mariainuk

Hya,
this is a composition of my posts on this subject. Hope it helps a bit
FEW DAYS POST OP:
I'm so pleased that i have found this site. I am based in the UK and had genioplasty on the 6/8/01. I did all of my homework + got myself an excellent surgeon. I had my chin bone advanced foreward.
I'd like to hear from anyone who has had this procedure as I am at my wits end. I know that it is very ealy days but I'm beginning to think that I have been very foolish and that I have made the biggest mistake of my life. I have been in tears for most of the day, though I know that this is probably a normal post op reaction.
I've read many excellent research papers which support the op which I have had, stating that it produces a good position with natural results. At the moment though my chin looks enourmous. It is of course very swollen and lantern shaped. I look as though I have acromegaly!!. I feel that I will never look normal again.
I had discussed everything with my surgeon who said that my chin would look slightly tapered and of course more prominent. At the moment my face looks about 6 inches longer, I look so awful. I'm asuming that once the chipmunk swelling has resolved along my jaw that its natural shape wil be restored ?
My bottom lip is very swollen[as expected]but i was alarmed to read in one of your old letters that lowe rlip deformity was common!. I have to say that apart from swelling and being slightly forward it doesn't look too abnormal[unlike the rest of my jaw]I have seen 2 of my surgeons other patients and they look really good, but I am worried.
I'm very confused and emotional right now. I haven't told any of my friends. My family are being very supportive, but of course being family they thought i was beautiful anyway. Yes they did try and talk me out of it!
I discussed everything thoroughly with my surgeon, my cheekbones and jaw line were supposed to look the same. My chin was supposed to just stick out a little more to emphasise them.

I'm 39 years old and normally sensible and down to earth. However at the minute I feel about 6 years old and VERY SCARED that i have ruined my face. If I'm being honest I could have lived without the op I was just trying to ive my bone structure a little boost. I could really do with some sensible advice from someone who has been there


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SECOND POST:

Hello again,
further to my orignal post.Things are looking a lot better. I obviously called my surgeon, who was very understanding [even though he was at home on annual leave!].
The combination of the anaesthetic and high dose antibiotics were the main culprit for me taking a nose dive psychologically apparently.
The swelling is subsiding, but there is still a way to go. The jaw and cheekbones are coming back into view, and the lantern jaw is receding...phew!

Obviously my surgeon wasn't worried about the swelling 'cos he knew what it looked like underneath the swelling. His concern was that the mental nerves were still intact[as they are] and that I could move the musculature of my lower jaw[which I can]albeit stiffly [cos of the swelling].

As for the deformity of the lower lip, I have to say that inspite of the swelling, its obviously going to look perfectly normal once everything has settled. I can only assume that the person who wrote in an earlier letter about lower lip deformity was looking at the work of an incompetent surgeon. Thank god mine wasn't.

Anyhow I just thought I'd keep you up to date and good luck to anyone who may be about to have genioplasty. If you find yourself a good maxillofacial surgeon, things seem to work out just fine
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Ok,
another update, a week down the line, swelling has reduced dramatically. Things are shaping up really well[never thought they would!!] There's still some swelling to go but already I can see the benefits.
The new chin is beginning to really emphasise my existing bone structure e.g
1. whoah killer cheekbones!
It's a bit of a shock really, I can't quite believe they're mine.What a difference an extra 1cm of chin makes!

2.As the new chin has lined my lower lip up properly it's given me a nice pout too. That's going to take some getting used to 'cos the pout's there whether I'm trying to pout or not... eek. I naturally have quite big lips anyway so I s'pose I should have expected this effect.

I'll just have to be careful who I point my lips at, wouldn't want to give out wrong message to the wrong person or I may get my new chin broken

3.The nose, looks a little smaller too as well especially 3/4 profile.

So there you go things are working out. I'm not sure what the folks at work are going to say. It's quite difficult to pinpont what is different unless you know [which they don't] Everything just looks more sculpted.

I hope this helps anyone else who may be having the same surgery. Yes it is scary at first and I don't think anything prepares you for how grotesque the swelling is, but providing you choose a good surgeon, money well worth spent
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UPDATE:
posted 09-20-2001 09:39 AM
Hya Folks,
further to the above, I had my stitches out 3 days ago. Most stitches came out no problem, only one hurt as the stich had apparently wrapped around a nerve <ouch> Having that stitch out hurt more than the op generally, which incidentally was never more than uncomfortable.
The swelling has pretty much gone down on the right side, still a little more to go down on the left.I look pretty normal now. The inside of my mouth has healed beautifully, and the bruising has pretty much gone [what is left can be hidden quite easily with make up.

I still have some minor tightness and numbness, but that has improved phenomenally [again it's the left side that has the most swelling which has most numbness.

The surgeon is really pleased with the results. It does seem though that I was one of the unlucky ones who swelled up and bruised to the maximum [that was scary ++]
All in all I'm very pleased and it looks completely natural. Yes it is scary immediately post op, and it's very likely that you will feel as though you have made the biggest mistake in the world, but hang in there it does get better.

I hope that these posts can be of use to anyone in the future who is thinking of having the procedure. There didn't seem to be much advice around when I first made my inquiries

Maria in the UK






[This message has been edited by mariainuk (edited 06-22-2003).]