Buyer's remorse after facelift/browlift or over-reacting

I was told that 2-3 weeks out, you can get depressed about a procedure when you are healing but I am really discouraged.  Anyone who has had any experience with facelifts and healing out there..words of wisdom would be appreciated.  So on Aug 30th, went in for a standard facelift, subcutaneous browlift and lower lid blepheroplasty.  I had Bell's palsy 20+ yrs ago so thought there might be some complications.  Dr. was aware.  30 minutes before the procedure, he told me that they had decided not to use the Endotines (hook like devices to hold the cheek up) and do a standard SMAS facelift.  Ok so everything else was going forward as planned.  When I woke up, he had not done a transconjunctival (inside eyelid) lower eyelid lift but a skin pinch instead.  The Bell's palsy side had a large lump (thought it might be a hematoma).  Of most concern to me right now is my mouth and lower face.  It is pulled really tight, from ear to ear around my jawline, hard to purse my lips , have a lot of horizonatal lines around my mouth when I smile or try to purse lips and feels like my mouth is spread out.  Right eyebrow is paralyzed and won't move (although I can feel it).  Neck was included in facelift and it is really ropy and has loose skin.  When I went in last week to have sutures removed, he said it looked really good and I was progressing really well.  I guess I need to know if any of this needs to be addressed soon, have I made a terrible mistake or am I just over-reacting?  Any ideas appreciated.

I tell my patients "Hello beautiful" when I would see them for their first visit.  We both would get a good chuckle about it and then I'd explain that the skin is over-tightened on purpose and the "windblown" look will go away.

Lack of eyebrow movement after browlift can happen and is almnost always temporary but get your PS to give you a time frame on it.

Residual laxity of the neck is a challenge, and not likely to "tighten up" but as swelling subsides it often looks better.

The postop depression is a real thing, and one way I deal with it is to go over before and afters at about 2-3 months. That really helps get everybody on the same page.

 Try not to panic just yet. Everything is super tight and super swollen right at first. Also, nerves have to reattach and regenerate and that takes time. My surgeon warned me that i would look worse before I would look better. Hang in there it does get better!

Thank you for your responses.  I guess if the face was tight all over I wouldn't feel so "freakish".  When I bend down and look at it in the mirror, my mouth and jowls stay in place and the cheeks and eyelids fall forward as well as the crepey neck so it looks like it may belong on two different people.  When will I be able to move my mouth normally so I can pronounce words correctly and eat without having it come out the corners?  It doesn't really feel numb, just too tight to control.  I have pics posted on my home page.  Don't think there is a password but if there is it is abc123.  I really appreciate the words of encouragement and hope it does get better.

Checking out the before and afters, I think you have a great result.  I'm so jealous of that neck, as I HATE my neck, and jowls.  In fact, I'm going for injectable fillers this week, the "poors mans" facelift.

I look forward to seeing your progression.  Chin up, little lady.

-Cyn

I think your results are amazing!  Planning on getting my neck and lower face done in Jan.  Thanks for posting the pics as it gives me an idea of healing time.  I think with any surgery we always second guess ourselves when the healing time gets annoying.  I'm very jealous of your neck as it looks like I have a turkey gobbler.  I have to position my son in front  of my neck in all pictures because it is so bad.

I think you look great.  You did have more bruising that I did, but some of my bruises stayed around for almost 6 weeks.  Most of my face was pretty numb.  It's still numb out around my jaw and up to the top of my ears.  I'd also had a hard spot on my cheek, that Dr Sauceda told me to massage a few times daily and/or use an ultrasound system on it.  The knot was probably the size of a quarter and is down smaller than a pencil erasure.  I'm almost 8 mo out.  I was really good about wearing my neck support nightly for almost 6 mo.   Hang in there it keeps getting better every week.

Thanks for all the encouraging words!  I know I am probably over-reacting but its hard to see the end when you have never done this before.  I was told that the chin strap or Jaw Bra I used for a few days was cutting off my circulation and making swelling worse so told not to wear it.  I thought it would make my neck sag more readily.  What were you told about the neck support?  How essential is it? 

neck brace - 24/7 for the first 10days, then nightly for 6mo.  It's to help the skin adhere to the jaw and under the jaw.  At least that was my understanding.  Does your have velcro, mine did so it didn't have to be quite so tight.  Bard sent me two of his that he'd used one was a full face/neck support.  It wasn't that tight, but held the neck/jaw close. 

Not wearing the support at night, would have made for a worst result.  That's why I wore mine. 

I join those who say you look GREAT!!!