Brooklinn Khouryis showing off the results of her latest — and hopefully final — reconstructive surgery.
Ahead of the big day, Khoury opened up to PEOPLE about what this surgery entailed and how she feels coming closer to the end of this lengthy journey.
“Basically, my doctor is recreating the top lip in this surgery — creating a Cupid’s bow and central columns. So kind of making my lip look more aesthetic,” Khoury tells PEOPLE, noting that her surgeries typically take all day to complete. “My doctor’s very cautious and wants to do everything perfectly.”
The healing process can take up to six weeks, and she adds that right after the surgery, she won’t have any feeling in her upper lip, which will take up to four months to be restored.
Brooklinn Khoury following her lip reconstruction surgery.Brooklinn Khoury following her lip reconstruction surgery.Brooklinn Khoury following her lip reconstruction surgery.PHOTO: Brooklinn KhouryBrooklinn Khoury following her lip reconstruction surgery.PHOTO: Brooklinn Khoury
Brooklinn Khoury following her lip reconstruction surgery.Brooklinn Khoury following her lip reconstruction surgery.
Brooklinn Khoury following her lip reconstruction surgery.
Brooklinn Khoury following her lip reconstruction surgery.PHOTO: Brooklinn KhouryBrooklinn Khoury following her lip reconstruction surgery.PHOTO: Brooklinn Khoury
Although Khoury says her doctor at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center is a perfectionist, she admits that after the dog attack, she hasn’t had any expectations of how she wants her face to look after each surgery.
“My personal hope, just like any surgery that I do, is just learning to love what I see,” she explains. “Before, I just focused on such little things that didn’t even matter. Like for instance, I had a zit on my upper lip right when the attack happened, and I remember being so insecure about it. And then 15 minutes later, my entire lip was gone.”
Brooklinn Khoury
“So I think it just shifted my perspective and I’ve just been learning to live in the present and learn that beauty does not have a definition,” Khoury continues. “Of course there’s the excitement of seeing how I look and also seeing a bit of myself from before [the attack]. But I’m just excited to hopefully be done and just kind of…I don’t want to say move on but, you know, start with life again.”
Looking ahead, Khoury says she is eager to put these surgeries behind her and resume the high-velocity lifestyle she led prior to the attack.
“That’s one of the hardest things is just having to sit still and kind of refocus my attention into not being active and hiking, biking, surfing and skating,” she says. “But we’re almost at the finish line.”
Brooklinn Khoury during her lip reconstruction surgery.Brooklinn Khoury following her lip reconstruction surgery.Brooklinn Khoury during her lip reconstruction surgery.Brooklinn Khoury during her lip reconstruction surgery.PHOTO: Brooklinn KhouryBrooklinn Khoury following her lip reconstruction surgery.PHOTO: Brooklinn KhouryBrooklinn Khoury during her lip reconstruction surgery.PHOTO: Brooklinn Khoury
Brooklinn Khoury during her lip reconstruction surgery.Brooklinn Khoury following her lip reconstruction surgery.Brooklinn Khoury during her lip reconstruction surgery.
Brooklinn Khoury during her lip reconstruction surgery.
Brooklinn Khoury during her lip reconstruction surgery.PHOTO: Brooklinn KhouryBrooklinn Khoury following her lip reconstruction surgery.PHOTO: Brooklinn KhouryBrooklinn Khoury during her lip reconstruction surgery.PHOTO: Brooklinn Khoury
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Khoury tells PEOPLE that although she’s come a long way since the 2020 attack and parts of her life have changed, one thing she’s maintained is the confidence in herself.
“For me personally, there’s no point in being self conscious and I think posting on social media definitely has helped heal,” Khoury continues. “On social media, I’m very transparent. What you see is how I am in person.”
“Yeah, the hardest part has been people’s negative responses. But what I’m posting is for somebody else that might be experiencing something like this so they have someone to relate to,” she adds. “I post more for the hopes that if anyone else is going through it, they can find comfort in me.”
source: people.com
