Shoutout to the nurse who told me to ice my jawline after my buccal fat removal

I got buccal fat removal done about 3 weeks ago at a clinic in Austin. I was so focused on the cheeks swelling that I barely touched my jaw or chin area. On my follow up, the nurse looked at me and said "girl, you're missing the whole lower half of your face with that ice pack." She explained that the fluid from the surgery drains down overnight and settles in your jaw and chin, making you look puffy for way longer if you don't ice there too. I switched to doing 20 minute sessions on my jawline and under my chin every few hours for the next 5 days. The difference was wild, my jaw definition came back at least a week sooner than most of the before and after pics I see online. Has anyone else gotten that specific advice from their surgical team or did they just leave you with general instructions?

3 comments

3 Comments

logan56121d ago

And that pamphlet probably tells you to sleep on your back too but doesn't mention how that fluid just pools right under your chin if you don't ice it properly, that nurse really saved you from weeks of wondering why your jaw still looked soft.

the_susan21d ago

Three days of sleeping propped up like a beached whale and @logan561 still ended up with a chin that looked like a second face, so maybe that targeted icing thing is legit. I mean if it works for you two I'll try anything that keeps me from looking like a melting snowman.

sean_green4422d ago

Sounds like you got the real deal advice. Most surgeons just hand you a pamphlet with a cartoon face on it and say "ice your cheeks." That nurse was spot on about the fluid settling overnight. Gravity does its thing while you're sleeping and all that swelling drops right into your jawline. I've seen girls on here complaining about a puffy chin for months when all they needed was a few extra days of targeted icing. Good for you for catching that early.