Fox News weather Anchor Janice Dean has been missing from the air for weeks and now she's saying why?

Dean watched 63 year old Christie Brinkley on Fox and Friends and was amazed at how well Brinkley still looked into her 60's.

So, Dean decided maybe she should try a bit of plastic surgery. She admits to having botox injections in the past, but this time she decided to try something a bit more radical. 

Dean says that the wrinkles on her neck had been bothering her and decided to try a new procedure called “fractora,” an outpatient procedure done in the office that takes under an hour and that regenerates your natural collagen and tightens that old skin. 

She was told that after the surgery, she would be off the air about 5 days.

Weeks later, she was still missing.

On Fox News's website, Dean wrote, that after the surgery left side of my face was puffed out like a chipmunk.  I followed the doctor’s instructions and elevated my head and took more Tylenol to minimize bruising.

The next day I took off my bandages. The left side of my face was still very swollen and I was finding it hard to talk out of that side of my mouth. I couldn’t chew properly.  Well, maybe this might help me lose a few pounds too? Nervous giggle. 

I had the email of my doctor’s assistant and typed: “Hi there. Just wanted to know if it’s normal that one side of my face is very swollen and it’s really challenging to talk. Could you ask the doctor?” 

She emailed back and said to send some pictures – one smiling, one normal, one with a pursed mouth like I’m pouting. 

My bottom lip had looked like it had vanished. My smile was lopsided.  I started looking stuff up on the internet. 

Yikes. Close the computer. 

Then I looked at the possible side-effects on the sheets I had initialed before the procedure. Fourth one down: Nerve injury, marginal mandibular nerve palsy, inability to depress lower lip, temporary change in smile or facial expression. 

Yes, this looked like what I might be experiencing. I was suddenly mad at myself. Why didn’t I read the fine print? Why did I just gloss over these many side effects without asking questions? How many times do we glance through pages of paperwork without fully reading it and nonchalantly sign on the dotted line? This was on me.

I went in to see the doctor. I took my husband with me who was trying to hold back his anger. The first question is:  “Will it come back?”  My doctor says, “ Yes. 100 percent.”  How long?  “Well, we’re not sure. But a few weeks. We can fix it a bit with Botox. You can probably mask it with makeup.”  But what about the fact that I can’t speak certain words? And my lopsided smile? “Well that will resolve itself eventually.”  

At first I was embarrassed. Then sad about what I had done.  And then shame. 

Why was I so vain to do this to myself?  

I had to start admitting to my colleagues and friends what happened.   

To those I have told, there has been overwhelming support, and I’m hearing stories about other people that have also had complications with cosmetic procedures. 

We’re now on week nine.  I’m still not 100 percent, but things have improved. Many of you have emailed and sent messages asking where I am – wondering if I’ve had a flare-up from the MS that I was diagnosed with a decade ago. Thankfully, I’m healthy and doing just fine. I even asked my neurologist if the MS made me more susceptible to what happened during the procedure. She said absolutely not. It was unrelated.

Here’s what I’ve learned: These new lasers, injections and cosmetic procedures that look as if they can turn back time? There’s a little more to it. There are risks. It takes a while to heal.  It’s also expensive. There are many possible complications that we need to be aware of before we sign on the dotted line.  We should ask our doctors the worst- case scenario so we’re prepared. 

The other thing I’ve realized? I think we spend too much time focused on our flaws instead of embracing the things that make us all shine.  

10 weeks later she will finally be returning to work and we're guessing might be thinking twice about going under the knife again anytime soon.