1. Why I Got Double Jaw Surgery

I was in middle school when I realized that my long chin and teeth alignment were different from my friends. I thought it would be resolved with braces, so I met with a lot of orthodontists, but all of them recommended double jaw surgery. However, I was still in middle school at that time, and the cost of double jaw surgery was burdensome, so I opted to wait and see after orthodontic treatment to determine whether or not I should undergo double jaw surgery. After about 3 years of wearing braces, I felt that orthodontic treatment wasn’t enough and decided to get double jaw surgery.

2. Insecurities I Had Before the Surgery

Taking pictures with other people was a big source of stress for me because of my facial asymmetry and the fact that my long chin made my neck short and my face look big. I also had a habit of covering my face because the width of my cheekbones was prominent, making my face appear flat. 

 3. Why I Chose EU

After making the decision to undergo double jaw surgery, I first started looking into clinics and hospitals on YouTube. Videos on the EU Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery channel had detailed explanations and reviews, which satisfied my curiosity and alleviated my anxiety surrounding double jaw surgery. To learn more about EU, I visited the clinic for a consultation. I was able to have confidence in undergoing double jaw surgery after the comprehensive assessment and meeting with the surgeon. Before making my final decision, I went to other clinics, but I wasn’t satisfied with their consultations. EU also had good reviews on double jaw surgery info sites, which led me to undergo double jaw surgery at EU. 

Day 1 (12/30)

I just slept yesterday because I was still feeling the effects of the anesthesia, but they’ve worn off today. I’m much more comfortable now that the Foley catheter and the nasal cannula have been removed. I felt uncomfortable, but the surgeon disinfected my mouth at 9 a.m. Although I can only have Nucare (a meal replacement drink) and water, it is hard to swallow because my throat is swollen. It’d be great if time goes by quickly.

Day 7 (1/5)

I went to the clinic today to get my cheekbone stitches removed. This didn’t hurt at all. I think the swelling is still the same, but I’ve been feeling weak and dizzy, probably because I haven’t been able to eat. Once I got home, I drank some coffee, which made me feel better but I’m really hungry. I don’t have any difficulties going out and about my everyday life. Not being able to eat is the hardest part :(

Day 14 (1/12)

Today is the day I get my stitches removed. I worried a lot thinking it would hurt, but it hurt much less than I thought…it felt more like a stinging sensation. Starting today, I’m allowed to have foods I can swallow without chewing, so I bought some porridge to eat. The porridge was too chunky to consume as is—I think it’s a good idea to grind or blend it before eating it. There wasn’t a significant reduction in the swelling, but it’s more comfortable to talk and eat without the stitches, so that's nice.

1 Month Post-Op (1/26)

It’s already been a month! I went to the clinic for X-rays, and it was so nice to see how evident the changes were :) Starting today, I can chew soft foods, so I had jjajangmyeon (Korean-style Chinese noodles in a black bean sauce) right away. I looked forward to this, but my ability to feel sensations hasn’t returned to my upper gums, so it didn’t feel like I was chewing… I ended up chewing only a little and just swallowed each bite. I think the swelling looks fuller because I ate a lot of those noodles, but it’s easy to open my mouth! Thankfully, I’m starting to be able to feel sensations in my cheekbones.

2 Months Post-Op (2/25)

It has now been two months! The ability to feel sensations in my upper gums and cheekbones has returned and it’s not very uncomfortable when I chew. There are still a lot of restrictions on what I’m allowed to eat, which is disappointing, but I’m still happy about the fact that I can have a wider range of foods, compared to before. As for the swelling, it’s gone down a lot in this past month. People have been telling me undergoing the surgery was a good idea. By next month, it’ll be easier to eat—it’d be nice for time to pass and the swelling to go down quickly.

3 Months Post-Op (3/29)

Today marks 3 months since my surgery! Finally! Back when I had the surgery, I would wonder when this day would come but time really flies… I hadn’t gone to the clinic since the 1-month follow-up visit, so I worried about my post-surgery recovery. This made me anxious before meeting with the surgeon. Fortunately, he said I have been recovering well, and it turns out the things I worried about weren’t a big deal at all. The swelling has gone down considerably compared to before, which was nice. However, as my chin has gotten shorter, my double chin has become more prominent, so I think I should lose some weight.

4 Months Post-Op (4/28)

I didn’t know that the time had already gone by, but it has been 4 months since my surgery already! I thought much of the swelling was gone by the 3-month mark, but lately, my friends have been telling me that the swelling has gone down even more, which makes me happy. The area around my cheekbones still feels swollen, but it’s gotten much better compared to before. There’s virtually no discomfort when chewing now! The best part is that I’m allowed to eat a wider range of foods—this is really great. Recently, I started exercising—I should work hard at it until my jawline becomes visible! Lately, I’ve been glad that I got the surgery, lol.

5 Months Post-Op

It’s now been five months! Regarding the swelling, I couldn’t tell the difference, but people have been telling me that the swelling’s gone down a lot, which makes me happy. There’s still some swelling in my chin and cheekbones, but fortunately, it still goes down little by little. Next month is the 6-month mark—I hope my double chin goes away by then too!

6 Months Post-Op

It’s been already half a year since my surgery! Dieting has shrunk my double chin, but it is still kind of visible, lol. Maybe that’s why I think having had double jaw surgery was a good idea these days! It’d be even better if I can get my braces off, too. Due to the COVID pandemic, I haven’t been able to go out and take photos, but I’m also relieved by the fact that I have to wear a mask because my face is still slightly swollen. I think it’ll take some time for the swelling to completely go down, as that is usually the case for me :( I want to take my mask off already!

7 Months Post-Op

Now that 6 months have passed, all of the noticeable swelling has gone down and the swelling that’s left is subtle. Even a few months back, my mask would feel a little tight because of the swelling, but now it fits comfortably :) I can eat almost everything that I want to have, and there’s nothing that bothers me in my daily life. It’s really great! But it’d be even better if the little bit of swelling in my cheekbones is gone, lol.

8 Months Post-Op

Now that it’s been 8 months, there is no discomfort whatsoever. It’d be nice if I can be done with the orthodontic treatment already :( I don’t know if it’s because of the double jaw surgery or weight gain, but my new double chin and my cheekbones don’t form a smooth facial outline. However, I am still losing weight and it looks better than before, so I think it will continue to improve if I watch my figure!

9 Months Post-Op

It’s almost been a year since my surgery now! Now that I’ve lost weight, my facial outline and jawline are visible, and it’s made me think that having surgery was a good idea. Any subtle swelling has virtually disappeared, and I have no discomfort when going about my everyday activities.

10 Months Post-Op

Since it’s been almost a year, there’s virtually no discomfort, and my chin looks exactly how I wanted it! I want to get my braces off soon, too. Lol.

11 Months Post-Op

It’s really been almost a year now! I get to eat everything I want, and my chin doesn’t hurt—it’s great, lol. I’m able to feel all sensations now, so there’s no discomfort at all! As for my braces, I’m really happy to be getting them off soon :) I’ve been thinking that the decision to get surgery was a good one.

12 Months Post-Op

Now it has actually been a year! I’ve gotten my braces off and there’s no discomfort—it’s amazing! It’s insane how a year has already gone by. My friends have been telling me that the swelling seems to have completely gone down now, which is always nice to hear. I’ll be sure to take care of myself in the future, too!