It's About Me, Not Anyone Else. - Chicago, IL

As I was looking at my face today, I thought I'd do a short update on my face of 2020. I had a FL, brow lift, eyes done, and neck done in 2015. I have moved so the PS is new - what a job that was to find someone that I felt good with - it gives me a headache just thinking about it. I've been tweeking with Botox for a few years and just started last year adding filler to areas I'm not happy with. In 2019 I had microneedling (not vampire version which imo is bs) on my face and the results were fantastic. From the beginning the biggest disappointment in the F/L was the jowls, they returned so quickly :( That was one of the main reasons I had the surgery. It seems that is the first thing to go after a FL from following some of the gals who had FL same time I did. I've seen many redo's for the neck and jowls after FL. I looked my best about six months after procedure, then the softness along my jaw started to return and now I'd say it's about the same as it was 6 years ago. I'm no Spring chicken so for my age 74, I look good but I don't see any rainbows and unicorns appearing in my future battle with Mother Nature and the aging process.

Even though I've had a FL, etc. maintenance is in your future. I've moved and been looking for a new PS that gives me the same feeling of confidence that my former Chicago PS gave me. It's a hard journey to search ... again. With Botox there are so many options, but I wanted a PS to inject not an assistant or Spa person. I went to a few Open Houses at different offices but wasn't too impressed with what I saw or the attitudes of the people. Sigh. I finally made a decision and went yesterday to have the 11's injected. This PS was friendly and interested in my FL surgery, checking for scars (there aren't any) and he said it was a great job, nice. Anyway we talked for awhile and he mentioned that because I haven't had Botox for two years it was like starting from scratch. I thought that would be the case and took Arnica for a few days and also put some Arnica gel between the eyebrows so I wouldn't have bruising. He didn't have the gentle hand with the needle as I was used to. If I was unhappy with results after two weeks PS said to come back and he would tweak the area (free of charge). I thanked him and was on my way.

There is always something that needs to be done. I've discussed with my dentist about getting Invisalign for my bottom teeth which have become very crooked and jagged. That will be the next thing to do in my journey of keeping my face together. Oh yes, I'm also going natural gray with my hair too. I've been coloring my hair for over 30 years and I'm done. I've been on the "natural" change over for about 3 months now, cutting, cutting and more cutting getting rid of the color. By Christmas I should be all gray/white/silver etc. I'm really happy with the color and the ease of having super short hair.

Surgery is a distant memory. Lots has happened including relocating to a different state. Didn't make my one year post-op appointment (didn't feel like driving to Chicago). But thought I'd give a few reflections regarding the surgery. Yes, I am happy that I had it done wish I would have done it years earlier, of course, I didn't have the money at that time. I love the results, especially my eyes they are damn pretty LOL I wish I looked like I did one month post surgery (even with the swelling) with that nice tight jawline which isn't evident anymore. I think the jawline is the most difficult part of the procedure of course that is what I hated most were those jowls. They are getting soft again [sigh] a disappointment for sure. Are they better than they were, you betcha, but I still see them especially if I am tired. I'd say that everything above the lips is great and holding in place. This is my personal belief that 70 yr old skin isn't going to react as 50 yr old skin would. It is not a fault of the surgeon, I truly believe that it is just the aging process continuing on, Mother Nature doesn't care that I had a FL, neck lift, endoscopic brow life or both eyes done - stomp, stomp, stomp time just keeps marching on. I knew that Botox and possibly fillers would still be in my future (if I desired them). I did have hope that the jowls would not reappear as quickly as they have though. I was very realistic about the entire procedure and the results on this 70 yr old face, after all, you just can't expect to look like a 20 yr old, nor do I want to, when you are 70. I often wonder if my other RSers that had surgery at the same time I did are doing one year post op. I saw one gal is having a revision of her neck - it seems that the jowls and neck are the toughest areas to have work on. I have to say if you are contemplating surgery sooner than later is a better choice, if finances allow. Be realistic about the results and that your chronological age does affect the outcome - doesn't matter if you feel like you can do cartwheels, (who wants to do that?) mature skin is mature skin. So ... I am very happy with the results especially every time I use eye shadow or blusher on those lovely high cheeks. Would I do it again of course I would, it was worth every dollar, every sleepless night, all the stress and nervousness. Now the decision is do I want to start tweaking with injectables or just leave well enough alone and save myself $$$. LOL