[Original Face Shape, Reasons for Surgery, Areas I Wanted to Improve, and Factors I Considered When Choosing a Clinic]
 
I originally had a recessed mid-face and an underbite. As a child, my lower teeth stuck out further than my upper teeth, but I managed to correct my dental alignment with braces when I was in elementary school. 
Although I didn’t have any issues with chewing or speaking, my underbite appearance wasn’t something braces could fix.
I wasn’t in a profession where I relied on my looks, and I had this vague sense that double jaw surgery was risky, so I never seriously looked into it. However, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much my underbite bothered me. I became obsessed with trying to style my hair, do my makeup, or get treatments in ways that would draw attention away from my jawline, but nothing worked, and every time I saw photos of myself, I’d get stressed. That’s when I decided to go for the surgery.
 
I wanted to improve the appearance of my recessed mid-face and underbite.
I visited three clinics, and two of them felt like solid options, with similar estimates. Ultimately, I chose to have my surgery at WHY Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.
When selecting the clinic, I considered the following:
 
1.   Experience in double jaw and contouring surgeries.
I wanted a surgeon who was experienced with various face types and who could handle any complications that might arise during surgery. I thought having many surgery cases under their belt was important since that would also mean they’ve heard feedback from patients and understand what patients want in terms of facial aesthetics.
2.   A clinic with an anesthesiologist and surgery room CCTV.
I had heard that the anesthesia and being under it without being monitored closely was the real danger, more than the surgery itself. So, I prioritized clinics with an anesthesiologist on staff. I also liked the idea of having surgery room CCTV, which allows family to monitor the procedure in real-time.
3.   Lots of before-and-after cases shown, particularly with patients who had similar facial structures to mine and improved in ways I was hoping for.
 
[Double Jaw Surgery, Square Jaw and Chin Surgery – Surgery Day]
When I woke up from surgery, I felt cold, in pain, and it was hard to breathe. 😢 I had a lot of phlegm, which made breathing difficult, and I gagged multiple times through the night. I’m someone who’s sensitive to even the slightest bit of phlegm, so the first day was really tough for me. I could only sleep for 1-5 minutes at a time.
 
[Day 1]
My face was extremely swollen. 
My nose was completely blocked, so I couldn’t breathe, drink water, eat, or even swallow properly.
After they removed my catheter and drainage tubes, I felt a little better. Sitting still made me focus on the discomfort and pain, so despite feeling awful, I tried walking around the hospital here and there. 
I really hate sleeping with a blocked nose, so I walked a lot, hoping it would help clear up my nose, but no such luck. 😭
 
[Days 2 (Discharge) to 6]
After being discharged, taking the medication was the hardest part. 
The antibiotics were especially tough because they were huge, and the long capsules kept getting stuck in my throat. For the first couple of days, I couldn’t swallow the antibiotics properly, so I cut them or crushed them. It was really hard, but I forced myself to keep taking them because I didn’t want to risk an infection.
At first, I thought I’d never be able to swallow the meds, but I got the hang of it, and as the swelling in my mouth went down a bit, I was able to take them.
During the day, I didn’t have much pain, and my nose cleared up somewhat, but at night, the stitched areas, my jaw, and my teeth throbbed. My nose would get blocked again, and my throat felt sore. I didn’t get a full night’s sleep until about day 7.
 
[Day 7]
 
I had a follow-up appointment today. My condition still wasn’t great, but just going to the clinic made me feel like I was recovering.
For me, the ear pressure was unexpectedly the most annoying thing, and I really wanted it to get better, but there was no sign of improvement. 😢 I had enough energy to go for a 1 hour and 15-minute walk in the evening, and I didn’t get dizzy, which was good!
Since I’m a freelancer, I started working again from day 8. Simple tasks were fine, but for work that required higher levels of concentration, I found the quality wasn’t the same as usual, and it was harder for me to focus (probably due to the dizziness). 😊 Still, I’m relieved that the surgery seems to have gone well, but I’m being cautious!
 
[Day 15 (2-week check-up, stitch removal day)]
Today, I got the stitches inside my mouth removed! The ones near my upper lip were a bit painful, but the ones near my molars were fine. 😊 I had heard stitch removal was really painful, so I was nervous, but for me, waking up from surgery was way worse. The stitches just stung a little and were done quickly.
For a few hours afterward, the wound was a bit sore, and I had a metallic taste in my mouth, but by the evening, I felt fine. I also got some additional care at the clinic, which helped me feel better.
 
[Week 4]
After the 2-week mark, I started to feel like I was slowly getting better. Time flew by!
I had read stories of people struggling with fatigue and poor health for a long time, so I was worried, but by week 2, I felt almost like my normal self.
I had my 4-week check-up, and they told me I could stop wearing the wafer and that I could start eating soft foods. I’ve been gradually trying to eat more solid foods now.
At over a month post-op, I’ve almost returned to my usual workout routine, including going to the gym.
I still see some swelling left, but when I went out without a mask, people kept saying my face looks so much smaller now and even asked if the swelling would go down any further, which made me feel good. 😊
Overall, the results are definitely great. The recovery period was tough, but I’m satisfied with the outcome. I don’t even want to think about it anymore and focus on my life since I’m very satisfied with the result despite all the struggles I had 😂