Why do my lips look so much smaller?

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

Sorry to post again so soon -- but once I got the new Dermablend

makeup on (thanks again Fran!) I could finally look at my face

without being distracted by the remaining bruises... and I'm shocked

at how much *smaller* my lips seem to be! Once the initial super-

puffy swelling in my lips started to recede after the first week, I

had a sense that they seemed to feel " tight " or something, but I just

dismissed that as being an effect of the numbness... but now I can

*definitely* see it. I don't know if this is a temporary thing, or

related to the numbness/nerve damage, or even an optical illusion

because I have more of a chin now AND because there seems to be quite

a bit of swelling still present, so all that extra " face " makes the

lips look smaller by contrast....?

I guess I'm a little worried because (like Alycia posted a few weeks

ago) I really liked the shape and fullness of my mouth *before*

surgery -- several people made a point of telling me that " the

surgeon better not change the shape of your lips! " Now my mouth

seems smaller overall (especially my lower lip) -- both thinner in

terms of my lip size, but also not quite as wide as it was before.

Anyone else had something similar? Did it get better? For all of

the many potential side effects my surgeon and ortho explained

to me in detail before the surgery (upper + genio), no one ever said

that the shape of my mouth might change! (I would have still done

the surgery, I think, but I would have wanted to discuss it in order

to be more emotionally prepared.)

Also (I guess I'm just ranting a little), anyone else with a genio

(or lower advancement) have a hard time getting used to *having* a

chin now? Is it weird that it almost feels " too big " to me? I keep

telling myself that some of it is just the remnants of excessive

swelling, but I'm nervous. It's strange -- I love my profile results

(which was a big motivator for me, besides the medial/dental issues),

but I guess I'm feeling rather unsure about the frontal results. I

suppose this is all normal, but for some reason it's kind of freaking

me out right now.

Thanks for letting me babble!

Sara

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I had surgery Oct 26 and yes, my lips are smaller. I am not sure why

and I have not asked the OS about it. My swelling is no longer an

issue and I do not think my lips are going to go back to the way they

were before. I had upper, lower, and a genioplasty. It must have to

do with moving the jaw forward or something.

Shauna

>

> Hi all,

>

> Sorry to post again so soon -- but once I got the new Dermablend

> makeup on (thanks again Fran!) I could finally look at my face

> without being distracted by the remaining bruises... and I'm

shocked

> at how much *smaller* my lips seem to be! Once the initial super-

> puffy swelling in my lips started to recede after the first week, I

> had a sense that they seemed to feel " tight " or something, but I

just

> dismissed that as being an effect of the numbness... but now I can

> *definitely* see it. I don't know if this is a temporary thing, or

> related to the numbness/nerve damage, or even an optical illusion

> because I have more of a chin now AND because there seems to be

quite

> a bit of swelling still present, so all that extra " face " makes the

> lips look smaller by contrast....?

>

> I guess I'm a little worried because (like Alycia posted a few

weeks

> ago) I really liked the shape and fullness of my mouth *before*

> surgery -- several people made a point of telling me that " the

> surgeon better not change the shape of your lips! " Now my mouth

> seems smaller overall (especially my lower lip) -- both thinner in

> terms of my lip size, but also not quite as wide as it was before.

> Anyone else had something similar? Did it get better? For all of

> the many potential side effects my surgeon and ortho explained

> to me in detail before the surgery (upper + genio), no one ever

said

> that the shape of my mouth might change! (I would have still done

> the surgery, I think, but I would have wanted to discuss it in

order

> to be more emotionally prepared.)

>

> Also (I guess I'm just ranting a little), anyone else with a genio

> (or lower advancement) have a hard time getting used to *having* a

> chin now? Is it weird that it almost feels " too big " to me? I

keep

> telling myself that some of it is just the remnants of excessive

> swelling, but I'm nervous. It's strange -- I love my profile

results

> (which was a big motivator for me, besides the medial/dental

issues),

> but I guess I'm feeling rather unsure about the frontal results. I

> suppose this is all normal, but for some reason it's kind of

freaking

> me out right now.

>

> Thanks for letting me babble!

>

> Sara

[Guest guest]

Yes, I agree with both of you. After my first genio (10mm) forward,

I looked like a different person. I would not go out, I was so self

conscious, my chin kept disconnecting people on the phone and I got

no compliments. My smile was very weird and small. My surgeon made

me wait a year before agreeing to do anything and finally he move it

back about 4mm. I still had more of a protruding chin in the front

that I was uncomfortable with...like a ledge..do you have that? and

a lump on the underside of my jaw. I got it revised again ! Back

2.5 and down 2...lump removed( I think it's back again) and my lips

are so weird. I am hoping they get better. After the second surgery

they did...not reallly the first. Do either of you notice that the

front of your chin feels hard and swollen? and did you ice?

Thanks very much for your support...it helps to hear about others'

experiences.

> >

> > Hi all,

> >

> > Sorry to post again so soon -- but once I got the new Dermablend

> > makeup on (thanks again Fran!) I could finally look at my face

> > without being distracted by the remaining bruises... and I'm

> shocked

> > at how much *smaller* my lips seem to be! Once the initial

super-

> > puffy swelling in my lips started to recede after the first

week,

> I

> > had a sense that they seemed to feel " tight " or something, but I

> just

> > dismissed that as being an effect of the numbness... but now I

can

> > *definitely* see it. I don't know if this is a temporary thing,

> or

> > related to the numbness/nerve damage, or even an optical

illusion

> > because I have more of a chin now AND because there seems to be

> quite

> > a bit of swelling still present, so all that extra " face " makes

> the

> > lips look smaller by contrast....?

> >

> > I guess I'm a little worried because (like Alycia posted a few

> weeks

> > ago) I really liked the shape and fullness of my mouth *before*

> > surgery -- several people made a point of telling me that " the

> > surgeon better not change the shape of your lips! " Now my mouth

> > seems smaller overall (especially my lower lip) -- both thinner

in

> > terms of my lip size, but also not quite as wide as it was

> before.

> > Anyone else had something similar? Did it get better? For all

of

> > the many potential side effects my surgeon and ortho explained

> > to me in detail before the surgery (upper + genio), no one ever

> said

> > that the shape of my mouth might change! (I would have still

done

> > the surgery, I think, but I would have wanted to discuss it in

> order

> > to be more emotionally prepared.)

> >

> > Also (I guess I'm just ranting a little), anyone else with a

genio

> > (or lower advancement) have a hard time getting used to *having*

a

> > chin now? Is it weird that it almost feels " too big " to me? I

> keep

> > telling myself that some of it is just the remnants of

excessive

> > swelling, but I'm nervous. It's strange -- I love my profile

> results

> > (which was a big motivator for me, besides the medial/dental

> issues),

> > but I guess I'm feeling rather unsure about the frontal

results.

> I

> > suppose this is all normal, but for some reason it's kind of

> freaking

> > me out right now.

> >

> > Thanks for letting me babble!

> >

> > Sara