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Re: facial appearance after MMA

Posted by summer on September 12, 2005 at 15:03:59:

In Reply to: facial appearance after MMA posted by MissyJ on September 09, 2005 at 10:07:13:

Hello MissyJ.

I have posted quite a bit in these forums after a number of
Stanford surgeries beginning in 2001 when I was 49. Like you, I
tore off the cpap mask. I did it while asleep and would wake up
choking.

In 2003 I had the MMA at Stanford with Drs R and P, both jaws
moved forward about 12mm. It was a great success and I am
cured of sleep apnea, period.

I started out with a face I was also "pretty fond of," but with a
strong jaw they call a "class 3" since my chin was rather forward.
It wasn't a problem, just the "family jaw"! But I had no room to
comfortably move it forward, or maybe it's just that I started out
with rather delicate features.

The MMA changed my face very significantly, and not for the
better. My nose was pushed up and flattened so it became quite
wide when it had been fine and narrow, and short and turned up
when it had been longer and straight. For the last two years I
have coped with close friends and acquaintances that do not
recognize me: I even have to tell them my last name!! It has been
very strange psychologically. BUT -- I have since had cosmetic
surgery to narrow my nose similar to its old shape, and to
enhance cheekbones so that my face is again balanced. That is
always an option.

I would ask Dr P if he can predict any possible problem in your
particular case and whether he can take some proactive
measures. Dr R (P's partner) warned me ahead of time that I
would likely be unrecognizable: he knew that my face would
react that way. Ask them about it, they will know if you will likely
look better (like almost every other one of the MMA'ers on this
forum) or if the facial changes may be problematical. I think I am
one of maybe 5% that have negative effects, it is definitely
unusual.

All this being said, the MMA is well well well worth it in my
opinion, although even now I frankly feel sad about my facial
changes. I do look younger though! I just miss the old me.

Good luck. It seems to me that if you can't cure serious apnea
without MMA, there is no other real option! You deal with the
negatives in order to get the near-certain cure. A lot of my
friends have commented on my bravery, but I don't see it like
that. You do what you have to do to be healthy.

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