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Upper Lip Swelling

(18 posts)
  • Started 2 years ago by DoubleJawRecovery
  • Latest reply from mercedes
  • 1 Members Subscribed To Topic

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12

  1. DoubleJawRecovery
    Member

    Hi Brandon,

    My Double Jaw Surgery recovery is improving and I'm slowly starting to ease back into life. I'm really concerned about how prominent my upper lip is now. I had a very flat upper lip before and, after bringing it forward 5mm, it seems overly prominent I'm exactly 1 month post op and most of the swelling seems to have gone. My surgeon says the top lip will come back more as the swelling subsides....also, it feels really hard and stiff in the area between my nose and top lip. Also he said he put a stitch in my nose which I can feel too - did you have these feelings? Did you find your top lip shrunk after a few weeks/months....sorry if I sound like I'm stressing.

    Thanks.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  2. bexx
    Member

    Sorry, i Know you were asking Brandon, but just to let you know i was worried about my top lip too about a month or 2 after, because most of my swelling and numbness had gone but my top lip still felt tight! I thought the surgeon had stitched my lip too high up. I could'nt rub my lips together, my top lip would'nt fit down over my teeth, therefore my mouth wold'nt close properly. But i am now 7 months post opp and for ages now its been back to normal. So hopefully yours will soon loosen up!
    Bex

    Posted 2 years ago #

  3. scoopy
    Member

    That is great to hear, Bex! I am 4 1/2 weeks and think my upper lip is still too prominent also and it is stiff in the middle (my smile isn't right). I still have some swelling in my cheeks and a little in my jaws, but not too noticeable. One thing my surgeon said to do was practice saying my "m's & p's" to get the lip muscles working again. I guess you lips can get "frozen" in some parts since we aren't using them to eat and talk like before.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  4. Brandon
    Site Administrator

    Like Bexx said, there is a lot of moving and adjusting for several months post-surgery, so you are still relatively early in the process, and I'm sure you'll see things returning to normal as the swelling continues to go down.

    I'm Brandon, the creator of JawSurgeryBlog.com. I personally had upper and lower jaw surgery on October 30, 2007. Thankfully, everything went beautifully, so I'm trying to make sure everyone else's surgery goes smoothly as well!

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Corrective-Jaw-Surgery/114627165257701
    Posted 2 years ago #

  5. bexx
    Member

    My top lip was wonky aswell when i smiled, it kind of pulled to one side. Excersing it will help! I stretched and pulled out my top lip now and again to loosen it.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  6. DoubleJawRecovery
    Member

    Thanks Guys, the positive comments help - this forum is great!

    Is 4 weeks too early to judge appearance too? Did you guys notice a big difference in your facial appearance from say 1 month to 3/4 months later? While most of the "major" swelling has disappeared i.e. the chipmunk cheeks...my face still seems a little fuller and rounder. Its hard to tell how much of it is residual swelling...

    Posted 2 years ago #

  7. bexx
    Member

    I Did'nt really notice that much of a difference in my face. Except for the swelling. But i did notice that my teeth actually fit together rather than a big gap between my top and bottom teeth, and my face did'nt look as long! I would say most of the swelling would be gone by about 6/7 weeks. 7 months on i still have residual swelling at the peak of my cheak bones.(Chipmunk Cheeks!) I dont think its noticable to look at, but when i prod it, i can feel its still abit puffy!

    Posted 2 years ago #

  8. lipman
    Member

    I am having the same problem as "Doublejawrecovery" mentioned in the initial post. I had my upper and lower surgery on December 23rd. I originally had an asymmetrical bite due to a car accident that I had as a teenager. I never got it fixed so it healed back with my lower jaw veering slightly to the right. I also had a minor under bite so I went to my oral surgeon to make my lower jaw symmetrical and fix the under bite. At first he told me that he was "pretty certain" that I only needed lower jaw surgery, then 20 days before my surgery he tells me that I will need lower and upper jaw surgery...To make a long story short, I just had bi-jaw surgery on dec 23 (a little over six weeks ago) and my upper jaw looks very prominent as if I am wearing a mouthpiece. My upper lip (and from my upper lip to my nose) is very stiff, puffy and when I smile, I look like Curious George because the area above my lip pops out. All jokes aside, I am miserable and I can not tell if this strange smile is due to swelling or over movement of my upper jaw. If this is how I will look forever, I am seriously looking to take further steps to correct this. Bex answered the question but my case is a little different because unlike Bex, my top lip hangs over my teeth just fine..Can someone else please confirm that this swelling will go down and my upper areal will be flat again? Im sorry Im just stressed as hell!

    Posted 1 year ago #

  9. motherofallthings
    Member

    Hi I'm 4 full weeks post-op double jaw surgery tomorrow and I still have taughtness, numbness, lengthening and prominence! of upper lip/under nose area. I am putting it down to general nerve endings and my still looking chipmunk-ness.

    A doctor did suggest I keep pursing my lips, eg. puckering up for a (dry, he he) kiss which actually helps although looks odd in public.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  10. BabyDoll
    Moderator

    I just found this post & thought I'd bump it to ask others if they found that their upper lip looked longer after surgery but that eventually it went back to normal? My surgeon said that upper lip has no tone yet, but I hate the way I look right now! I'm so depressed! Any input on your experiences would be appreciated! :))

    Posted 1 year ago #

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