A beauty and wellness influencer has prompted thousands of social media users to rethink cosmetic surgery after openly admitting she regrets the results of her facelift and neck lift just five months after undergoing the procedures.
Lori Skeldon, who shares content under the Instagram handle Align.2.Shine, has gone viral for documenting not only the physical changes following her deep plane facelift but also the emotional challenges that came with recovery. Her honest account has resonated with women who say cosmetic surgery is often portrayed as a quick confidence boost, when the reality can be far more complicated.
Rather than warning about the operation itself, Lori's message centres on something she says she never expected: the emotional rollercoaster of waiting months for final results and the possibility that revision surgery may still be needed.
'I Didn't Expect This'
In a recent Instagram video, Lori shared what she described as the 'disappointing side view' of her face four-and-a-half months after surgery, pointing to lingering loose skin beneath her chin.
'I'm definitely starting to think a revision is in my future,' she wrote.
Although surgeons generally advise patients to wait at least six months before judging the outcome, Lori admitted she was struggling to stay optimistic.
'I know we have to wait for the magical six-month mark to decide, but I find it hard to believe this will resolve in another two months,' she explained.
She added that the uncertainty has been one of the hardest parts of the process.
'Recovery is a lot to go through only to be dissatisfied. I don't see how it's going to tighten up in the next two months. Sitting in this 'wait and see' phase is probably the hardest part of this whole experience.'
The Reality Behind Social Media Expectations
Lori told PEOPLE that she deliberately avoided researching facelift journeys before her own operation because she did not want to frighten herself out of having the procedure.
Instead, it was during recovery that she found herself scrolling through social media posts from people who appeared to achieve dramatic results within weeks.
'Initially, I would see other people's wonderful four-week post-op outcomes and felt excited about what was to come,' she recalled.
However, when her own recovery failed to follow the same timeline, frustration quickly replaced optimism.
'When I got to four weeks, five weeks, six-plus weeks post-op and didn't have those desired outcomes myself, frustration set in.'
Her experience has highlighted how carefully curated recovery updates online can create unrealistic expectations, despite every patient healing at a different pace.
Why Revision Surgery Is More Common Than Many Realise
Lori underwent a deep plane facelift, an advanced procedure that works beneath the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) to reposition deeper facial tissues rather than simply tightening the skin. According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), the technique is designed to produce more natural-looking results when performed by an experienced facial plastic surgeon.
Although Lori had no surgical complications and reported no nerve damage, she admitted she was surprised to discover how common revision procedures can be.
'I honestly had no idea that facelift revisions were such a normal thing until now,' she said.
The AAFPRS reports that revision surgery is a recognised part of cosmetic treatment. Its 2024 data found that facelifts, eyelid surgery and rhinoplasty were among the most commonly performed facial procedures, while more than 10 per cent of rhinoplasty patients sought revision surgery.
Lori also stressed that requiring a second procedure should not automatically be viewed as a reflection of poor surgical care.
'It's important for you to know that needing a revision does not mean you picked a bad surgeon,' she explained.
The Emotional Recovery Few Talk About
Looking back, Lori believes the psychological side of recovery caught her completely off guard.
While she knew swelling could take up to a year to settle, she underestimated how mentally demanding the process would become.
'Even though I knew the timeline, I didn't know that healing would not be linear,' she said.
'I did not know that healing could vastly differ from one person to the next. I did not know that emotional recovery would be greater than physical recovery.'
Her honesty encouraged dozens of women to share similar experiences, with many admitting they were unhappy with their own facelift results. Some said they had considered revision surgery but ultimately decided they could not face another major operation.
A Reminder To Manage Expectations
Lori is expected to be reassessed by her surgeon in September, once the remaining swelling has settled. She suspects the fullness beneath her chin may require a revision, but says she is trying to remain patient.
Despite her disappointment, she has no regrets about sharing her story publicly.
'Now at five-months post op and feeling like a revision may be on the table, I do not regret sharing my experience online because if I can provide knowledge to just one person, it's worth it,' she said.
Her experience has become a powerful reminder that cosmetic surgery is not always a straightforward transformation. While procedures such as deep plane facelifts continue to grow in popularity, experts agree that healing varies widely from one patient to another, and final results can take many months to appear. For anyone considering surgery, Lori's story underscores the importance of realistic expectations, thorough research and understanding that recovery can be just as significant as the procedure itself.
