After being pregnant with my first child, I began to notice that my chin and previously well-defined jawline had softened. The lower half of my face had changed shape completely and, while others did not seem to take too much notice, it was often on my mind and the first thing my eye was drawn to in photographs. To preserve my confidence, I had to make a change.
At this point I had both known Dr. Capraro and seen his work numerous times, enough to know that if anyone were going to reverse the clock, it would be him.
Consultation
My initial appointment with Dr. Capraro consisted of a conversation about my current state and how it could be improved upon. I referenced past pictures of myself (when my jaw had been narrowed and stronger), spoke on where exactly I would like to see changes, and examined past case examples of Dr. Capraro’s. With his expertise, we landed on the perfect procedure: Submental Liposuction with Renuvion. The operation would consist of two parts. Step one would be to remove excess fat from underneath my chin and up into my cheeks, to be followed by Renuvion, a skin-tightening device. Overall, I was very well assured that my expectations could be achieved, and I chose to move forward with the process.
Consent Appointment
Leading up to my procedure, a consent (or informational) appointment is required. I was joined by a nurse who ran me through everything I needed to know for before, during, and after the operation. This included items like what to and what not to consume, medications that may be helpful, garments I would need for recovery, and so on.
The Big Day!
Following my procedure, I recall frequently being asked if those 24 hours before heading in to GCPS was when my nerves really kicked in, but truth-be-told, I could not wait to get back to my old self!
A huge positive of this procedure was that it could be done in-office, so there was no need to stress hospital check-ins or anesthesia. Therefore, bright and early at 7:30 in the morning, I was dropped off by a family member to take some numbing medications and get comfortable in their operating room (featuring cozy blankets and relaxing music) before we began. As soon as I received additional numbing injections in my neck, we were off. I was shocked to feel only light poking and minimal discomfort and before I knew it, the procedure was complete. I was so impressed by the experience; the staff, office, and after-care entirely exceeded my expectations.
3 Days Post-Op
In the initial days after my procedure, I was pleasantly surprised by how minimal my pain was! There was some swelling and bruising that appeared within those first few days, but I could already see that my face was thinning. The most difficult part during this time was the soreness I felt taking on and off the compression headwrap that is required after the procedure to have the most successful results, but even this could be tackled with Tylenol.
1 Week Post-Op
At this point, the head wrap was starting to become slightly uncomfortable but, because Dr. Capraro informed me that it would solidify my results, I remained positive and kept reminding myself of how amazing my outcome would be. My facial structure was improving day by day and my swelling, bruising, and soreness was becoming more minimal as time went on. Just as within the first three days, I found that I hardly needed pain killers and only occasionally took Tylenol.
The procedure itself was on a Friday (to give myself a weekend full of rest) so within four days I was back at work and following my usual daily routine!
2 Weeks Post-Op
At this point, I could see MAJOR differences in my before and after photos. Outside of fleeting moments of sensitivity and swelling, there was no pain at all. It was such a fun, interesting process to watch my face return to its ‘past form’ and I already noticed a huge boost in my confidence. Plus, I no longer had to wear the headwrap so I could start to show off my newly chiseled jawline.
3 Weeks Post-Op
Nearly a month after my procedure I was feeling almost entirely back to normal! I had the rare and minor bouts of soreness, but nothing enough to require any pain medication. Overall, I am beyond impressed with how smooth and effective this process was. From the consultation to the procedure, the healing, and everything in between, my experience with Grossman | Capraro Plastic Surgery was truly so worth it for the results I achieved. If you have been considering liposuction under your chin for some time, I would absolutely recommend taking the leap!
