Surgical or Nonsurgical- that is the question!
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free skin care · Sun Dec 09, 2007 11:34 am

I'm feeling a bit desperate here...maybe I need to call a therapist.

I went through a separation and divorce this year and I turned 47.

I lost 65 lbs and gained a new life. I have a new wardrobe, new friends and a new attitude....but this weight loss and everything else has taken a toll on my face.

I am winning the war against wrinkles, uneven skin tone, etc...but losing the battle against facial sagging and with the last 20 lbs came horribly sunken undereyes with puffiness- big tear troughs.

If not for that, I would look 25 again Sad

Perhaps this is vanity, but my separation/divorce took such a hit on me emotionally that as I recovered, I never expected to end up looking like my 67 yr old mom (sorry mom you are still beautiful at 67).

I am very hesitant to go for a full face lift...but I am not sure if any of these other procedures really work...seems that people have mixed success with them.

I looked into Thermage, but read the horror stories.

Is it so bad to just want to look rested and energetic and not so haggard and tired?

Ideas? Inspiration? Hope? Thread Lift? Lifestyle Lift? Anyone have any experience with these?

Thanks for lending me your shoulders, Barefootgirl

free skin care · Sun Dec 09, 2007 11:47 am

Don't bother with thermage! If you go to a reputable Cosmetic Surgeon (check out credentials please) they will tell you of the many "waste of money procedures" Full facelift can be out and about in 5 days! I will get one when needed. I personally had 4 procedures at once (upper, lower eyes, nose, chinimplant) It was OK! I would do it all over again! Face fillers are amazing to! Just do your research on finding the best surgeon possible and don't let the price affect your decsion on the doctor as this is not the place to bargain shop.

Sun Dec 09, 2007 2:39 pm

Hi BarefootGirl~

Congrads on your weight loss! I also have had the sagging problem after losing weight., until I went for a series professional microcurrent treatments recently.

The currents lift and puts the plump back where it should be. I also tried nuface (didnt work for me) and some facial exercising (changed my look entirely which I now regret).

Also love valmont eye regerating (for those tear troughs) really works!

Most important for you to know is there are things other than surgery to try first.

then,

if all else fails...

Sun Dec 09, 2007 2:45 pm

ps. Sometimes we are not able to see ourselves how we really appear to the world, really feeling good and nurturing yourself is the key to true beauty and to seeing yourself as beautiful. I now its cheezy but just try it for a couple of weeks, what do you enjoy? long walks, long baths, funny movies, good books, cooking, pedicures etc. If you do 1 thing every day (or at least 3x a week) how will you feel about yourself?

free skin care · Sun Dec 09, 2007 3:50 pm

Barefootgirl, well done for being strong and pulling yourself through what must have been a very difficult time. I'm sure the kind members here can give you good advice. I can't say much, being of a younger age group, but I hope you find the right answers for you.

KrazyKat, could you give more information about how facial exercising changed your look for the worse? Was it permanent? Which program did you use?

I have ordered Flexeffect. I think it could potentially be great, but want to be very careful to create a scupted face not a hard, masculine face Confused

free skin care · Sun Dec 09, 2007 4:33 pm

Barefootgirl, t5here are so many products that claim to tighten the skin -- matrixil, copper peptides, etc. For lifting, there are claims about facial exercises, accupuncture facelifts, electrical current... Try those first, and leave the surgery as a last resort. My $0.02.

free skin care · Sun Dec 09, 2007 6:08 pm

Hang in there, Barefootgirl. You've been through a lot, and you're going to get on top of the skin issues, too. Don't rush into anything--take your time and check out all your options. You'll get lots of terrific advice here--I know I have.

free skin care · Sun Dec 09, 2007 6:11 pm

Barefootgirl,

congratulations on your weight loss! It is a major achievement ( I am unsuccessfully trying so far), and you should feel omnipotent!

I do not have an advice for you , though I am also interested to know what worked for others.

Even without weight loss my under eye area does not look good (cross links, puffiness, etc.).

KrazyKat, which Valmont products do you use and find effective?

Thanks,
Lucy.

free skin care · Sun Dec 09, 2007 6:40 pm

Barefootgirl. Wow...your weight loss is fabulous...But its true that weight fills out the face and without it, that tightness can be lost. Ok...I know this isn't going to be a popular response, but if you have the time and money, go for the face lift. You may not need a full one, but I believe there comes a time in our life that no gadgets, creams, or vitamins can tighten our face back up. We need the surgery...then the other stuff will help us maintain it. If the only thing keeping you from feeling really good about yourself is the facial issues, then addressing that will really give you the lift you need. BTW, they can put a filler (even your own fat if you have any left) Laughing

in your tear troughs. That's what I had done and it "stayed" for at least 6 years. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

free skin care · Sun Dec 09, 2007 7:07 pm

wow, congrats on your weightloss & freedom!

If you really want a facelift , I'd say go for it. However, before you do so, I'd highly recommend giving facial exercises a good go.

The exercises might not get you all the way to where you want to be but they will surely help some. And, if nothing else, it'll help maximize the health in your facial skin so you can be optimally ready to recover from surgery.

all the best,

Sun Dec 09, 2007 7:09 pm

Hi Chickenlittle-I have tried a few of the facial exercises. I tried Carol DeMaggio Facial Exercises, while some exercises worked for me (great lifted eyes) the shape of my face changed from a beautiful soft, round oval shape into a more narrow more angular square type long shape, which isnt really what I was hoping for ( I think it was from some of the cheek lift exercises-which actually thinned them out). I also ended up with some lines on my forehead (I think those were from my eyebrow lift exercises). I did end up with fuller, lifted lips which was nice.

Years ago I did try some device in your mouth, you smile it up back and forth and I remember liking it.

But thats about it.

Sun Dec 09, 2007 7:12 pm

Sigma, I only use the regenerating eye mask a few times a week, and I find this is incredible on reversing the years off my eyes. It takes time too work, but it really has rebuilt my eye area.

free skin care · Sun Dec 09, 2007 7:47 pm

There is nothing like having a good facelift.The difference can be quite dramatic. It took an easy 10 yrs off my face.I am 54,most people are shocked because they think I am 40.I do not have any sag now. Creams can only do so much and I do spend a lot of $$$ on top of the line products that help to give the skin a young glow but plastic surgery can give you awesome results.I would recommend you go onwww.makemeheal.com and research all the different procedures.That board helped me before, during and after surgery.I made a lot of friends there that went through what I was going through at the same time,I was not alone.Spend several months researching and interviewing drs. I spent a yr on makemeheal before I finally had surgery-it was worth it, I was informed, found a good dr and got the result I wanted. HTH

free skin care · Sun Dec 09, 2007 7:53 pm

Stay away from the thread lift,its very expensive(5000) almost the cost of a FL and most people end up getting a real FL in a yr.;sometimes you can actually see the threads in their cheeks.Thread lift will probably not even be around in a couple yrs; they are just not that great and have lots of problems. Lifestyle lift: stay away from that too..on the facelift section on makemeheal.com there are so many old threads on the lifestyle lift and it gets very heated at times because there are a lot of people who got burned by it.

free skin care · Sun Dec 09, 2007 8:25 pm

Wow Krazy Kat, did your face go back to normal once you stopped doing the exercises, or did it just stay like that?

I'm actually trying the Carole Maggio ones from her book at the moment. I ordered flexeffect because i thought it would be stronger. I noticed mild effects of lifting on the cheeks, but I also noticed a slight thickening of the neck so I have stopped the neck exercises.

free skin care · Mon Dec 10, 2007 12:46 am

I had my eye lids done and I am very happy ,going to try fillers now before I have a face lift. People are right if it make you feel good it's worth it's weight in gold when it come to surgery

free skin care · Mon Dec 10, 2007 12:25 pm

Barefoot, you sound like a very brave woman and you have accomplished a lot. Now you may want to take time to reassess your life before another major decision.

I personally feel you're too young for a full face lift. Baby Quasar and the many good products others here have mentioned may be the next step before surgery.

Good luck to you.

Here is a poem by Audrey Hepburn:

For attractive lips ,

speak words of kindness...

For lovely eyes ,

seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure ,

share your food
with the hungry.

For beautiful hair ,

let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.

For poise ,

walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone...

People, even more than things, have to be restored,

renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed;

never throw out anyone.

free skin care · Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:58 pm

Barefoot girl, I have tried to respond to you 3 times, but EDS keeps putting my messages in my outbox and wont send. I can receive but not send. Sad

Send me your email and I will respond to your questions. Lucyluc

free skin care · Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:01 am

Congratulations and best wishes for the new life you are building! Take your time making decisions. Don't try to do too much at once, whether it's surgical or nonsurgical. Little steps require patience, but you'll be less likely to end up with regret. Also, appreciate your beauty--focus on what you have going for you, not what you don't.

free skin care · Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:19 am

Hey BarefootGirl,Hi!

Good on you for all you have achieved.

And I wish you luck with your fresh start.

I just had to chime in here and say, before you rush off to try surgery,(!) give yourself time to try some really good facial ezercises.

Try the Deb Crowley system.

I was thinking that I needed an under eye lift, but the exercises have done absolute WONDERS for the sag I had under my eyes. In fact there's no doubt at all that the exercises have taken ten years off my face.

I use the facial flex device for my jaw area, which is super fast and easy and very effective, and have got the eye and forehead and cheek exercises memorised to about a ten min routine a day which I do while watching tv or in the bath or even in bed.

I hope you give it a try.

Good Luck and Best Wishes.

free skin care · Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:28 am

Catski, Can you describe the Deb Crowley system for us?

free skin care · Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:43 pm

KrazyKat wrote:

Hi BarefootGirl~

Congrads on your weight loss! I also have had the sagging problem after losing weight., until I went for a series professional microcurrent treatments recently.

The currents lift and puts the plump back where it should be. I also tried nuface (didnt work for me) and some facial exercising (changed my look entirely which I now regret).

Also love valmont eye regerating (for those tear troughs) really works!

Most important for you to know is there are things other than surgery to try first.

then,

if all else fails...

I am really looking for something that is really effective for undereye. Is this okey for late 20's how long does a bottle last? and how many times was your usage for that? I am really interested with this product. Thanks.

free skin care · Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:12 pm

Barefootgirl...I also tried to PM you but my message didn't get sent. Same thing as lucyluc .If you PM your email to me, I'll answer your questions.

free skin care · Thu Dec 13, 2007 6:33 am

I had shocking under eye bags and drooping lids, so I went for an upper and lower bleph. It's the best thing I ever did - took years off my face and the whole procedure was really hassle free. I also have droopy jowls and am currently trying facial exercises - to be honest, if I had the money, I'd be tempted to get a face-lift. My sister-in-law had one and she looks great. These days a good surgeon will definitely aim for a natural look and not the pulled and stunned look of face-lifts of the past.

So my advice is, if you can afford it and really feel like giving yourself a lift (literally!) do it - just do your research first. All the best.

free skin care · Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:48 am

Bellezza wrote:

Catski, Can you describe the Deb Crowley system for us?

Belezza - Deb Crowley system is FlexEffect. See http://www.flexeffect.com/debpic.htm

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