There are many forums and communities which detail personal stories and experiences…but unfortunately a disprortionate amount of these experiences are negative as they are patients who have had an unsatisfactory outcome, and are seeking advice or reassurance from others. Reading some of these experiences can put you off Plastic Surgery for life. My ultimate plan for this blog is to detail things exactly how they are. Exactly how I experienced them. I will cover everything including my inner thoughts and emotions, both before and after my surgery. There will be no holding back. If you have any questions you would like to ask me privately, you can contact me on webmaster@chinimplant.com.au

And I won’t lie, I also felt some embarrassment. Not so much because I care what people think, or maybe deep down I do? I decided to keep things to myself and girlfriend anyway. I told close family and friends I was having my wisdom teeth removed, which gives me an excuse to vanish for a few weeks to heal. My girlfriend is fully supportive of my quest for Plastic Surgery, but I think deep down she figured I would never have the balls to go through with it all. In retrospect she would be very wrong, this once

If I was to tell my Dad I was going to have Plastic Surgery, I feel he will doubt my sanity. Which I’m sure he already does. My Dad is from an era in time where only the rich and famous have Plastic Surgery. Why the hell would his son need it?? When or if he does eventually find out, I will just tell him I was unhappy with the genetic hand I was dealt. (I love to stir him up) I know for sure my brother and sister will be all for it. They have both been vocal on their opinions of Plastic Surgery in the past. I am really not sure how my mother will react. But I believe with some of the family secrets that have been revealed in recent times, nothing will shock her anymore. But at this stage, I really don’t want to stress her out about it. As for close friends, I honestly don’t care what they think. (not that I don’t care for their values or opinions) For now I won’t say anything unless they notice. They know I am not a conventional man, so I doubt anyone will be surprised.

After many weeks of searching for qualified Plastic Surgeons in Sydney Australia, I finally narrowed my choice down to about 3 or 4 Surgeons. Most of them in the Eastern Suburbs or North Shore. One thing to note when searching for a “Plastic Surgeon”, confirm they are a member of the ASPS. Anyone with a medical degree can call themselves a “Cosmetic Surgeon”. But only specialised surgeons who have endured the further 8-10 years of advanced training can become a member of the Australian Society Of Plastic Surgeons.

At this stage I will not name the surgeon I selected, not until I get authorisation. To be honest, he was the first and only Surgeon I consulted with. I know this is bad, as I beleive you should really consult with multiple surgeons, but I had a good feeling about him from the start. Some of the reasons I selected this particular Surgeon was ….. Firstly, he is a member of the ASPS. He has a lot of good press on both Television and in Magazines/Media. He has apparently worked on three Oscar winners and two Golden Globe winners. He is also a Surgeon who specialises in face and neck surgery. Now any Surgeon who works exclusively on the face/neck earns my respect. This would be by far the hardest area to accomplish patient satisfaction, as the face is the first thing people (including yourself) notice each day. I am sure he could make a ton of money just churning out boob jobs, but this surgeon has a brilliant eye for facial aesthetics. In my humble opinion, he is not only a genius, but an artistic genius, who obviously likes a challenge. You may ask, what gives me the right to make such a huge claim? Well besides the work he has performed on my own face (which I love so far), I have browsed through the before and after photos in his surgery. His results are nothing short of mind blowing. After looking through his photo’s, I can guarantee he has some very happy patients!

Another reason I selected this Surgeon was simply because he seemed like a nice genuine guy. He was not at all cocky, and seemed very approachable with a great sense of humour. He was also very happy to answer all of my questions, no matter how stupid they we’re.

I also recommend when researching a surgeon, to use plastic surgery website forums such as MakeMeHeal.com. Use the forum “Search Function” to find a surgeons name. (yes some Surgeon’s names slip through the cracks of moderation and are posted) If you find a user has posted about the surgeon you are interested in, send them a private message and ask them about their experience. I contacted about 5 forum users who had already been worked on by the Plastic Surgeon I was interested in using. They all had positive things to say about him.

Anyway, I discussed my concerns with the plastic surgeon…I told him I want him to suck out my double chin and to have more definition in my chin/jaw line. He took examined my face, and squeezed the fat under my chin between his two fingers. He then asked me to swallow. I am guessing he was checking if it was fat that was causing my double chin, or the muscle sagging. After reviewing my face and taking some photos, my surgeon suggested a few options. First of all, he suggested I would greatly benefit from a chin implant. This would provide some projection to my chin, and improve the balance of my lower face. He also suggested two options when it came to removing the fat from my neck and under chin. He said he could simply liposuction the fat, which will give me a 20% improvement. Or he could tighten and lift the platysma muscle which is located under the neck, plus have liposuction which would give me a 40% improvement. Another procedure he suggested would suit my face was to have some buccal fat removed from my lower cheeks. After checking my cheeks he believed I would be a good candidate for this, as I have a very round face, and a moderate amount of lower cheek mass. He also questioned me about my parents faces, as removing the buccal fat pads in certain patients can be a bad move. As we age, we lose fat in the face, and this can create a gaunt look in later years. Both my mother and father have full round lower cheeks, so I got the genetic nod of approval. The surgeon suggested that if he was me, he would just go for the chin implant, neck liposuction and buccal fat removal. And suggested that I would be very happy with the results. He then uploaded my photos to his computer, and showed me what my face would look like after surgery. To be honest, at the time I was not entirely impressed with the computer images. But at the same time I realise this is only an indicator of outcome, and it did definitely look better than my current profile, which resembled something similar to a Muppet. The surgeon also questioned my psychological health, and my expectations from the surgery. He asked how important this surgery was to me? I answered the questions honestly. I do not believe I have unrealistic expectations..I don’t want him to morph me into Brad Pitt, I just want to look like myself, only improved. As for how important the surgery was to me, I feel if he rejected my request for surgery, I may have given up on the whole idea. While it was important to me, it was not the be all and end all. I am sure I would have found a new challenge to make life less boring.

After briefly explaining the procedures recommended for my face, and how they are performed, the surgeon asked me if I had any questions? I recommend you bring a list of questions to your initial consultation, so you don’t forget anything when it comes to the crunch. Because of the research I had already done prior, and my love for the TV series Extreme Makeover, I was very familiar with the procedures he suggested. Hell, give me a Scalpel and Cannula, and I could have probably performed the procedures myself! (well, not quite.. )

Once the consultation was finished, I was introduced to the Surgeon’s coordinator, who explained what to do if I wish to proceed. She also printed out a quote for me. Please email me if you wish to know the breakdown on how much each procedure costs me.

2 Weeks before the actual surgery date, I had a Pre Op appointment. This consisted of me signing documents, excepting the risks and outcomes of my chosen procedures. The Surgeon also took photos of me from different angles. This was also my last chance to ask about any further questions or concerns. I was also asked about my current medications, and any allergies I may have. The Surgeon then prescribed me some medication for before and after the surgery, including antibiotics, sleeping pills, and pain killers. And interestingly, he also advised me to start taking Vitamin C, Zinc and Arnica both before and after surgery. Apparently this assists with the healing process. It was also suggested by the nurse not to drink any alcohol up to a week before surgery. DOH! So once I was finished with the Surgeon, I was walked into his coordinators office, and it was time pay up! Thank god for Uncle Amex! Once payment was organised, I was introduced to the nurse. The nurse basically prepared me for what to expect on the day of surgery, and recovery. She advised that I limit my diet to liquids for the first day, then soft foods from then on. She also suggested I sleep with my head in an elevated position after surgery, as this helps with the swelling. Another suggestion was to drink lots of Pineapple juice. Apparently this also assists with swelling.

That was about it for the Pre Op appointment. It was very non eventful. I was expecting blood tests, x-rays, stress tests etc. But I guess for my age, and the procedures I was about to endure, this was unnecessary.

Noted ” Have been feeling some nerves, but only when I think about the surgery. Definately having doubts and wondering what the hell am I doing!? This idea all sounded good in theory, but now it comes to the crunch perhaps it wasn’t such a great idea after all. Things are feeling very surreal. I am feeling incredibly guilty about lying to my mum and friends about having my wisdom teeth pulled. I have no moral issues when it comes to plastic surgery, but to blow $13k on Vanity makes me feel very guilty. I randomly get the feelings of butterflies and that sinking feeling in my stomach everytime my thoughts dwell on tomorrows surgery. I am worried that something may go wrong in the surgery, or that I may never wake up. What a pointless way to die, on something so fickle and unecessary.”

” The night before surgery….put on my running shoes and go for a run. Eat what could be my last dinner! Don’t have any appetite for my favourite food on earth, Ice Cream. Pop 3mg of Xanax before bed. Must have knocked myself out at around 11pm”

“The morning before surgery….awake at 3am! Doh! wrest less in bed until 4am. Decide to get up, have a shower and wash my hair with Johnson’s baby shampoo, just as the doctor ordered. Shave, and wash my mouth with an Anti-Bacterial mouth wash. Emotions - I am feeling very spacey from the huge dose of Xanax. To be honest I feel almost zero nerves and anxiety. Got to love Xanax! Took my Vitamin C, Zinc, Arnica around 4:30am. 5am - have 50 minutes before the Taxi arrives. Concerns going through my mind - lethal reaction to anesthetic. Poor, aesthetic asymmetrical outcome. Just read surgeons notes, no Neurofen 2 weeks before surgery..doh I took 2 last night for my headache! Worried about infection, pain, agony, death”

” Arrive at Hospital around 6:15am, and greeted by Susie the Hospital Liaison Officer. Susie checks all my paperwork and gets me to sign more documents. Not long after I am transferred to my own private room. I put on my hospital robes, and lie on the bed while my girlfriend plays Mario on her DS. My nerves at this stage are surprisingly not bad. Thanks again to Xanax I meet with the Anesthesiologist who seems like a nice switched on gentlemen. We talk about my current medications and general health. He is concerned about my blood pressure which read 162/80 from memory. I am guessing this is due to nerves before the operation, but the doctor said I should really get it checked, or I may have a short life. hehe, thanks doc! I then see my Surgeon, who seems like a lovely caring man, in a very rushed way! Lets put it this way, he must be a busy man, it took me almost 6 months just to get a consult with him! My only qualm with my surgeon (which I would not even consider a qualm) is he did not speak to me in more technical details about the procedures. The nerd in me wanted to know everything…like what type of liposuction will be performed, Tumescent, Smart Lipo, Ultrasonic? What size and shape chin implant…how will he carve it down and shape it to adapt to my chin. How many CC’s of Buccal fat will be removed from my cheeks?  Where will incisions on my face be located. I had all these questions but never the opportunity to ask. Perhaps this is my own fault. But I guess if he was to explain the semantics of every procedure to every patient, he would never have the time to do what he does best, operate.

“In the Operating Theatre” - Walk into the OR, and notice a huge team of doctors. My surgeon introduces me to a female trainee surgeon who will be watching my operation today. She seems very young and polite. My Anesthesiologist introduces me to his assistant. There are a number of other nurses and people preparing instruments in the background. Wow, all these people for me. I knew I am in good hands. The Anesthesiologist tries tapping an IV into a vein in my hand, but doesn’t seem to work. So he manages to tap a vein on the crook of my elbow. He mentions giving me something to relax, I like the sound of this. I instantly begin to feel dizzy. Then seconds later I was gone….blackness…nothing. Next thing I realise I am awake in a different room, with a friendly nurse beside me monitoring my vitals. Seems I had the urge to talk crap, but my lower lip had been numbed so I was talking garble. At this stage I am feeling very alert to my surroundings, but at the same time I have a headache like a hangover. The nice nurse crushes up some Digesic pain killers in honey for me…but the headache still persists for a while. I was told my operation lasted an 1:45mins, and the hospital was kind enough to refund me for the 15 minutes extra of surgery time I had paid. I had booked 2 hours. I am guessing I am back in my private room at around 9am. The nurses take great care of me, constantly monitoring my blood pressure and giving me pain killers and icecream. I have also been given a compression garment to wear around my head/neck. This helps with the swelling and bruising of liposuction. Overall I am feeling pretty good….in fact I don’t feel any pain at all besides my headache” I get up eventually to goto the toilet…and take a quick peep of myself in the mirror. I was expecting to look battered and bruised, but everything looked ok at this stage. After a couple of hours of monitoring, the nurses tell me its ok for me to go home. I just remember thinking wow, this entire process was a lot easier than I expected. What was all the stress about?? All the Doctors/Nurses/Staff had been very caring and professional, which created a positve experience for me.

“I must say, pain and discomfort has been zero. The most painful part of the entire process was having the tape removed that held the IV into place. No kidding! I have been taking Digesic (Pain Killers) every 4-6 hours, and drinking lots of pineapple juice. I am also constantly rinsing my mouth with salt water, and spraying my arnica for the bruising. Now to the good part…how do I look?? I took a quick peep when I got home from the hospital. I removed the compression garment and looked in the mirror. And I must say, I am very impressed by what I see. Wow, I have a jaw line, a chin…my double chin is gone! At this very moment I am one happy man! Even with all tape, stitches, bruises and swelling, I really like what I see.

Here are some photos taken on the same day…before the surgery, then after. Not the most flattering photos, but you get the idea.

“First Night” - sleeping is difficult with the compression garment on, and I have also elevated the head of my bed by placing pillows under the matress to prop it up. I don’t want to sleep on my side, because I don’t want to ruin any of the work that has just been done, but at the same time I cannot sleep on my back. So once again, Xanax saves the day…I fall asleep in very high spirits.