems to be gone. Although I never posted a photo of it, the incision under my chin is virtually undetectable already. Next week will probably be my last set of 'before and after' photos. I'll take a new photo with makeup and compare it with photos from my past. Next week is also an anniversary for me, four years since I started HRT!

Love always -- Jessica Rose

Pre-op vs post week #4 Front


Pre-op vs post week #4 Left


Pre-op vs post week #4 Right


Pre jaw contouring vs post week #4 Front

« on: March 30, 2021, 07:48:00 pm »
I decided to skip week #5 photos because there really wasn't much of a difference. This will be the last set of photos I post on this thread. There's just a shadow of a bruise under my left eye, and I don't see any other bruising. The sides of my face still feel a little tight, but not uncomfortable. My electrologist has mentioned there is still some swelling in a few areas, and I've heard it can take six months or more for all of the swelling to fade. But at this point any change is like watching ice melt in a freezer. I can tell a definite difference in the width of my jaw and chin in the bottom photo, and I do think I look a bit younger now. Was it worth it? I think so. If I didn't do it, I would always wonder how much of a difference it would make, now I know. I hope this thread provided some useful information. As always, if you have any questions please post here or IM me and I'll do my best to answer.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

Pre-op vs post week #6 Front


Pre-op vs post week #6 Left


Pre-op vs post week #6 Right


Pre jaw contouring vs post week #6 Front