“Birthday Gift to Me - San Jose, CA”

I decided that at almost 48 I looked older than I felt. I wanted something non-surgical to firm, tighten and give my skin a lift. A consult confirmed that my skin had more laxity than is typical at my age.

I went in June 2 for the procedure, which was helped by Valium and a painkiller. The most discomfort came around areas near the brow bone, jaw bone and that's where the tenderness remains a week out. No bruising or redness at all. Just a tiny bit of swelling the first day or so. I was back at work the next day.

One week out and I'm seeing a noticeable "freshness." When I catch a look at myself in the mirror I'm surprised by how un-tired I look. The best part is the renewed confidence I feel. Each day I wake up and see myself looking a bit younger -- rather than a bit older. It's nice knowing my birthday this weekend will include a face that looks more the way I remember it. I was started to not recognize myself!

Will update in a few weeks.

Updated on 9 Sep 2011:
I'm a believer! I had my formal three month check up yesterday. While I'd been happy over the summer with the steady progress I was seeing, it was in looking at back-to-back shots that I could validate the all-over tightening. It translates overall to a much fresher (less tired) appearance.

In particular there was quite a bit of tightening around my jaw. Until I saw my before photo, I didn't fully appreciate just how "jowly" I was getting. Given how well my skin responded, I'm thinking of going back to to have another go at the jaw line.

Updated on 7 Oct 2011:
Went in today for "more lines" to address some areas around my jaw line. While the first visit in June resulted in some clear tightening and improvement, it wasn't yet as tight as I wanted. This visit was easier -- mostly because I knew what to expect and there was a bit more offered in the way of pain management. Will show a few more before and after pics in a few months.