I'm a 43-yr-old mum of three and I just feel like in the last few years my features are sliding down my face. I'm getting the classic rectangular look that comes with age when gravity takes the fullness in our cheeks and sliiiiiiiides it down to form jowls. Nice haha!
I've never done anything at all to my face before. I don't really have trouble with wrinkles, it's just skin that's sagged and volume lost where you want it and gained where you don't. Ultimately I would like to get my upper and lowers eyes lifted and my jawline improved. The Dr I saw for these fillers is very keen on Thermage/Ulthera and has recommended it every time I've seen her (I went for two consultations prior to doing the fillers) however I've read too many negative reviews to want to go the heat treatment route. She said she could make some improvements to my issues using one vial of Restalyne on my cheeks to add volume and she used what was left over to fill a crease I've had for years (without realising it) running horizontally across the middle of my chin. I initially asked her if fillers under my eyes would help with the ageing there, but she didn't recommend it at this time because I 'might' have eye surgery in the 12 months time and the filler wouldn't have broken down by then (apparently it lasts a lot longer under the eyes than in the cheeks). She said the cheeks should last around 9 months ish.
I went from being excited and determined to do this to really having to drag myself there because I'd paid upfront. I was so nervous about putting something in my face that I went along the week before and asked her to inject some in my hand, just to make sure I wouldn't have a crazy reaction to it. Then I told my husband I wanted to do it and he didn't hide his disappointment. He said 'isn't there something to be said for feeling proud that you haven't done anything to yourself at all' and that he really likes my face as it is and doesn't want it to change. I also think he's just scared I'll get too into doing stuff and end up looking freaky and embarrassing him in public (for instance, he doesn't object to me doing a tummy tuck and boob lift). So that was a bit of a cautionary downer...
Anyway, I'd already paid so off I went!
For anyone who hasn't done it before, the process went as follows: First they took the make up off my skin (but not eyes and face). Then they took some photos. Next they totally numbed my face with some kind of cream (Lidocaine?) and I waited for around 20mins. Dr Lee then came in and sat me up on the bed and made some guide marks on my face. We had already discussed that I wanted a natural look with no drastic difference and she agreed that would be best and that one vial of Restalyne would be enough. She also told me she would use a medium to thick type of Restalyne as it keeps its position better in the cheeks. Then she lay me back down (semi-reclined) and got to work. First she checked for veins using some kind of special light. She told me she injects under the upper cheek muscle because it gives a more natural look and also there are fewer veins etc down there. She draws the syringe back a bit first to make sure no blood comes out (i.e. she hasn't hit a vein)Thanks to the numbing cream and her 'tap tap tapping' on my skin I barely felt the actual injection. What was weird was the 'crkkcrrrkcrrk' noise it made when going in! I found that a bit horrific and it also felt as though I could feel it going down my cheek inside (which was probably just a result of variations in the numbing). The second cheek seemed 'less dramatic'. Then she pressed it around a bit quite hard, shaping it I suppose. When she did the chin she switched the needle for a canula because apparently that's blunt and causes less bruising. She also used a technique where she inserted the canula all the way in, then injected as she withdrew it. I won't lie, it was quite unpleasant and a bit painful, but only so much that I was wringing my hands a bit. Throughout the procedure the assistant was holding things to my face, dabbing etc which was fine.
She sat me up and showed me a mirror. I was a bit shocked at first. I could instantly see the result on the chin, so that was satisfying, though not exciting because I hadn't even noticed the line there before. I couldn't see a difference on my upper cheeks, but I felt my left lower cheek looked fuller which worried me for a moment. Before doing it she said my face was a bit smaller on the left (apparently it can happen from habitually sleeping on one side) so she put a bit more on that side. I think I was just registering the difference in fullness on that side and it slightly freaked me out at first. While I didn't really see a difference in my upper cheeks, I did notice that my jawline looked a bit fuller and my jowls looked a bit reduced. I think that's because the filler higher up had caused some lifting down below, bringing some of the jowls back on to the jaw, which in my opinion is a good thing (I hate my jowls with a passion - most ageing thing on a face IMO). I don't seem to have any bruising and I only noticed a small puncture wound on my chin, presumably because the canula is thicker than the needle.
The Dr went off to see her next patient and the nurse gave me some arnica capsules, one to take then, one 6 hours later and two a day for the next 3 days. This helps prevent bruising.
Will be interested to see if husband and kids notice a difference later. I truly doubt they will.
I'm not sure if it was worth it or not yet. I'm not disappointed or regretting it at the moment, but neither am I wowed. Considering how expensive it is I will want to look considerably better in the coming days that I would if I'd just used one of my SKII facial masks. As I say, the chin is the most noticeable difference to me but I'm a bit 'meh' about that because I didn't consider it to be a problem in the first place. I think I would have liked my apples/cheekbones area to come out looking more voluptuous to give more of a 'lift' to my face. Instead it looks to me like my mid to lower cheeks are just a bit 'fatter'. Perhaps what I envisaged can't be achieved if you've got as much 'drop' on the face and stretched skin as I have.
I drove home which was fine and 5 hours later nearly all the numbness has gone and I just feel (but don't look) bruised on the left cheek and chin.
Anyway, I'll update in a few days and hope this review is helpful to anyone considering doing the same procedure.
BTW please excuse my non-smiling face in the photos - I do usually smile a lot! I just wanted to show the before and after without pushing up the apples of my cheeks by smiling.
I've never done anything at all to my face before. I don't really have trouble with wrinkles, it's just skin that's sagged and volume lost where you want it and gained where you don't. Ultimately I would like to get my upper and lowers eyes lifted and my jawline improved. The Dr I saw for these fillers is very keen on Thermage/Ulthera and has recommended it every time I've seen her (I went for two consultations prior to doing the fillers) however I've read too many negative reviews to want to go the heat treatment route. She said she could make some improvements to my issues using one vial of Restalyne on my cheeks to add volume and she used what was left over to fill a crease I've had for years (without realising it) running horizontally across the middle of my chin. I initially asked her if fillers under my eyes would help with the ageing there, but she didn't recommend it at this time because I 'might' have eye surgery in the 12 months time and the filler wouldn't have broken down by then (apparently it lasts a lot longer under the eyes than in the cheeks). She said the cheeks should last around 9 months ish.
I went from being excited and determined to do this to really having to drag myself there because I'd paid upfront. I was so nervous about putting something in my face that I went along the week before and asked her to inject some in my hand, just to make sure I wouldn't have a crazy reaction to it. Then I told my husband I wanted to do it and he didn't hide his disappointment. He said 'isn't there something to be said for feeling proud that you haven't done anything to yourself at all' and that he really likes my face as it is and doesn't want it to change. I also think he's just scared I'll get too into doing stuff and end up looking freaky and embarrassing him in public (for instance, he doesn't object to me doing a tummy tuck and boob lift). So that was a bit of a cautionary downer...
Anyway, I'd already paid so off I went!
For anyone who hasn't done it before, the process went as follows: First they took the make up off my skin (but not eyes and face). Then they took some photos. Next they totally numbed my face with some kind of cream (Lidocaine?) and I waited for around 20mins. Dr Lee then came in and sat me up on the bed and made some guide marks on my face. We had already discussed that I wanted a natural look with no drastic difference and she agreed that would be best and that one vial of Restalyne would be enough. She also told me she would use a medium to thick type of Restalyne as it keeps its position better in the cheeks. Then she lay me back down (semi-reclined) and got to work. First she checked for veins using some kind of special light. She told me she injects under the upper cheek muscle because it gives a more natural look and also there are fewer veins etc down there. She draws the syringe back a bit first to make sure no blood comes out (i.e. she hasn't hit a vein)Thanks to the numbing cream and her 'tap tap tapping' on my skin I barely felt the actual injection. What was weird was the 'crkkcrrrkcrrk' noise it made when going in! I found that a bit horrific and it also felt as though I could feel it going down my cheek inside (which was probably just a result of variations in the numbing). The second cheek seemed 'less dramatic'. Then she pressed it around a bit quite hard, shaping it I suppose. When she did the chin she switched the needle for a canula because apparently that's blunt and causes less bruising. She also used a technique where she inserted the canula all the way in, then injected as she withdrew it. I won't lie, it was quite unpleasant and a bit painful, but only so much that I was wringing my hands a bit. Throughout the procedure the assistant was holding things to my face, dabbing etc which was fine.
She sat me up and showed me a mirror. I was a bit shocked at first. I could instantly see the result on the chin, so that was satisfying, though not exciting because I hadn't even noticed the line there before. I couldn't see a difference on my upper cheeks, but I felt my left lower cheek looked fuller which worried me for a moment. Before doing it she said my face was a bit smaller on the left (apparently it can happen from habitually sleeping on one side) so she put a bit more on that side. I think I was just registering the difference in fullness on that side and it slightly freaked me out at first. While I didn't really see a difference in my upper cheeks, I did notice that my jawline looked a bit fuller and my jowls looked a bit reduced. I think that's because the filler higher up had caused some lifting down below, bringing some of the jowls back on to the jaw, which in my opinion is a good thing (I hate my jowls with a passion - most ageing thing on a face IMO). I don't seem to have any bruising and I only noticed a small puncture wound on my chin, presumably because the canula is thicker than the needle.
The Dr went off to see her next patient and the nurse gave me some arnica capsules, one to take then, one 6 hours later and two a day for the next 3 days. This helps prevent bruising.
Will be interested to see if husband and kids notice a difference later. I truly doubt they will.
I'm not sure if it was worth it or not yet. I'm not disappointed or regretting it at the moment, but neither am I wowed. Considering how expensive it is I will want to look considerably better in the coming days that I would if I'd just used one of my SKII facial masks. As I say, the chin is the most noticeable difference to me but I'm a bit 'meh' about that because I didn't consider it to be a problem in the first place. I think I would have liked my apples/cheekbones area to come out looking more voluptuous to give more of a 'lift' to my face. Instead it looks to me like my mid to lower cheeks are just a bit 'fatter'. Perhaps what I envisaged can't be achieved if you've got as much 'drop' on the face and stretched skin as I have.
I drove home which was fine and 5 hours later nearly all the numbness has gone and I just feel (but don't look) bruised on the left cheek and chin.
Anyway, I'll update in a few days and hope this review is helpful to anyone considering doing the same procedure.
BTW please excuse my non-smiling face in the photos - I do usually smile a lot! I just wanted to show the before and after without pushing up the apples of my cheeks by smiling.
