Due to my malocclusion and asymmetrical lantern jaw, I had been living life without smiling brightly and without confidence. I had even been teased for my protruding jaw, enduring a lifetime of stress. Although I knew that double jaw surgery was an option, fear held me back from making a decision. However, as I was researching surgery centers, I came across one that was well-known. The eu surgeons’ interviews on broadcasts and YouTube instilled a sense of trust in me, which led me to choose eu.
Surgery Day
Before the surgery, I was more concerned about breathing than pain. I don’t know why but all the reviews I read mentioned feeling suffocated. At this moment, I can breathe well, but I can’t endure the pain. I want to sleep, but the pain is so intense I can’t fall asleep. Hopefully, the day passes quickly.
The pain has improved significantly compared to yesterday. My breathing still feels restricted, and I don’t know if I’ve adapted to it, but it’s not uncomfortably so. I heard that the swelling will continue to increase until tomorrow, but I don't think I'm very swollen, or it doesn’t feel like it. The only thing that I want is to sleep comfortably.
After being discharged and returning home, I feel even more uncomfortable than when I was hospitalized. My breathing has become better, but I’m experiencing more pain in my left cheekbone, and I don’t know why. I can’t sleep, and it’s still distressing. Maybe it’s because of the swelling in particular, but the lip asymmetry that wasn’t detected by others before looks noticeable, which is kind of annoying.
Regardless of the swelling, I’m extremely hungry. My mouth doesn't open properly, so I can’t even get porridge or soup in my mouth. Even with the syringe, it’s had to get it in, so I had to force myself to eat. I’ve been drinking Nucare (a meal replacement beverage) for 4 days, which makes me want to have delicious food soon.
I’m doing a bit better than right after the surgery, but the most difficult part is being hungry. It’s hard to consume porridge or soup no matter how finely ground up it is. Foods that aren’t liquid consistency won’t pass down my throat, so I’m only having Nucare…I’m so tired due to the hunger… :(
It seems like the swelling is gradually subsiding. When I woke up in the morning, I felt that my face was different from yesterday. I should put more effort into going on walks and trying to reduce the swelling.
As one month has passed, my body seems to have recovered a lot. However, the surgical method for my surgery was different from that of most other patients, so there is some discomfort from the rubber bands keeping my jaws fixated. While the major swelling has mostly dissipated, I can feel that there is some swelling left near the philtrum. I am quite satisfied with the current changes, but practicing biting is still challenging, so I need to work on that.
The swelling seems to have gone down a lot. I think it's to the extent that someone who didn’t know my face is swollen wouldn’t know I had surgery. There is still some swelling around the cheeks and philtrum, but it doesn't significantly affect my daily life. At this point, I’m going about my life without any discomfort. I think this surgery is one there are no regrets about as long as you have endured the difficult 1- to 2-week period right after the surgery.
Now I feel that I’m living the same way as I did before surgery. There's still a bit of discomfort from the screws embedded in the gums, but it's not a major issue. In the beginning, I was in a lot of pain and had a lot of regrets and worries, but now I’m incredibly satisfied and think I made an excellent decision to muster up the courage to undergo surgery.
At this stage, there is absolutely no discomfort in my everyday life and my satisfaction is quite high. think there is still some residual swelling, but I can’t pinpoint where it is. If someone were to get double jaw surgery for purely cosmetic reasons, I honestly think they would have a hard time and I’m not sure if they would think that it is worth it. However, I’m satisfied to the extent that I would highly recommend undergoing double jaw surgery for those with severe malocclusion or asymmetry.
I had a rhinoplasty due to my nose becoming wider after double jaw surgery. While I do like the changes in my nose, I think what I’m actually happy and satisfied with is the double jaw surgery. The improvements have been great both functionally and aesthetically. Dr. Shin mentioned that there won't be any major changes from now on and that I will l settle into my natural face shape. Even though I faced difficulties along the way, I feel satisfied and have no regrets about the decision to undergo surgery!
At this point, most of the residual swelling has subsided, and there don't seem to be any significant changes. I'm extremely satisfied to the point where I can hardly remember how I looked before surgery. In addition, I’m pleased with how things have become more comfortable in a functional sense. Early on, I had regrets due to the difficulties and challenges that I faced, but considering the long run, I would strongly urge anyone with cases like mine to undergo surgery. That’s how satisfied I am!!!
Even if I do not see any more changes in my face, I am going on about life content. This process was tough, but I want to thank and commend myself for pushing through. As the saying goes, time fixes everything. Functionally, things have improved a lot, and there’s no discomfort biting off ramyeon with my front teeth. Although I have not adapted to this 100%, I think my surgery was a success.
At this stage, my appearance looks natural so people wouldn’t even know that I had surgery, and I’m able to eat without any discomfort. Before the surgery, showing my side profile to others was embarrassing, but now I have gained confidence, and it feels like my life has changed a lot.
Finally, it feels like all the swelling has completely subsided. I’m going about my life with no discomfort related to the surgery. Recently, those around me have been telling me that my current face looks so natural that they can’t remember my pre-surgery face >__< I’m incredibly satisfied and thrilled!!! I hope those considering surgery can gather the courage for it!
It has now been a year since my double jaw surgery. Looking back, time seems to have passed too quickly. It feels like just yesterday I was having a hard time after the surgery—I can’t believe a year has gone by. The swelling has gone down completely, so there’s none of it left to dissipate. I feel that my current face was mine from the start to the point where I can’t remember my pre-surgery face. My face has become so naturally mine. I’m truly grateful to Dr. Shin for helping me achieve this look, and I have no regrets about the surgery!