beforeafterbeforeafterbeforeafterbeforeHello! This is my 2-week review after double jaw surgery + 3 types of contouring, at age 25 My long face and underbite, peanut-shaped face were always stressful whenever I took photos, so I started looking into consultations in January this year and booked a consultation for the jaw contour surgery counseling. Because it was so well-known and it was early in the month, the hospital schedule and my schedule didn’t match, so I temporarily put my surgery plans on hold. But in the end, I started wanting surgery again, had a consultation on September 4, and immediately set a surgery date!
The reason I decided right away was that it was a hospital with no major accidents, the doctor considered the celebrity photos I wanted for the design as much as possible, and the consultation was long enough. What felt more sincere was that they explained not only the appearance improvements but also the side effects! Since my airway is narrower than average, they let me know that snoring or sleep apnea could occur, and that they couldn’t move my chin in too much
Also, my lower jaw nerve line is lower than other people’s, so they said they couldn’t remove a lot of bone, but we would do our best to refine and tidy up the heavy and blunt-looking parts, and decided to proceed with square-jaw contouring and chin tip surgery together! On the other hand, the long face could be reduced by about 4-5 mm at the upper jaw, but because it also affects the amount of tooth show, the doctor paid a lot of attention to that part!
They said they would proceed if I was okay with it, so I actually said I was fine with not showing much, because I show a lot of gum when I smile and my front teeth are long. Still, they said they would make it so 2-3 mm showed, and I felt reassured when they said it would probably be okay since my philtrum is on the short side After thinking it over, I decided to proceed with all 3 contour procedures including cheekbone reduction, using the SSRO method!
Since my nerve line was low overall, we decided to proceed with the cheekbones while preserving only one of the two nerves! It was a total mess But they said the remaining nerve tissue would attach and the nerve would recover, and contrary to my worries, both nerves are alive now after the cheekbone surgery They also said they would of course tie down the flaring nostrils, and after a long consultation, we decided to dissolve the filler that same day too. Lying down made me more nervous than when I was going into surgery! I’d heard that dissolving filler hurts more, so I was scared and did a lot of strong ice compresses, but it didn’t hurt at all! Since I was also having cheekbone surgery, they removed the temple filler and chin tip, and I made an appointment for measurements a week later.
On September 11, I had the measurements with the doctor and had my dental wafer made, then I ate as much as I wanted for a month until surgery day
On the surgery day, October 15, I went in fasting, checked whether the wafer fit well, changed clothes, washed my face and gargled, took photos, and waited in the hospital room. I wasn’t nervous at all, and because I had woken up early that morning, I was just thinking I should sleep once the anesthesia started ᄒᄒ When I went into the operating room, it was my first general anesthesia, so the gas felt suffocating, but after three big breaths I fell asleep right away.
When I woke up 6 hours later, I wasn’t thinking clearly at all, and the operating room was extremely cold, so I turned on the electric blanket and shivered until I felt better. Then I contacted my parents and even took selfies ᄒᄒ Even though I was swollen, I could see my face had gotten shorter! Because of the medicine that dries out fluids, my throat was extremely dry. I exhaled the anesthetic gas, drank water through a syringe, and ate liquid food the next day, staying in the hospital for 2 nights and 3 days. It felt like I died and came back to life… My face wouldn’t cool down and my nose was blocked too.. Still, I could go to the bathroom by myself, walk around the hospital, and at dawn when it hurt, the nurse on duty took good care of me~ More than anything, I was glad there was no drainage tube or urine catheter. After surgery there are so many things attached, like an IV, ice pack, traction support, and neck pillow, so having nothing in the way seems like a big advantage for the patient
After discharge, I ate Newcare, rice porridge, and thin porridge, and I think I ate a lot of fruit blended in a mixer I took medicine, brushed my teeth, gargled, did ice packs, and repeated 3 meals a day slowly, and before I knew it the day was over. From day 5, I also started walking, took extra Tylenol because of the pain, and since it hurt when I slept at night, I couldn’t sleep properly, so I took naps during the day too. My weight dropped a lot. Even though I was very swollen, people around me said my face looked shorter and told me I had endured a lot
On October 22, one week after surgery, I also did my makeup and visited the hospital to remove the cheekbone stitches. Since my bite fit well, I didn’t need separate wafer correction and just kept the rubber bands fixed for a week. I also got swelling laser treatment and came back. My mouth opens about one and a half finger widths, and they said sensation was absent in the upper gums and palate, while the rest was fine My sensation returns fairly quickly, and now I can eat soft bread and ramen! Chewing is still hard, but I ate white rice and wrapped seaweed around it too The swelling is gradually going down, and the bruising is moving downward too.
Until it became 2 weeks post-op, I was actually quite happy even with the swollen face, so I went out wearing makeup without a mask. At home I used the traction support and cold compresses everywhere, brushed my teeth on time, took my medicine properly, and drank swelling tea once in a while! At restaurants, scissors are essential… Cutting noodles to eat, or using a knife to finely cut a handmade burger, and cold soba or ramen, noodle dishes in general are easy to eat! I also ate a lot of smoothies and ice cream.
On October 29, at 2 weeks post-op, I had the stitches inside my mouth removed, and it really hurt so much it brought tears to my eyes.. They said it was because it had healed over the stitches The screws in my gums have not been removed yet, and I’m not using the wafer or rubber bands either! I got swelling laser treatment and went home! Once the stitches were removed, it definitely hurt less, and I’ve been doing jaw exercises too so my mouth opens a lot more!
For things to prepare at home before surgery and discharge, I think a baby food spoon, a Daiso sauce container, a triangular backrest pillow, a neck pillow, and Otrivin and Tylenol before bed would be enough. I was fine without a humidifier! If you have any questions, let me know!
The photo is from November 3, 20 days after surgery! I looked for the most similar angle possible to compare, but the swelling still hasn’t gone down so I look puffy, though my length has definitely decreased, right?! I think I have a more youthful face~ If I had to do it again, I couldn’t, but I think I really made the right choice by having the surgery! I’ll come back with another review after my 4-week hospital visit on November 12! I hope people with the same worries as me find courage and that this helps!!