jaw surgery was intense but life changing honestly

I had what's called a square jaw and it made my face look really masculine (I'm a woman). Hated it my whole life. Finally had jaw reduction surgery at 29.

Not gonna sugarcoat it - this is a BIG surgery. General anesthesia, 3+ hours, overnight hospital stay. They basically shave down the jaw bone through incisions inside your mouth. Sounds gnarly because it IS.

First 2 weeks were brutal. My face swelled up like a balloon - I looked like a chipmunk storing nuts for winter. Could only eat liquids through a straw for the first week, then mushy foods for like a month. Lost 8 pounds lol (not the recommended way to diet).

Week 3-4 the swelling started going down and I could eat soft regular food again. Still looked puffy but more human shaped. Numbness in my chin and lower lip was freaky but doc said it's temporary.

Month 2-3 is when I really started seeing results. My face is NOTICEABLY slimmer. Like people who hadn't seen me in a while asked if I lost a lot of weight. The V-line I always wanted is actually there now.

Now at 6 months - jaw is slim and feminine, numbness is mostly gone (just a tiny spot on my chin), and I'm obsessed with my side profile. Was it intense? YES. Worth it? 1000%.

Just be prepared to look like a mess for a month. Stock up on protein shakes and soups.