{ a swollen snapchat snippet }
SWOLLEN.
I am still very, very swollen.
Those of you who read my blog regularly know that I had major, intense double jaw surgery on June 16th.
It’s been four months since the surgery & I am STILL VERY swollen.
It seems weird to be swollen this long, but it’s not. It’s part of the double jaw surgery recovery process.
Anyway, I just wanted to share some thoughts that have been on my mind lately…..
As a blogger on a public platform there’s no handbook on ‘how to get through surgery & recover in front of the Internet.’
( That’s unfortunate though, because I totally would have read it, can someone please write a book on this? ).
Although I’ve known for years that I needed this surgery, I was still not ready for the insane recovery, much less the recovery in front of the world wide web.
First of all, the Internet is an odd place. On one hand it’s fucking amazing and full of opportunity & on the other hand it’s MEAN, crazy, & full of shit.
I can’t complain because it’s what I do for a living but I WILL say these last couple of months have been gnarly— CRAZY GNARLY.
For the record, I’ve gotten the most beautiful support from YOU GUYS, readers around the world, so to you: THANK YOU.
…but I’ve also gotten a lot of weird e-mails, hence the reason for this post.
The e-mails started about two months ago where some people were innocently asking me what I had done to my face. Did I have a nose job? Did I have fillers in my face?
Emails like: “It looks like you had fillers, I know you did.” & “What did you do to your cheekbones?” & “Your nose looks smaller.” & “You look different, what did you REALLY do?”
UMH.
Here’s my MAJOR issue with this: I have been SO transparent when it comes to taboo topics. I’ve been upfront about my boob job, taken everyone behind the scenes of my double jaw surgery ( which was really, really difficult ), & opened myself up to a lot of people around the world, so to insinuate that I didn’t really have jaw surgery ( or that I did have jaw surgery but went under the knife for other shit ), really pisses me off because I have no tolerance for liars.
Especially since this is the first ( & hopefully the last ) surgery I’ve ever had on my face. Plastic surgery seems like a walk in the park compared to corrective jaw surgery. Let’s get deeper than that though…
Double jaw surgery is where the doctors basically BREAK your face. So 1.) YES I am going to look different, I knew this going into the surgery. My jaw was not aligned so I was unbalanced. Now that it’s aligned, I feel so much more balanced ( thank God ).
When moving the jaw to the proper position when it’s out of alignment, it can change the face a bit. I do not feel like I look too different but I have had friends tell me, “ya Lauryn, you look a little different.” Ok I can live with that.
My smile feels wider ( it was very narrow, which is why I had such trouble with snoring, grinding my teeth, & TMJ ). And it feels like I have more of a jaw line because before surgery my jaw was CROOKED & I could only chew on ONE SIDE of my mouth. Also, my lip area feels a bit bigger because the doctors moved my upper & lower jaw forward, bringing my lips forward. Also, my cheekbones feel higher…& honestly I’m not mad about that. The higher the cheekbones the better for me! LOL.
And 2.) when someone breaks your entire face, you are going to be swollen for about a year. I know, a YEAR guys. The doctor told me I will feel swelled up for about a year to a year and half-ish. Sucks.
So yes, this sucks ass & to be honest I thought I would get the swelling under control with clean eating, tons of ice, & TLC way quicker than a year, but that hasn’t been the case. I am healing very, very slow. In fact, slower than normal because of a nasty infection ( see below ).
Swelling is a bitch. Trust me, it’s not fun.
…so when people are asking me if I got fillers in my face, I am very confused. No, NO filler here. In fact, I’ve never gotten filler in my face, ever.
Also, if anyone is wondering: being super swollen, really fills everything in.
And by the way, if I did get filler I would do a blog post on it & own it. Because who the hell cares anyway? Everyone should do what they want to do. You have one life, live it on your own terms.
3.) I’ve tried really hard not to talk about how much this surgery has affected me mentally & physically. Really I have. This blog is not a woe is me, pity party. The Skinny Confidential is a place for women to find motivation, inspiration, & a strong community.
At the same time, I have to share with you guys that these last four months have been fucking gnarly. A month after surgery I was LOW. Very low. This is to be expected after a life changing surgery. I was warned by the surgeon so I rode the lows. It sucked but sometimes shit has to get bad before it gets better.
In Paris, when I was traveling, everyone kept texting me saying ‘stop saying you’re swollen Lauryn! You’re not at all!’
Well I was. I was traveling ( when I maybe should have been in bed & not flying because the altitude really screws with the swelling ). My face looked double the size, here’s proof:
Let’s also talk about number 4.) after the trauma that I’ve endured the last thing on the planet I would want to do is stick a needle in my face. Sorry. No thanks. Not after double jaw surgery. If anyone out there has had this type of surgery, AM I RIGHT OR AM I RIGHT?
Getting filler or a nose job or cheek implants or whatever else is ridiculous for me. I just had INTENSE SURGERY, like am I missing something?
Just to show you guys how intense the surgery was…..
SO SO SO FLAWLESS, RIGHT!!!
HA! This was me with my amazing dad right after surgery ( I was so high on post surgery pain meds here, I actually thought at the time I looked #chic & considered Instagram-ing this ). I’ve kept this picture to myself, but I’m just trying to explain the gnarly-ness of this surgery. And for the record, I looked like this for 2 MONTHS until it finally it went down a little. Really humbling. Seriously…& on another note, like the braids? #HEIDI
While traveling to Italy & Paris, I had to cancel NYC & Milan Fashion Week because of my swelling. I was so swollen that it felt like I was wearing a mask for four months.
Today I am still about 20%-ish swollen. I feel most of the puffiness is in my chin & around my nostrils. Basically where the screws are in my face. Here’s the fun screw situation:
Lastly, I got a REALLY bad infection a month after surgery. I was on antibiotics for 9 weeks. I still to this day cannot feel the lower right side of my face or lip ( where the infection was ). I can’t feel when I have food on my face either. The feeling is supposed to come back but it takes about a year.
The infection has really prolonged the swelling. I had to go back to the hospital for four days to get rid of it. No fun.
This whole thing has been weird because when I look in the mirror I don’t recognized myself. It’s almost like an identity crisis— it’s very odd not looking like yourself. I’ve gotten through it, but the point is, this experience has by no means been fun! It’s been kind of HELL.
Now on that note, I’ll end with a positive: I AM SOOOOO GLAD I got this surgery. It is well worth it. Yes it sucks I have to go through this in front of a bunch of people. BUT the pros outweigh the cons.
I also want to say as horrible as this surgery was, I’ve been through way worse in life & for every bad thing that’s ever happened, I prefer to focus on the good instead.
So pros of my jaw surgery:
+ the surgeon & dentist have been phenomenal. I highly recommend both of them if you’re in the San Diego area & you’re experiencing jaw or teeth issues. E-mail me for their contact info.
+ like I said, I feel balanced now. I felt out of whack/alignment for my whole life. Towards the end I started to get used to being uncomfortable. Now I feel at peace. This is me now ( still have a long way to go, but this is without photo editing & no makeup- you can’t edit on Snapchat ). Swollen still, but coming down:
{ to change it up, I cut my hair too : ) }
+ I haven’t been grinding my teeth AT ALL. This is huge for me because I’ve been grinding my teeth every night of my life to the point where Michael couldn’t sleep.
+ I haven’t snored once. This is another big one because I sounded like a freaking wildebeest when I was sleeping. Now I sleep like a baby without waking up in the middle of night…& Michael can sleep peacefully. This is AMAZING.
+ my bite fits together. Before I could only chew on one side of my mouth & my bite never fit together. Now my teeth fit together like a perfect puzzle piece & my mid-line is on point.
+ no more headaches, cracking my neck, or anxiety around my neck. I would also try to fix my bite myself by holding my jaw in the proper place. Because the issue was skeletal, it put major anxiety in my shoulders & neck. This feeling is gone, gone, gone.
+ Michael has literally seen me at my lowest point, looks-wise so I’m thinking he’s a keeper….LOL.
+ lastly, my cheekbones look a little higher. A vain plus, but hey it’s a plus.
For swelling I’ve been using Valor oil, taking massive amounts of arnica & turmeric, using TONS OF ICE for ice facials ( which has helped me the most, especially this specific ice roller ), dry brushing, detoxing, juicing, applying real aloe vera/raw coconut oil, & also I’m really trying to avoid salt. ANY OTHER TIPS? Please share.
This is my journey and I feel like I’m being transparent & open because it’s important to me to always tell it how it is. I keep a lot of my life private ( like family/friends stuff ) but the parts I do share, I SHARE. Real deal, 100% honest. I’m fine to do this post too, not because I feel like I have to justify myself but because it shares my true, raw experience. And ultimately, you have to just have a sense of humor about the whole thing.
Anyway, these thoughts have been on mind for a while so I figured I’d share them with you guys so you can see a peek behind the curtain.
As we all know life isn’t always rainbows.
And I’m totally ok with that because the good parts of my life feel so much more amazing after experiencing the super lows.
Also, I really, really sincerely appreciate the support the majority of you have given me! You rock. Your positive vibes & energy are the fuel for The Skinny Confidential.
Ok, that’s it.
Currently freaking out because I’m flying to Miami which means MAJOR, MAJOR swelling.
…because flying AND humidity? FML.
Until next time, lauryn x
Hi Lauryn, am not one to comment but massive kudos for this post. Love your honesty and attitude in laying it all out and cutting the crap. Shocked and saddened to hear about the negative emails you received despite you openly talking about your surgery on your blog and on snapchat. In this world of insta-perfect, it really is refreshing to read something so upfront (although, not gonna lie, that picture shocked me!) Keep your head up – you look as beautiful as ever and, as you said, the lows make you appreciate the good times, family, friends even more. Sending healing vibes!!
Thank you Emily! Your comment means more than you know. I really appreciate the support. Thank you so much!! <3
I agree! It has to be super frustrating to go through this, and I can’t imagine trying to deal with it and deal with the haters, but it sounds like you are keeping a really positive attitude! Keep your chin held high and it will all be over before you know it 🙂
Thank you for sharing! I think you look amazing btw! Hang in there and don’t listen to those stupid people.
Thanks Nichole <3
Lauryn, you are so strong!!! I have major respect for the way you look for the positive’s, there’s really nothing more important and so inspiring. You look amazing and i’m so happy for the positive change in your life. Hang in there for a few more months and then you can live life to the fullest, with higher cheekbones you lucky bastard!! Much love, ries
Thank you Richelle! You are seriously the best!! <3
Lauryn, the thing that makes you one of my favourite bloggers is that you keep it real, Always! Tbh I could never really see how bad the swelling was in your snapchats but after seeing these photos, wow! I feel for you and that you’ve had to go through that, but thank you also for sharing it with your readers and always being completely honest with us. I don’t know many people who would post up a picture of their swollen face post surgery online for the whole world to see. And despite this you’re still killing it day after day.
Thanks Lala, I’ve been trying not to share too much because I didn’t want TSC to turn into a pity party if you know what I mean. I decided to now because I felt ready to and I always want to keep it 100 with you guys. Thanks for the support <3
Hi Lauryn!
Hope swelling will cool down very soon and all the best for recovering fully 🙂
I am sorry you have to make posts like this, why are people so judging?!
That screw-situation looks nasty… you are very brave to have done this surgery!
Btw; you HAVE to share how you fix your eyebrows….. I can only dream about those…. I have light blond hair, so I have to color my eyebrows, and I dont have that much hair in my eyebrows either, but would love a tutorial on how you make them. Maybe I can get mine look wider, more “archy” and fuller…? dreaming of this…… 🙂
Anyways, you look amazing, you probably see the swelling more than us, to me you look stunning! Keep up the good work, love the skinny confidential. Lots of love from Europe!
I second her request for an eyebrow tutorial – I don’t wax or get any professional grooming on my eyebrows because they are so light and scarce.
Thank you for sharing your raw and amazing journey with us! I kept shaking my head when you would say you were swollen on snapchat – you look way too beautiful always- but those pictures definitely are a different story. You’ve healed amazingly (at least through the snapchat lense) and I applaud your strength and ability to continue on with your life and amazing adventures.
Hi Christine!
You are so sweet!
Have you seen my past posts about eyebrows? Check out this post HERE:
https://www.theskinnyconfidential.com/2013/06/05/hate-tadpoles/
& a brow tutorial HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRLPqMI0XKI
Thank you so much for your support <3
Hey Lauryn, I have read and loved your blog for years (all the way from Sydney Australia) but am more of a reader then a commenter. Just have to say however that i have so much respect and admiration for you and that you are absolutely killing it at life even with all this major surgery and recovery happening. You and your blog inspire me and your work ethic, positive attitude and honesty is second to none. Congrats on being brave enough to take such a big risk with the surgery and so happy it is paying off. Thanks for sharing xx
Thank you Teagan! You’re amazing thank you so much for the support <3
Awesome, what a real, straight up post, you must feel so empowered from being so honest and open! Happy healing and don’t listen to the haters. xxx
DITTO. Exactly the words I was going to post. Such honesty and truth. You are very strong and confident Lauren. You are a inspiration to all to just be REAL and HONEST. For the judgers…..F em!
Thanks Christie! <3
Thank you so much for sharing this, Lauryn! You are so strong and inspiring. Don’t listen to those people. They are not worth it!!! Focus on all the support you do have and not the stupid people! You are so strong <3
Thanks Heidi <3
All I can say is bless your heart! That is so rough to go through and I love your honesty about it! People don’t realize how surgeries like this aren’t that easy to recover from, even though the doctors always say 6-8 weeks for everything. You look amazing! My husband has seen me at my most horrible and loved me anyways, so you are right, he’s a keeper :)))
Thank you Alexis. Your so sweet. Your comments on my posts are seriously so supportive. I really appreciate reading them! Thank you <3
Dear Lauryn! I never ever comment but I do relate to Your journey. I had the same surgery on my lower jaw more than ten years ago and I am still hiding the photo 🙂 Moreover, I still have numbness on my face in some parts and always need a good friend around to tell me I have food on my face 😉
But anyway, real respect for what You are writing, about the surgery and otherwise.
Best of wishes from Estonia!
Hi Riin, thanks for commenting today! You STILL have numbness? AHH! Don’t scare me :(( Even so, would you do it again if you had to? Thanks for reading <3
Hi again. Would I do it again? I would, since it was not that much of a trouble and I know, that it will benefit me in the long run. Some effects I might not feel no, but would matter when getting older. Or so the doctor said 😉
Real, honest post and I read every word! You go girl! p.s. You’re gorgeous!
Thanks Amanda :))
Love how honest and real your posts are! You look beautiful!
Thank you Romi <3
And this is why we love your blog ?
Thank you Nicola!! You’re the best <3
Lauryn, good for you on this post! Your no nonsense bullshit is one of my favorite parts of your blog. I am also a big fan of your snapchats! Have you ever had an ALCAT blood test before? It’s an incredibly comprehensive blood test that tests your for all different allergies & not in the life threatening peanut allergy kind of way. More like someone is always bloated but they eat a healthy balanced diet. Turns out they have a resistance to spinach. Weird daily things you consume that might actually be having negative effects on you. My husband did it & he has intolerance for advil. A friend took the test & she has an intolerance for broccoli!!!! Just thought I’d share!
Hi Andrea, thank you :)) So glad you like TSC. I haven’t tried ALCAT blood test but this sounds amazing. I want to do it with Michael! LOL!! Can you get it anywhere? Thanks for reading <3
Hi Lauryn!
I just wanted to say how brave you are for posting something that you’re struggling with in your life! It’s so easy to get caught up in the negatives and it’s seriously so refreshing to see that you try as hard as you can to focus on the positives! You’re killing it! It pains me to see that people would be so judgemental towards you and what you’re going through….keep on keepin’ on gal and ignore those haters!
Live Blissfully,
Lauren
Thank you so much Lauren! You have no idea how much I appreciate your comment! Thanks for reading <3
Hi Lauryn, Thanks for sharing your story. I’m sorry to hear you had such negativity thrown at you. People judge too quickly, and speak before they think. I have a close friend who went through the same surgery a few years ago, and being there with her every step of the way, I totally understand.
Thanks for the support Karen! How long did your friend’s swelling take to go down? xx
No problem Lauryn! She thought it was about 4 months or so, but about a year after her surgery we went through some of her pictures one night and it turned out to be more like 6 months for her. You’re getting there girl, just keep up your positive vibes! 😉
This post just proves even more how brave and strong you are. Hang in there – you’re still as beautiful as ever.
Thank you Megan <3
That was so courageous of you to share this because it takes guts to be so vulnerable and share those physical and emotional lows with us! But BTW I think you are gorgeous inside and out!! Thanks for being you!
Thank you so much for sharing Lauryn! It is really amazing that you are willing to be so open with your readers by posting your post surgery pictures. I think you look great and I just love your raw honesty.
Thanks Cassie :)) You’re the sweetest!
Not one to post comments but I Think you are awesome for sharing this journey. Each day will get better and better!…
Thanks Gillian! Thank you for your comment and thank you for the support!
Hey Lauryn! Your blog is amazing for many reasons, but especially when you do posts like this. Your honesty and openness about the tough stuff, without making it depressing, is so unique. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Erica! <3
Amazing of you to share so much. Enjoy yourself in Miami with Corona and lots and lots of mint in your mojitos!
Thank you Jodu :))
You are so amazing and so brave! Thank you for being so open and sharing this. Obviously you look gorgeous swelling and all! You are such an inspiration and I hope we can see more photos of your chic haircut!
Thank you Hailey :)) I appreciate your support. Thanks for reading!
That is very brave of you to share your story! I have just started to have TMJ symptoms and it’s awful so I can not even imagine what you had to go through. People should be supportive of a person doing anything to better their health and quality of life so it’s very sad to hear the negative comments. I think you look beautiful and wish you the best of luck in the rest of your recovery!
Sorry about your TMJ :(( Are you seeing a doctor about it? Thanks for reading! xx
you’ve been such a trooper girl, congrats on not letting the haters get you down – they’re not worth 1 ounce of your thoughts 🙂
Thanks Bonnie <3
I can’t believe people were being negative about this whole thing. Keep strong. Your heart is an inspiration.
Nicole
Thanks for the support Nicole!
Good for you, seriously! One of the reasons I love your blog is that you’re honest, transparent and make no apologies for who you are/what you’re doing. It’s inspiring. Also your Snapchat is hilarious. Hang in there, and enjoy Miami!
Thank you Danielle. You’re comment means more than you know! Can we also just talk about how much fun snapchat is?? I like it so much better than Instagram! Don’t you?? Thanks for reading! xx
Hi Lauryn,
Thank you so much for always sharing the real nitty gritty with your readers. I can’t believe you would receive any sort of hate for your jaw surgery (especially with how transparent you have been!), but for every one person being negative/a troll, you have inspired and gained many more loyal readers. You are still beautiful, inside and out, and now even more healthy to keep being amazing at what you do. Thanks again!
Hi Brita, thank you so much for your sweet comment. I really appreciate your support! You guys have seriously been the best through this whole process. Thanks for reading! xx
As always, your unfiltered honesty is what keeps me reading TSC. Can’t believe there have been any negative messages at all- I have nothing but compassion for what it must have been like to not recognize yourself AND have to post pics online at the same time. But, it’s so awesome that the surgery, while totally not fun, has positively changed your life! Thanks, as always, for the honesty
Thank you Mackenzie. It’s definitely been a weird / challenging situation. Thank you for the support <3
You looked beautiful before, during and now. Thank you for sharing something so deeply personal. It never ceases to amaze me the hurtful things people will say while hiding behind a computer screen. Geeez
Thanks K! xx
I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with so much, but thanks for sharing your ordeal. Honestly, I think you look beautiful before and now. You naturally look great and are NOT one that needs tons of makeup and contouring to fake it. I hate how vain and critical people can be, society can be very cruel at times. You just have to find peace and confidence in knowing and being the best version of you and not worry about any shit others say. I hope you feel better sooner than later. You are doing the best you can to take care of yourself, and I think it will pay off for you, in other areas of your health too. You’re an inspiration!
Thank you Jillian <3 Your comment is seriously everything thank you so much! xx
Thank you for sharing (again!). Due to some hard-to-diagnose allergies I went through a couple months of intense eye and mouth swelling (like can’t go to work or even sleep, mom lovingly agrees you look like a literal zombie, swelling). The emotional experience with such a physical change was crazy – not recognizing myself, feeling paranoid and embarrassed in public, feeling useless and depressed at home…I feel for you and really appreciate your honesty through the process of healing.
Hi Sarah, wow I’m so sorry you had to go through that :(( Thank you for commenting, it’s good to know someone out there can relate to how weird it is to not recognize yourself. Thanks for the support and for reading <3
Thank you for sharing! Just remember you do not ever have to or need to justify or defend yourself to ANYONE, including your readers or your haters. It’s your life and you can do with it what you want, whether that’s getting fillers after surgery, or bitching for 1.5 years about swelling, you have every right to do either and everything in between. No reason to even give those who question you the time of day. This honesty in this post is admirable as is your entire journey through this crazy ordeal. You do you boo boo!
Lauren,
Love your candidness and honesty. For swelling I would recommend trying a cryotherapy facial where they can spot treat your jawline with extreme “chill”. Also major overall benefits for your skin. I live in south orange county and go to Cold Rush Wellness but I am sure there are cryotherapy spas in San Diego.
You are such a babe! Have you ingested aloe vera? My old boss fell and cracked his face pretty dang good, broke his jaw and he SWEARS! that the drinking of aloe vera made his recovery time minimal. Healing from the inside out is supposed to better than addressing outside in? Who knows!
Honestly Lauryn you are one of the most kick ass inspirational chicks around. I look forward to your posts and your realness. I mean you totally didn’t have to share you and your pops post surgery but you did and that is so awesome. I’ve learned in life that people actually just suck sometimes and will do anything they can to get under your skin. Keep doing you sister we are all on your side! xoxo Rach
So glad to hear you are slowly but surely healing. Very brave of you to go through this surgery and share your experience with us. Thank you! x
I’ve never commented before, but am an avid reader of your blog and have been for years. I just wanted to say that I think it’s so admirable and brave of you to do this post. I can’t imagine what it’s like to go through such a major surgery with such a long recovery time.
I get a swollen face sometimes from allergies and I find the Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask to be helpful. It’s really soothing. I was also once told by a facialist to use the Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Treatment all over my face- it’s specifically for eye puffiness, but will help with puffiness everywhere. So those are two things to try out. Also.. if you’re really desperate.. through mass amount of my own research, I’ve found that A LOT of people use hemorhoid cream on their face for extreme swelling. I’ve never tried this, but do a quick search and you’ll find message boards filled with people who swear that this is the only thing that worked for them.
I wish you a steady and speedy recovery girl!
It’s great that you’re so open and honest. I just had knee surgery a few weeks ago and can definitely relate to the low periods you’ve had. As someone who used to work out 6 days a week, transitioning into no physical activity aside from brief walking and PT twice a week has been really, really rough. Your situation is a lot more severe, so kudos to you for sharing your journey. If you could do a roundup of what you’re doing to reduce swelling, I would love that! I was on an anti-inflammatory that messed with my stomach, so now I’m looking to go the natural route.
Love that you shared this!
Firstly, just THANK YOU for posting something so “real” and vulnerable. I had surgery on my face during freshman year of college – the 9 hour surgery left me extremely swollen (practically unrecognizable) for a very long time, but all of my friends seemed to expect me to come out of the surgery 100% cured. Truth is, I looked much much worse for about 3 months before the healing process started to show the improvements. Being in public during the loooong recovery process is uncomfortable and a blow to our self-esteem, but what’s worse is when your loved ones have an expectation of how you’re going to look right away that is just not realistic. It’s a process! I would never be brave enough to post a post-surgery selfie so props to you girl 🙂 You look gorgeous!
Lauryn! I wanted to say how much I admire your candid blogging style. Honestly TSC is the only blog I read and seeing new posts absolutely makes my day. I love that you put it all out there – the good and the bad. It sucks there are people who question you, though it certainly feels like there’s a lot more hate in a place where anonymity protects the commenter. You’re such an inspiring woman, I respect and admire you so much. Keep on drinking tea, using ginger, garlic, and turmeric, dry brushing (honestly I get 99% my tips from you) – you’re gorgeous. (Eff the haters.)
Dude. Lauryn. You are one badass, brave b*tch! Way to keep it real. Those post-surgery swollen pics look so painful — I can’t imagine what it’d be like to read comments claiming that you’re lying about going through the most intense facial surgery. Keep working hard and being true to yourself. Thanks for sharing this because I can imagine it wasn’t easy! Sending positive, healing vibes your way!
Lauryn, you’re an inspiration and so brave! I can’t believe you received emails like that… They obviously don’t read your blog properly; you’re as real as they come! I mean, why would someone who openly chats about organic tampons, keeping yourself regular, having a boob job and other such stuff, lie about something as insignificant as having a few fillers?!
I love your blog because it’s real talk only. None of the fluffy, fake sh*t that so many other bloggers churn out on the daily.
Wishing you a speedy recovery! ❤️
I hope you recovery quickly! Your surgery sounds very intense. So sorry that people were hating and not believing you, that’s silly. Surgery is a big deal and so glad that you are feeling better/less symptoms than before. I was on crutches all summer due to a stress fracture from running, and that too is humbling. I am walking now, but I am still not back to 100% and also continue to have swelling on my foot. I have learned that the recovery process is just going at it’s own pace and I have to accept that. Sounds the same with your recovery too. Take it easy and be gentle with yourself! 🙂 Love your blog 🙂
I can’t believe people would send you those kind of messages? They’ve obviously never had to go through any major medical issues before. After your surgery I assumed that you wouldn’t be showing pictures of your face for awhile and I was fine with that because you have to recover! And when you did show pictures all I could think was, “Wow she looks so good for recently having major surgery!”
Try an infrared sauna!!! Also in terms of type of Tumeric, the Meriva 500 is the best I found. Both do wonders for swelling xx
Ok first off, I love your blog to pieces and the transparency you put out there is amazing. You put something out there that no one else does. And second, I think you owe yourself a huge amount of pride for the way you’ve dealt with this. I’m not exaggerating when I say I could not deal with the amount of public scrutiny bloggers face. I have had surgery though and I can’t imagine dealing with those comments while at the lowest point of recovery. You’re gorgeous, even while swollen! Keep doing you, we love it!
Major props & kudos to you for this post, it takes a lot of bravery to put something this personal out for the world. I cannot believe all the negativity you’ve received, some people just cannot help themselves but to post opinions without thinking about how hurtful they can be received, and how unnecessary they are to put out in the first place. Sending you major healing vibes & hoping you can heal quickly!! You’ve become my go-to for all things healthy, I literally search your website for a supplement review before I buy it. Love your blog and how authentic you are!!
Xo Bri
You’re amazing! Don’t worry about the haters. You’ve always been honest and upfront and let’s be honest, you are under no obligation to do so! You rock!
xo Annie
http://www.laircake.com
What an incredible post. Thank you so much for sharing such realness. I follow you on Snap Chat and I saw the transformation from post surgery and not really showing your face, hiding with a chic hat, putting your hair over the lower part of your face, to now, fully sharing your beautiful selfie again. I’m glad to see that you are in a better place. Smiling and laughing and giving Panicky Susan a hard time! Cheers to you. Sending beautiful vibes your way.
You have such a great attitude! Don’t let all the noise take you away from healing. On another note, I drank Pineapple juice when I had my wisdom teeth taken out to reduce the swelling. It contains Bromelain, which is a natural anti-inflammatory. Hope this helps!
Andddd THIS is why you are/have been/will always be my favorite blogger (oops I think u hate that word?). The #HEIDI pic cemented it. Thank you for always being so candid. For every troll writing you nasty emails, I assure you there are 100 of us who value and respect you and the stories you share. I first started following you a year ago and literally read through every post I had missed prior. I was hooked. Haven’t missed a single one since. Please don’t change 🙂
WOW! Super kudos for posting this! But, for flying, have you even heard of Clinique’s Moisture Surge? They have a mask, oil free gel, and cream? Also Korean face sheets (esp. TONY MOLY)? When I fly, I put a face sheet on for 30 mins, and make sure to rub the extra botanical liquid all over my neck and chest (because my neck bone area gets puffy too (but not my boobs 🙁 ), and then take the mask off and without washing my face, I let it dry for a bit then apply the moisture surge mask for another 30 mins. Then, before I get off the plane, I ask the flight attendants for an ice cube, and go to the bathroom to wash the residue off my face and rub the ice cube all over it. It’s amazing! If you’re traveling overseas, then get the overnight moisture surge. Not advertising, I swear, I’m just allergic to practically everything on the market, and Clinique is perhaps the only line that my face doesn’t respond to in angry welts.
Good luck with everything! <3
Oh gosh Lauryn! This was the craziest thing to read. It scares me to DEATH because my jaw is the same way. It’s always been an insecurity because it’s cricked. But more importantly than that, like you, it causes discomfort.. in my ears, grinding of the teeth, cracking of the jaw. I always thought it was NORMAL to only eat food on one side, but not that you speak about it it makes sense! It’s very obvious to me that I need something like this done, but hearing what you have gone through TERRIFIES me! Thank you SO much thought for being so open and transparent about it!
Lauryn,
Thank you for being so honest and real. Through all of this your skin has been flawless. Can you do a post about your skin care routine? You’d think that after surgery and infections your skin might change a little but no it’s still perfect. XO
First of all kudos to you for doing the right thing for your health and enduring all of this gnarly road back to normal! I literally had tears in my eyes reading this because you are so brave for deciding to do that surgery, for posting those photos and for sharing all the negativity with the world! I honestly can´t believe that people would say and write those horrible things to you!
I bow down, Lauryn, I do and you are beautiful inside and out not matter if your face is still swollen or not! Shoot videos, show your face and show them with your proactive lifestyle that they should just shut the f*ck up! Own it! Sending you lots of good juju girl!
xo Martina
You poor thing, who needs negativity when they are trying to heal!! And to be honest, I felt like commenting recently (more of a reader, than commenter) that you didn’t look like you were so swollen anymore and to just shine your pretty face instead of mentioning it. But holly lord girl you were sooo swollen, wow!! What an intense surgery and thank you for being so open about it. You really have come a long way in 4 months! Here’s to more swelling going down quickly and safe travels to Miami! Have fun halloweening!
that’s so brave of you to post! You are beautiful girl .,. Don’t feel the need to justify to the haters Rock on sister
Good for you Lauryn! Awesome post. Thanks for being a real genuine and strong woman. You are what makes being real, the coolest.
Lauryn you are amazing. Thanks for being you and continuing to inspire your readers day after day no matter what.
Wow. This was an amazingly brave and honest post. I am so sorry that you have people out there who have given you negative comments. Especially in light of how honest you have been through your entire ordeal. Just know that the majority of people support you and appreciate everything you put out for us to read (on a daily basis). You look beautiful and I’m pretty sure most of us, your readers, aspire to have your savvy fashion sense and healthy balanced life. Haters gonna hate hate hate but we all love you! Stay strong, girl. You got this!
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It takes such a strong woman to share something like this with your readers! As always, thank you for being so open and honest, especially when you don’t owe it to us at all. Sending prayers and good vibes for a continued recovery your way!
My most favorite of all your blog posts. 100% real. After years of loving your blog, this hit me on a whole different level. You’re out there for the greater good, girl. You’re real. You’re brave. You’re unapologetic. You’re amazing. Mad love.
You are so brave for doing this post; like you should win an award for this or something. I really appreciate your candor on very subject you write about, it’s charming and it really makes me come back to your blog everyday. You are still absolutely gorgeous and the swelling is temporary, it will pass. Please just ignore the haters, they clearly have their own issues to deal with. Also somewhat unrelated, but LOVE you on snapchat! and lol Panicky Sue! He’s getting a big a head with all his “followers”. but love how you bring him back to reality. Anywho, hang in there and know we love and support you xxo
1) you look beautiful 2) feel better soon. Sending healing thoughts 3) you need to send this blog post to Brooks on RHOC. Sorry but I want to see his medical records!!!!
Damn girl! I have been a fan since finding a recipe for banana pancakes on your blog, haha! Your authenticity continues to impress me. Obviously you’re a stunner but your beauty has always shown straight from within.
I’m not big on social media and you’re the only blog I follow regularly. Keep on keepin’ on!! ???????
I rarely comment on here but am a faithful reader. I love your blog and your snapchats – especially panicky susan! haha The fact that you would share that with all of us when you didn’t have to is seriously. so. cool. Thanks for keeping it real babe, and you are beautiful no matter what!
Don’t even know you personally, but I feel like I do! Just wanted to say thanks so much for sharing, like really sharing, all of this with us! It really helps bc so many bloggers just pretend life is perfect which creates unrealistic ideals about life. Ya feel? Anyways you’re the bomb diggity (lol haven’t used that phrase in forever) but thanks for being awesome. And your swelling looks like it’s gone waaaaay down! Hope you have fun in Miami.
Lauryn:
I feel like I say this constantly when I comment, but I mean it full-heartedly every single time, your rawness and realness is so inspiring, and is a big reason why TSC is such a great blog. People will always talk – and it is a shame that people come up with their own conclusions, despite how open you are. This is no jaw surgery, but in 2006 in the winter, I had my wisdom teeth taken out. And I was swollen as HELL. On top of it all, I got 4 dry sockets & infections, and the swelling did not go down. I remember looking at myself in the mirror in spring 2007 and I broke down crying because it was at least four months after, the swelling STILL did not go down. I vividly remember thinking I would never look the same the again. It was a terrible, scary feeling. It went down, slowly but surely, but it took almost a full year, and that was just wisdom teeth- so I could not imagine what your surgery was like. I also love that you focus on the positivity – and I LOLed at the “high cheekbones” comment. As far as some tips, I swear up & down on Detox baths – not only are they so good for the body, but they really help me clear my head.
Thank you for sharing the photos, you still look beautiful, and your honesty is what makes TSC an inspiration to so many women. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE that you mention there is nothing wrong about wanting fillers either – I hate the weird stigma on plastic surgery. It is such a personal choice for that person, that it is their prerogative and should not be judged for it. It’s so annoying that people will find negativity in such things. It’s like accusing someone of being thin for not eating or drug problems when in reality… they are just thin. Sometimes people like to find negativity on things that just have no negativity associated with them – which is such a shame – so I really appreciate you giving everything with a positive spin. Keep doing you, Lauryn, you are killing it – and you have so much support and love from your TSC community!
I had the exact same thing happen in the winter of 2006 with wisdom teeth, dry sockets, and looking back on pictures and realizing my face had been swollen for MONTHS. The swelling goes away eventually, but having a face that looks like an altered version of yourself for months is rough 🙁
Oh my gosh. I’ve been following your jaw surgery saga here and this just broke my heart. Your transparency and honesty shows so much of your character and its so refreshing to follow a blogger who is 100% real. I’m so sorry for this process you’ve had to deal with. But I’m even more sorry that people can be so rude and invasive and accusatory, (like you owe them an explanation in the first place, but whatever)EVEN if you are a blogger in the spotlight, you’re still a human being dealing with a lot more than what you show on social media.
This post just made me love you even more. Thanks for being so refreshing, honest and open. Hope you heal a little more everyday! xx
I love and appreciate the realness of your blog. It’s the reason why I can trust all of your suggestions. I am so sad that people thought you had major work done or even fillers put it… You think it would be obvious for people to infer that any changes came from your JAW surgery. I couldn’t imagine going through an intense recovery and having to deal with those sorts of emails. That would be so hurtful. I admire your positive outlook on this whole experience. Props to you for staying so strong!
Thanks for always keeping it real, your beautiful inside and out! <3 & thanks for replying to my snap, you rock!! Much love xoxo
I had a WAY less intense surgery to fix a health issue and when I got back to work EVERYONE said I took a week off to get a nose job and filler bc I was swollen and recovering from being black and blue. It really pissed me off so that make everyone talk even more. Sucked. I still don’t have all the feeling back but only when it’s cold out. HA.
I can’t believe you posted those post surgery pics. You are the best. F*ck the haters. Good luck on your recovery!
Thank you for this post! I admit the thought that you’d had cosmetic surgery in addition to the jaw surgery crossed my mind – in part because you not posting post-surgery pictures seemed to contradict the open/confident persona you are on TSC – but you always have your right to privacy and posting pictures of a ballooned up version of you post-surgery is something I imagine most people WOULD want to keep private. (May I just say that picture is amazing?!) Props to you for calling out the mean-spiritedness that you’ve been on the receiving end of. That must’ve sucked super hard, especially considering you were already dealing with a huge, painful, complicated surgery.
I’m in the process of starting a nutrition/beauty blog that deals largely with pre- and post- plastic surgery nutrition and tips. To help speed up your healing, it’s super important to eat a lot of protein, vitamin C and vitamin A (true vitamin A, which is found in things like animal liver and eggs rather than plant sources, which provide beta carotene). 500-1000 mg of curcumin per day with food is super helpful for dealing with inflammation, as is eating omega 3 fats, which are best gotten by eating fish like wild salmon, tuna, oysters, mackerel, etc.
xo
amazing transparent post from a girl with as much inward beauty as outward. always from the heart since day one..love
Don’t usually post but have been reading your blog a while now and love it. Very enlightening post and wish you all the best on your recovery!! I’m also recovering from boob job 3 months so nothing like your jaw but also loved your post on the boobs too! Peace and love X
You are amazing. This is why I am an avid reader of the blog and your lifestyle. Keep it real and free of bullshit. Sending positive vibes your way ?shine on!
Bravo to you for sharing all this and keeping it real! I think you look amazing! Looove the new hair.
And please….do share a post soon about those eyebrows of yours!
Another plus? Those swollen lips! When mine finally went down that was a bummer. I got the feeling back totally in my lips around the 15 month mark. There is one tiny point on my jaw/chin that I still have no feeling and am sure will never. It’s not annoying but definitely odd! love the shot of you and your dad. When I got up and walked to the bathroom the day after surgery I scared the shit out of myself. I cried and told the nurses I refused to go home until I looked normal ?. My poor husband.
My x-rays look as crazy awesome as yours (screws, chains, the works) but I’m 10 years out of my surgery and aside from one small issue with my gums, it’s been great. Good luck and happy and quick healing.
Love – you may remember when there was that shooting on the 163 freeway in San Diego a few years ago. I was the girl that happened to. I can say that 4 (almost five) years later I am finally NOT swollen anymore, but I totttallyyyy know what you are going through. The surgery I had was maj. I’ve never left a comment on your blog before, but had to chime in today. You’re going to be okay!!
I’ll be short-You’re fucking badass.
(Hang in there on the low days, I hope they become few and far between.) xx
I feel your pain! Was diagnosed with viral pericarditis in January. Major pain and swelling on the lining of my heart. It’s been horrible. I haven’t been able to workout because it aggravates it:/ Seeing a specialist at The Cleveland Clinic who has been managing my inflammation via blood draws twice monthly. He looks at my C Reactive Protein and Sed Rate and adjusts my anti inflammatory meds accordingly. After 9 months of hell, my inflammatory markers are finally normal:) Thank you for sharing! You are not alone:))
Hey Lauryn –
I had the same surgery, and it is soooo tough! My mom sent me back to high school five days post-op, so I totally understand all the hurtful things people can say.
Hang in there, drink fluids, and keep yourself healthy!
I had jaw surgery on my top jaw over 6 years ago and the swelling stopped being noticeable at about 6 months but I’d say it took a whole year for me to feel like I was back to normal. I commend you for taking the leap of faith, it will be worth it I promise!
Btw you look amazing! If I hadn’t read this I would not have noticed any part of your face being swollen or otherwise imperfect!! You are beautiful and talented and a huge inspiration for us all. Keep rocking.
you are the best, seriously. I’m so sorry you got those emails but thank you for continuing to be so amazing! always so authentic & beautiful inside & out!
Lauryn, I’ve been following your blog back and forth for years.. I never once commented here but I feel like now it’s the time…
I always follow your snapchat adventures with suzan & I love it btw. Maybe I’ll be fan number 5 so he has more than 4? haha
I love how real you are, because when I first read your blog I had a little issue with the name.. the word “skinny” gets a bad rep nowadays and I thought “great another one of those blogs about how women have to be skinny” but this is not what TSC is about at all and it really motivated me and I just love reading your posts because I feel like I’m speaking to a friend. I can’t believe you have to take crap from people talking about your face really, surgery is no joke and it takes forever to recover not to mention having to work being so exposed with your picture taken and a public person like you are. I feel like you have always tried your best with your blog in every post & video you do and I LITERALLY cant believe people would email you about this. You don’t need to explain yourself to any hater, but I’m glad this post is up to support other people who have gone through this evasive surgery. Sending lots of love from Holland (although I’m Brazilian)
stay strong girl!
It blows my mind that people would even contemplate emailing you stuff like that. It’s sad that there are so many ignorant people out there. I think you are so brave, I couldn’t even begin to imagine what it must feel like to go through that kind of surgery! Thank you for sharing your story. I love reading your posts, keep up the fantasic work.
You are absolutely stunning – swelling or no swelling! xxx
Oooh, you go girl!!
You’re beautiful I love how honest you are.
As far as reducing inflammation, I really recommend the Whole30. I have really bad tendinitis in my legs and by the end of 30 days, I was completely pain/swelling free. Good luck!!
Lauryn, you’re the best. So strong and an inspiration for us all. Hang in there! xxx
I am so glad that his surgery went well and that all of your pains are gone! That must feel amazing 🙂
hope you will feel better soon
x
joyce
Sending you lots of love from the East Coast, and a hug, and a high five… and a middle finger to all of the douche-dicks sending you hate mail. Good luck with your recovery. You are very brave and a great role model for spreading a message of fierceness and inspiration for all women.
You’re a champ, plain and simple. You handled the negativity beautifully by being frank about your surgery, so hopefully that’s the end of those comments. Regardless, your blog is bitchin’!
Lauryn,
I’m typically a reader and not a commenter, but felt compelled because you deserve MAJOR props for this post. We all know there is a lot of B.S. and fakeness on the internet, and you are the total opposite – completely real (also very funny, keep the snaps coming). Thank you for sharing and for always being so honest! You are awesome. xx
Thanks for sharing this! From just looking at social media, I can see why people would have a certain impression of what happened, but I’m SO glad you shared this to show what’s going on beneath the facade that we all put up. It’s some gnarly shit and I’m thrilled that you’re at peace with your decision after all of the lows. Pain is invisible; swelling is not.
You are beautiful, but more importantly, you are real. I can’t tell you how much more I respect you after this post. Thank you, thank you.
Yet another no-bullshit post and one of the reasons I read your blog even though I’m older and probs not your “target” audience. It’s so refreshing to see honesty and vulnerability nowadays on the web and even more so from someone so young. I’m super proud of you sharing the pics and telling your story, but yah, let the haters spew their venom from behind computer screens, it takes a real woman to step out from behind the computer and share and embrace their flaws. ???
I’ll say this as Aussie as I can: you’re a bloody legend Lauryn. Seriously.
Thank-you for sharing your story Lauryn! You are very courageous for not only going through the surgery but for also sharing your story on your blog for the world to see. I love how you can see the positive in a difficult situation (love the higher cheekbones) I wish you all the best for your recovery xx
Hi Lauren, just thought I’d share something I heard once about juicing that I felt my help you on your way to full recovery.
When you juice you remove a lot of important nutrients and discard them,it’s perhaps best to bled the entire vegetable/fruit in the blender and drink it as a smoothie. I started doing this awhile agoe and love it. Besides it saves time and the clean up proses is minimal. Hope this helps. Best wishes! Stay strong! Ignore the negative and only listen to the positive.
Hi Lauryn, Thank you so much for sharing! I sent you an email asking if corrective jaw surgery changed the shape of your face. I truly hope you didn’t think I was insinuating anything else! I was just curious, because I had a friend in high school who had it done and she looked quite different after. I also have a dear friend who had an upper Le Fort procedure, and it was crazy what she had to go through, much like what you’re experiencing. What’s more important is that all the issues you were dealing with before are resolved and your quality of life is better. Wildebeest. Ha! I’ve had two nose jobs and while this is nowhere near jaw surgery, I was swollen for almost two years. It really is tough to be patient. Anyways, I use curcumin powder purchased from Dr. Novak’s office in PB. He’s actually an MD that treats Lyme patients like myself and prescribes it for major inflammation. Not sure if you can walk in and buy it, but just in case you’re interested. All the best to you in your healing process!!
C.
Hi Catrina! OMG no I did not think you were insinuating anything else at all I promise! You are so sweet! Thank you so much for commenting and thank you for the support. The surgery definitely does change your face shape a little bit because my jaw is a different place. Thanks for reading <3
Thanks for sharing Lauren! You are a brave girl. I’ve been putting of getting my wisdom teeth out for the same reason… Sure puts my s*it in perspective!
When you take tumeric, make sure you are also consuming fats (butter, coconut oil etc) and black pepper with it. Otherwise your body can’t absorb it (well at least that’s what Ayurvedic medicine says) I like to grate tumeric and ginger into milk and warm it creating a tea. Grind in a pinch of fresh pepper and raw honey… Very soothing! And when people are being jerks, remember that without the lows, highs wouldn’t be so exhilarating!!
I went through the same exact surgery in 2012! Except I had a terrible terrible underbite. I was a senior in high school and gone for a month. Imagine coming back to school and people not recognizing you. Basically EVERYONE staring all the time. Or it felt like it at least. And people asking all sorts of questions. Someone even asked if I got a nose job. I was not emotionally ready for that. I basically never wanted to leave the house while I was swollen. But now, all is good and it was definitely worth it in the end. Kudos to you! <3
Loved this post so much 🙂 I’ve always enjoyed your blog posts because of your honesty!! I think it’s so strong to be open about a life-changing surgery like this! I think you look great; thank you for being so real throughout this whole process! 🙂
Dani | http://www.styledvariety
Lauryn! It makes me so sad that you were getting so much negativity that you felt like you had to make this post. Your blog is so kick ass and honest all the time but this post was super real and refreshing, thanks for being you! You are seriously a super star for going through all this, you’ve got all of us rooting for your recovery.
Also I know dandelion tea is really awesome for detoxing your body, might be worth a try to drink some and see if it helps with the swelling! xoxo
Swollen or not, as long as you’re happy and despite the cruel people on the internet, it is all good.
xoxo
Dana
http://www.thexclass.com – a success blog
HUGE kudos to you for writing this post. I know it couldn’t have been easy, but your honesty is so refreshing and I appreciate how truthful you are with your readers!
xxo, Kristen
http://www.polishednpretty.com
Lauryn, you look great! Don’t worry about the haters.
I didn’t take the time (read: don’t have) to read through all the comments but I had to comment on this myself – I can understand people thinking you look different, because you absolutely do – HOWEVER – I have a good friend who I have known since childhood who had a similar surgery a few years ago, a jaw realignment, and she too looked like a totally different person after, to the point that people thought she had had her nose done. As someone who was there through the whole process, I can say with certainty that her nose wasn’t touched, but having her jaw realigned literally changed her whole face, so I can understand how it would be the same result for you.
Either way, you look beautiful, as always. I can totally understand you feeling self conscious and thinking you look swollen, but remember, it’s so much more magnified to you than it is to everyone else. Swollen to you is still knock-out babe to the rest of us!
You are an absolute gangster for sharing these photos, as I got the impression you were doing your best to keep the swelling out of photos. Rock on, spirit animal!
I read quite a few blogs but almost never comment. This post was so unbelievably brave. I’m impressed with and inspired by your honesty. In a society where people are so willing to hide what’s really going on with them, THIS WAS SO REFRESHING.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Hey to one of my absolute favorite bloggers. I thought you looked different, but never doubted it was because of the swelling. And you look beautiful. I have experienced similar, I get what it is like to not recognize yourself. But…I have learned that different is just different and beauty is beauty…you can’t compare the two because you cannot quantify it.
Thank you for your transparency.
Ugh, that swelling must be SO annoying!! It will get better though, so keep breathin’.
You want to know what’s really annoying though? How staggeringly beautiful you look in those pics without any makeup – I mean, wtf, girl? How is that possible!!?? Seriously, in that Snapchat pic without any makeup, you look just amazing. You almost look *more* gorj-wah without makeup – I will refrain from hating you for this….FOR NOW. :p
You are amazing and are always beautiful!! as a regular reader its so appreciated how open you are!!! Keep being fabulous!
The first this I thought was Oh honey! When I saw your post surgery picture! Took me back to my wisdom teeth extraction! My orthodontist wanted to do a similar surgery, but instead I wore headgear at night and during the day on the weekends for over two years. It was painful and I really dreaded putting it on each night. My jaw is much more aligned. Good on you for making the right choice for yourself and yeah it is really tough recovering from that. I appreciate your transparency and give you mad props for getting through it all!
Keep being honest and real and awesome Lauryn xx
Good for you! I had a similar surgery (but for an underbite) about six years ago and I had the same reaction from people. It’s not a fun healing process and I’m still numb on the right side of mouth / chin and cannot feel food, drool, toothpaste… But I wish you all the luck in your healing process!! <3
Wpw babe.
This was the realest.
it’s fucking amazing what people feel like they can say to you about shit. Like even if you did get anything done which you haven’t – it’s YOUR BUSINESS. You don’t owe it to anyone to share, and in doing so you’re kind and honest and opening up peoples’ eyes to things.
props to you for going through this, and for making progress in life. For this you’ll be better! Soon!
Also more hair cut photos please and thanks.
Love,
Krista
xo
Hi Lauryn,
I found this post by way of Google since I’m considering this surgery too. Usually when I stumble upon something I’m looking for it was a post written like 7 years ago and the odds of my comment being seen, let alone replied to, is slim to none. Anyway, I feel like I won the lotto that you shared an update just yesterday.
I have an extreme (Class III) underbite and always thought that I would get it taken care of ‘one day’, though I never really looked into the details until now. And can I just say- Holy shit! I’m using a device the size of my palm to talk to someone I’ve never met through the magic of the Internet but the best way to solve a common issue is still to break a person’s bones, wire their mouth shut and tell them to clear their calendars for 8-12 weeks while their face fuses back together?! That’s the BEST they’ve got?!
Thank you for the bravery it took to post about your experiences. Knowing how horribly self conscious I am about my underbite, I applaud the risks you knowingly took to share your story.
If you don’t mind, I have a few questions that I’d like your feedback on. First of all, my decision would be easy if I had the pain and functional issues that you had (TMJ, stiffness, etc.) I’m embarrassed to admit to anyone but the faceless Internet that the only reason I’m considering it is because of the cosmetic benefit (and self-esteem boost) it would provide. It seems like an awful lot of risk and pain to endure just so I can feel better about how I look. I’d like to hear your thoughts on what you May have done had you not had pain and inconvenience influencing your decision.
And, speaking of risks, I’m worried about the numbness. Is it really so bad that you can’t feel a thing on your cheeks and chin? And what if it never comes back? What if it never feels the same when I kiss my husband. Or, worse, what if I won’t be able to feel my daughter touch my face?
If I do decide to take the plunge, can you give some insight as to how long I’ll have to be out of work for? I work in an office and communication is fundamental to my job. And not just in a caveman sort of way where points and grunts can be interpreted. I regularly teach employee trainings and am required to interact with clients on a daily basis. How long do you think it would take for me to be able to accomplish that without mumbling or drooling? How long will it take me to even be able to get out of bed and take care of myself and my children?
Again thank you so much for being candid. It is tremendously helpful and I truly appreciate the gift of you sharing your experience.
Wow wow wow. What a powerful post. You are a rockstar
You are just GREAT! I really love to read your posts…. They are real, honest and written in a witty and charming way!!! You rock;-))))
I’m saddened that there was any doubt about your situation- you have always been amazing about keeping it real on this site. If you feel that you had to do this, I support that. Just further proof that you’re a fresh of breath air on the Internet.
Seriously good luck! You are doing phenomenal! This will pass and you will be so much stronger for it.
You’ve been one of my favorite bloggers before I even knew what a damn blog was! Part of that is because everything about you and your life, are like #goals. But mostly because you seem like someone I would be best friends with, your honesty, humor and realness (aka transparency) is so evident in all of your posts! I can’t believe what a crazy journey you are going through, and I think you’re so brave and badass for sharing your story! So THANK YOU + CHEERS to you and putting your health first! Just keep doing you Lauryn <3
I’ve seen a lot in my life and one thing I learned from that is that people never should bully and judge someone by their looks, you never know why they look a certain way. Your story confirms that even more. I hope some people outside your followers read this and learn from your story. You’re such a brave and strong person to have put this on the World Wide Web. Go kick some more ass!
Hi Lauryn, I really did have to comment on this! I read it, walked away, cleaned my kitchen and had to come back to my laptop and write this because I think you’re so brave and inspiring! In the same way as I’m sure the support you get from readers means so much to you, your admirable honesty and openness in this world of editing and fear of flaws means so much to your readers! I wish you all the best for your recovery and send a big thank you all the way from London for the reality checks you deliver again and again 🙂 love your blog! all the best,
katie
Thank you very much Katie! I am very lucky to have readers like you. This comment really made my night : ) xo
Lauryn you look beautiful! Takes a lot of courage to show vulnerable moments like this: You are a goddess 🙂
You’re a rockstar Lauryn.
Brava, girl! Good for you for having the amazing confidence to write this post. I seriously have (even more) respect for you and your journey. Honestly, I’m so glad you posted swollen pics because hey, that’s you, and if people don’t like it they can get over it. Thanks for reminding us to have patience with and compassion for ourselves. <3
you still look beautiful swollen jaw and all! Thanks for posting.. I know it wasn’t easy. You are an inspiration and I love reading your posts! cheers to speedy healing! xoxo
In a digital posts full of make up, clothing and DIY´s, these are the type of posts I like the best. No filter, no editorial-esque photos, no sponsorship, nothing. Raw, honest content. Thank you for being one of those bloggers and sharing your journey with us.
Stephanie
http://ishowedupinboots.com
I almost cried #pms
In the midst of today’s blogging “perfection”, your honesty and truthfulness is welcomed and needed.
Never TMI, always the right amount <3
Merci!
Sending you all the love and positive vibes in the world! Your post reminds me of an article that I read in the NYT (link: http://nyti.ms/1Pcspg1) about what we really see when we belittle others (The article focuses on women, but I think that the lesson can be extended to everyone).
Your transparency and honesty are incredibly admirable. That might intimidate others or remind them of areas they are working on in themselves. But don’t let their negativity slow your roll! You are absolutely an inspiration. Keep rockin’ chica!!
Best wishes -Z
Thank you for your unabashed honesty – it is scary and brave to let complete strangers into your personal life. This journey has been an intense one for you – keep you head up. There is light at the end of the tunnel!
You are so brave and real and raw! You are the most honest blogger, which is why I no longer read any blogs but yours. You empower us through your blog! You balance fun posts with more serious ones all while being straight.
Your beautiful inside and out!
Keep it up!
Reading this post again and just love how real you are about your life and personal situations. So refreshing to see a real and raw situation among so many picture perfect stepford wives out there in the social media world. I love that you call out the people who try to bring negativity into your world. In my opinion, no one can compare to the lifestyle blog of The Skinny Confidential. Perfect balance and “flaws” in all the right places. Posting that pic confirms what I have always thought since I started following your blog (and snap…and insta…etc). You turn every situation into something to learn from. Your wellness posts about the products you are using for swelling, have introduced me to new anti inflammatory beauties and your wellness spa retreat posts gave me inspiration for a bachelorette retreat of my own! Keep on being Lauryn….because a wise woman once said, “Fuck that Shit,” and she lived happily ever after….
p.s. I know my email to you is totally in your spam. danistylist@mail.com. check it out;)
Hello Lauryn, I feel blessed to come across your blog. I had double surgery exactly 6 days before you (June 10th) and our experiences are so similar. I’m tired of people in my social circle acting like i am a completely different person. They keep insisting its nothing to do with my teeth/jaw and i’m tired of explaining. I’m just plain rude nowadays. More so,I’m still significantly swollen 5months+ later. I’m beginning to fear the swelling might never go away. And, i HATE my new nose. It became upturned and my nostrils are now wider and more visible. This all is leaving me so stressed and depressed and the people around me are not making it any easier with their mean comments about me now looking worse than before. Oh God…i sincerely hope at the end of it all, I’ll look back at this whole journey and smile coz at the moment, i’m far from doing that.
I’ll be following your blog faithfully now to hear of your progress. Greetings from Finland.
So much inspiration in this post! Thanks for sharing this part of your life!
Hey Lauryn!
Sister is swollen-ness. I had this same surgery!
I’m 25 now, I had the surgery when I was a freshman in high school. My jaw “misalignment” was actually opposite than yours (under bite… Soooo cute growing up).
I pushed to get the surgery ASAP because my face was literally making me hate my life, and you said it perfectly, “it wasn’t me”.
Talk about crazy social shift… Leaving 8th grade as one kid, coming in freshman year as the “new girl”??? But wait… That’s Morgan?!
Any ways! So it’s been almost 9-10 years now, and I still have swelling on one side of my face. Like my profile on my left is completely different than my right… (It’s not like grotesque, and really I have to point it out… BUT I NOTICE).
My doctors were amazing, and they believe it’s just scar tissue left over from healing.. Annoying!
Wondering if you have any advice/ heard of this from your docs??
Xo
Morgan Smith
Hey,
I had lower jaw surgery and chin genioplasty almost three months ago. I can so much relate to how you feel or felt during the whole healing process. Like you I also had a nasty infection one month after surgery, underneeth my chin! Really weird!! The doctor had never seen this before and I also had to take antibiotics for weeks and I went back to the hospital for five days for taking care of this infection. As a result, my face is still very swollen now. The swelling goes down really slow. I’m a pharmacist, and I went back to work 5 weeks after surgery. At that point the swelling was still so bad that I could hardly speak. I was scared of what people would say, because I see a lot of people during the day at work. And yeah, I gog really nasty comments from people. Some of them said that it looked like I gained a lot of weight, some of them said that the surgery did me no good, that I looked better before surgery. At first, I was really thrown down by all of these people, but you know what I’ve realised? People will always have to say something. If I would have looked nothing different after the surgery I’m sure that some people would have said: i don’t see why you had to have the surgery, you’re crazy for having done that.
You see my point? Just believe in yourself and in what you do. You look absolutely great and I think you have a lot of curage and that you are very strong just by having that surgery. It is really not something minor!!! I’m still not happy about how I look right now. I’m also still very swollen, and I hope the final result will be better than how it is right now. I have a permanent scar on my chin of the infection, and it shows now even more because my chin is still swallen. Mentally this is all really heavy, and that’s why I totally can relate to you. I mean it, you have a great blog, you have a wonderfull attitude and just let all those bad comments don’t influence you. You helped me because reading this and seeing how you look now gives me the curages and hope that I also will be looking a little bit more normal in the future! I’m sorry if my English is bad, but I’m from Belgium. I’m really happy to have read your story. Big hugg!!
Hi Lauren, I had been following your blog and then for some reason I stopped.. (no clue why!!) and just recently came back ….and I have to say that I’m re-obsessed!!!… (Blog, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Podcast, book lol.. yikes…stalker lol)…… And let me tell you – I was like – Shit… she did something to her face!!! I can’t believe she did – she was already beautiful……. why!!??? So young… blablabla… Well… wow… just read this and I have to say… you’ve just attained a whole new level of amazing to me… Don’t get me wrong.. I SO don’t judge people who go in for plastic/cosmetic surgery,, (I’ve had my nose done, boobs… fillers, Botox.. I’m in my 40s..).. But wow.. your honesty and transparency are truly impressive! Anyhow, just wanted to tell you that you’re amazing (and beautiful) and I am soooooooooooo enjoying your (and Susan’s lol) snaps and podcasts…My sis and I laugh ’cause my husband is Michael.. (fucking maps, ironing, panicking, getting somewhere 5 hours before we need to be there.. etc..)… Keep up doing what you’re doing; you’re truly a shining star! xo
Hi Lauren. Just read your post. My daughter just had this surgery 8 weeks ago and is experiencing some of the exact same feelings you write about. Thank you for sharing. I was wondering if you could tell me at what point in your recovery you were when you wrote this… And if my daughter could contact you directly for support. She is having a very hard time. Thanks.
Of course! She can email me at lauryn@theskinnyconfidential.com & I’ll make sure to get right back to her. x
Hey Lauyrn… I am so happy to have found your blog. I had double jaw surgery, sliding genioplasty, and nose job only a couple of weeks ago. I really feel terrible! Everything is swollen and I really feel like a monster. My chin looks wider and longer than before, my face really big, and even my nose looks bigger than before… and of course this was not the idea at all! I am so happy to see other people faced the same situation… You really look great now, and I do hope I look normal one day too. I am trying to find my old self in the mirror… but I cannot!
Hi Lauryn,
I have recently been through major jaw surgery myself. I am at week 4 and have been truly struggling to accept my new appearance. I truly thank you for your post that is so raw and honest. It is so difficult to face everyone without being paranoid about being judged. You are truly brave to share this process with everyone and It is humbling to see that your motivation to get through is by looking at the positive side of things. I must admit my husband and family have been so supportive through this process and certainly pick you up when feeling low. Although it’s still a long road ahead, I am truly looking forward to ride it through. Thank you for being so real and helping me get through this tough time.
Thanks for sharing this. Four months ago, I had jaw/chin reduction surgery also known as v-line surgery in Seoul, Korea. Although swelling has gone down, I am still swollen and to be honest, I look the same because of it! It’s driving me insane! So it’s good to hear that someone who had a similar surgery is experiencing the same frustrations. I really hope in a year or so, that I will finally get the sleek jawline I’m looking for. Right now, I’ve got a weird double chin and puffy cheeks.
Hiya thank you for shearing, l recently had a double jaw surgery, l live in Ireland if u feel like contact me would be great as l have loads to tell about it too. It changed my life for better Ofcourse.
So, I basically just totally related to your post when reading your issues with grinding, my bite not being together and a lot of neck pain. I just figured I had a very square jaw. I have been consulting with plastic surgeons in LA (Dr. Harrison Lee) about doing a jawline shave/reduction….but now I am starting to think I need what you had. Did you have your jawline tapered as well or just your bite fixed?
girl, i am totally on the swollen train too, don’t you worry. i had double jaw surgery in september and something that has really helped, which seems kinda backwards is heat! i put heat packs(like the ones you put in the microwave) on my lower jaw for 10/15 mins and then do the same on my nose/cheeks as well! If you also talk to your doctor he can give you exercises to do(or at least mine did) that’ll help with the swelling/numness. AND GET A FACE MASSAGE. i wasn’t able to feel my lips/chin for the longest time but i got my face massaged by a family friend who is a massage therapist and oh my goodness, i could feel stuff after! its kinda uncomfortable for sure but in the long run it totally helps. So thankful i stumbled across your blog, its hard going through something like this without knowing what to prepare for!
Two of the most important healing elements are calories and protein. Extra protein is needed to build new tissue and blood vessels, repair injured tissue and step up production of cells that repair the wound. Choose high quality protein sources like fish, poultry, beans & legumes or lean cuts of meat.
Hi Lauryn, Thanks so much for this post! I just underwent double jaw surgery two weeks ago and sounds like I had a similar procedure. Both my lower and upper jaw were advanced and also my upper jaw was impacted. The swelling has been intense and that is how I found your post. Glad to hear I’m not alone. I thought I was prepared. Had all my homemade soups, superfood smoothies, bromalein, turmeric, milk thistle etc and the swelling is still overwhelming. So I’d love to hear an update of when all of your swelling finally disappeared? Also how long did it take to smile naturally again? I can’t smile at all yet and I just look frozen and expressionless! I can already breathe so much better though so that has been a major plus!
Hey,
Just stumbled across your blog in my depressed post-surgery state. I’m three weeks post-op, my top lip has disappeared and is making me look like Garth from Wayne’s World. Major bummer. I knew recovery would be tough but I totally wasn’t prepared for how bad it would actually be. It’s somewhat of a relief to hear that I’m not alone in struggling and not feeling like myself. Your face is awesome and I’m hoping mine ends up looking great too 🙂 xx
I know this is an older post, but I’m currently recovering from double-jaw surgery and I was scouring the Internet trying to find ways to reduce swelling, and I’m SO happy I came across your posts about jaw surgery. I’ve been following you on insta for ages and never realized you are a jaw surgery survivor! It’s so hard for people who haven’t taken this journey to understand the physical and mental challenges of the recovery process. I appreciate your candor and honesty. I hope my results are even half as amazing as yours! Much love!
Hello. I think you look beautiful and not swollen at all! I am 42 years old and just had double jaw surgery on January 26th. It’s nice to read blogs and know that others know how you feel. It’s only been a little over 2 weeks and I just want to “feel” “look” normal again!
Thank you for being so open honest and shining light on the good bad and the ugly 🙂 I just had major jaw surgery on the bottom last Thursday. I am currently sitting at my desk ( thank goodness I work from home) googling swelling. I am a bit freaked out on the amount of swelling I still have after 5 days. So after reading your blog it made me feel so much more comfortable . I think i was in complete denial for how major this surgery was going to be and how intense recovery was. I have two small boys. 4 and 2. My parents have had them since Thursday and I am dying to get them back, however I know how crucial the first week if not more is so we are just playing it safe. That doesn’t help with the emotional part of this either. Thank you again
We have a lot in common I also live in San Diego and had double jaw surgery I’m on week 5. I found your blog when I was googling about my swelling. I hope I look as beautiful as you do in the end. I’m still so tramautized about my look
Hi Lauryn,
My 15 year old daughter is 5 days post double-jaw surgery. When the bandages came off,,,, wow what a change!!!! Looks amazing. I did not expect that much of a change,,,, but she looks amazing. As the swelling is kicking in now I am getting nervous for her and how she handles it.
Is there any chance you would be willing to message or email her privately to help her through this? You can let me know either way at mitchkijak@gmail.com.
Hello x
Im grace and I’m from San Diego as well! I think we got double jaw surgery from the same surgeon in Carmel valley?? I’m 22 days post op and seriously not liking the swelling what’s so ever. Seriously, it’s terrible. The thought of wanting a nose job after this surgery… not gonna happen… ever. Haha. Reading this totally makes me feel better about this whole thing and I can’t wait for it to be done.
Hey Laurin! I love your site! What kind of braces did you have?
Wow !
Amazing post!
Hi Lauryn,
I am a regular reader of your amazing blog ! Your all posts and all thoughts are really appreciable and respectable ! I Love your thoughts Lauryn ! Yes You Are STILL VERY swollen 🙂
In case you are considering a rhinoplasty, commonly called a nose job, should you have a mental picture of what you hope to appear to be after the procedure and maybe in spite of about downloading a rhinoplasty app.
Again ! So glad I found this- will totally be taking advantage of your bone broth recipe !!
Great post!!! I went through lower jaw surgery and it was rough. The swelling eventually did go down, and most of the numbness in my chin did come back about a year later. Wishing you a speedy recovery!! And the surgery was well worth it in the end for me too. Love your blog!
Amazing post ! I feel your pain! Was diagnosed with viral pericarditis in January. Major pain and swelling on the lining of my heart. It’s been horrible. I haven’t been able to workout because it aggravates it:/ Seeing a specialist at The Cleveland Clinic who has been managing my inflammation via blood draws twice monthly. Thanks !
Interesting, I worked out yesterday for the first time post surgery. A little more than 5 weeks ago. It was a beautiful day and I went for a 2 mile jog, nothing crazy.
I do recall my face kind of hurting earlier in the day so I’m not sure if my short work out was really the cause of my major inflammation since.
My right side is significantly swollen… looks like I have a black eye. It’s so swollen my eye can only open half way. Gonna send my doctor’s a video and see what they think is going on. The commute is too long to simply pay them a visit. Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m learning so much through others that went through a similar experience.
What is the name of your jaw surgeon? (: I’m in San Diego too.
Dr. Mcgann
Hey Lauryn,
I’m planning on getting the same procedure by a celebrity plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills/A> and was wondering have you noticed any residual scarring? From what I see in this post your procedure went amazing though- thanks for sharing!
This was by far the most helpful post I’ve read on jaw surgery recovery! I had my lower jaw and chin done 4 months ago & still have a considerable amount of swelling on my right side, although there’s some swelling on left and chin too. And the numbness, plus my skin is hyper sensitive due to the nerve damage – what did you do for that if you had it? So helpful – THANK YOU!
I want to applaud you for being so transparent.
My Daughter had double jaw surgery and it has been a very daunting and incredible experience for me as her Mother and caregiver. We’ve been on a roller coaster ride. Did I mention that she had to have a second surgery because her jaw shifted.
Her support and inspiration have come from an online community who have also shared their experiences. I believe we should continue to proactively engaged to help support others because its essential to survival of a life changing event. It’s not just surgical but emotional, physical and psychological. You are a brave soul to share your experience but it must be done.
Perhaps we can collectively write a book. There is life after double jaw surgery but getting through it is very challenging. Yes, people, relatives, and those that you thought would give you support are sometimes not there. It’s so important to have a support system during this time.
Wow what an incredible story, thank you for sharing Karen! x
My son underwent double jaw surgery 4 months ago. He is still very swollen and he looks very different. They have advised us up to 18-24 months until his face fully settles. I think a book should be written about this surgery. It’s a very difficult surgery. The recovery immediately and months after it’s still pretty brutal.
Lauryn!! I have a jaw surgery consult at the end of the month (freaking out here). I have never been through anything this major in my life. I really hope I am not that swollen for that long because I will cry. I am already so self-conscious about this process. Would love to chat further about your process.
Hi! I love this post. I had the same surgery two years ago. I still have really bad swelling at times. My surgeon suggested removing the plates because I’m having a reaction. Did you experience any side effects two years after this surgery?
Great read! I am 4 weeks done with my double jaw and chin surgery (severe sleep apnea since teenager…I am 50) and was looking for swell reducing tips. You mention ice facials? I thought no ice 48 hours after surgery and only use heat…
Anyway, I enjoyed your tale of woe and will double my arnica and turmeric!
This post deserves a standing ovation! I can go on for hours about how great of a person you are to go so far as to share with the whole world the journey you went through. Your tale definitely allows everyone who reads it a better understanding of what’s to come when they choose to undergo a procedure such as yours. Thank you!
For those who can’t get enough of before and after tales and photos, check out this gallery: https://www.drshahidi.com/gallery/rhinoplasty-gallery/
Really helps put minds at ease when deciding to go through a procedure.
So this blog is a few years old, but I’ve been searching for MONTHS & this is the 1st bit of information I’ve found remotely helpful or honest. I broke my face, like shattered my cheekbone. This was 9 months ago, & I still am not balanced, & my face is still pretty swollen. And I have what feels like a hard lump forming over the area where the reconstructive surgery was. You sound like you went through something similar. I have plates in my face that look like the xrays you shared. Did your swelling go down? How long did it actually take, & did you find anything to help speed up the process? Thanks for your time, & this honest confession!
Thanks for your honesty! You look awesome. Was this covered by insurance?
I am very proud of you to own up to the gruesome details. I just got my
Double jaw surgery. It is slightly more then 3 weeks and yes the I only have 20% swelling. Still on liquid diet. Thank you for everything and yes I can totally understand and feel what you had gone thru. Keep it up and best wishes
keep it up!! things will get better <3
Hi Lauryn,
Thank you for your post, I only came across it now and i loved it:-) i am coming up to 3 weeks post DJS and like you mentioned, i am finding the identity part really tough. I dont want to leave the house or facetime friends and am nervous about people seeing me. I am being patient ans just waiting as I knew to expect this, so hopefully that improves:-)
Can I ask what your infection was related to? Was it rejecting the hardware? Sorry to ask I am just nervous of infections so am trying to ensure I do everything to avoid them?
Thanks so much,
Lauren x
Hello I’m Judith Quintero I just had jaw surgery 2 months ago. I feel exactly like you were feeling at your 2 months post op. I’m still very swallow. I see my self on the mirror and I don’t like my new face just for the fact that is very swallow. I’m having such a dificultad time to talk. Some times I think I did the wrong decision correction my underbite.
Omg I am so glad I found your blog!!! I’m in my 3rd week post op of the same surgery you had and omggg the swelling! 🙁 I read you got a really bad infection in your 4th week…do you know what caused that?!? It’s something I am desperately trying to avoid! You look amazing now!! Xx
Girl, I feel you. It’s been 13 months since my double jaw surgery and I still don’t feel the lower side of my jaw or if food is dripping then. My teeth are still sensitive and now that summer is back, the swelling has begun. I felt it instantly.
I also had an infection and 9 weeks of antibiotics.
I’m happy with the result but won’t lie about the recovery burden. It’s really something. Stay strong! You’ve got this!
Hello. I recently had Le fort 1 maxillary osteotomy in 3 segments, bilateral Sagittal split ramps osteotomies of the mandible, reduction of bilateral inferior turbinates, septoplasty, genioplasty,, bilateral temporal tarsorrhaphy with splint in upper palate…. (that’s a lot) on 6/23/20. My splint will be removed in 2 weeks. Yay!! So I’m PO 3 weeks today. I want to say I’m about 30-35% swollen still. Right now besides the swelling, I’m dealing with constant oily skin. Not sure if you had that issue but if you did, how did you deal with that?
Hi Lauryn, Well I am now realizing you posted this 5 years ago but I just had this surgery (twice, sadly things didn’t go as planned the first time). I am beyond nervous about the healing/swelling process and this gave me a lot of great insight! If you have any other tips on a speedy recovery that would be GREATLY appreciated. I am almost 6 weeks post op which means solid foods are coming soon. I’m nervous how this adjustment back to life will go so once again if you have any recommendations I am all ears. Hopefully things are back to normal and you can be my role model 5 years in the future. Thanks for this post.
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I usually don’t read posts or blogs but I just underwent this surgery. I know exactly what you are speaking too. The identity crisis, cringing when you look in the mirror, I’ve been suffering from major breakouts since surgery and I haven’t had skin problems before. The waking up of nerves and just overall experience is traumatizing but also life changing because you can finally eat normally. I just really wanted to say thank you for being real about it. I’ve been struggling with the feeling of not being myself and I’m so glad someone else knows what I went through.
I’m so happy I found your article. I just recently had double jaw surgery (top and bottom jaw), and I’m at my lowest right now. My orthodontist and surgeon did advise me of the swelling; however, I did not expect for it to last this long (it’s been 3 weeks since I’ve had surgery). Every morning I wake up and go straight to the mirror to see any changes has happened with the swelling just to be disappointed that I still look the same. Most of the work was done to my top jaw so my top lip, nose area, and jaws are swollen. I’m just praying for a speedy recovery and so thankful that I read your article. This gives me hope and you are very beautiful!
I had double jaw surgery about 4 weeks ago. The drs say I have almost no swelling but I feel I look a little swollen around my chin area. It’s not an easy surgery for sure but I guess I got lucky in how well I’m recovering.
My 17 year old son underwent double jaw surgery 4 months. He is still pretty swollen and his face has def changed. It’s been the hardest thing I have seen everyone go thru. Like you, we are still in slight disbelief that it might take a full year to year and a half to bring swelling down and for his new face to settle.