Cosmetic surgery - would you, have you?

I had a gastric bypass 3yrs ago and lost about 11 stone (although I've put a couple back on this year - back to the gym this week I guess), so I've got a lot of loose skin which actually chafes so needs removing, also I've lost all the fullness from my boobs, I've heard this referred to (on tv) as boobs like spaniel ears - never a truer word said!
Getting the original surgery wasn't cheap (almost £10k) but I don't consider that to have been "cosmetic" as it's practically saved my life, it's the secondary surgeries you need (unless you're happy to go from huge to saggy and do nothing) to correct all the excess skin. There's the legs, belly and arms that need skin removing/tightening and then the boobs need lifting (rolling up more like!) and these 4 separate surgeries cost in excess of £8k each. I could sit back and do nothing because I've lost all this weight, but then some days I look at myself and wish I'd not had the bypass in the first place because I feel that I look even worse than I did before I started. That's when I have to remind myself that I'm still alive, healthier than I was 3yrs ago and what's a bit of loose skin?
I don't think I'll ever be able to save enough to afford those surgeries so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for my lottery win!

Quite a few years ago, I had a breast reduction as they were two large for my body. They were a size 32 J and I was less than 5 ft in height! I'm very glad that I had them done as they had caused me a lot of back ache and I had to wear size 14 tops with size 12 trousers!

I regularly have Botox, my frown lines made me look permanently angry. Botox makes me look like a fresher version of myself.

Before I had anything done I really did my homework and found someone who concurred with my approach of ‘less is more’. Practitioners offer free consultations, I looked at photographs of their work, discussed what I wanted and immediately discounted practitioners who tried to suggest other, treatments that I hadn’t seen them to discuss. I saw two people before I made my choice.

When the post-lockdown flurry has died down I will be having cheek fillers and Profhilo in my lower face. Again though, I will be taking it slowly and will choose less rather than more.

I want to look like a better version of me, not younger and I certainly don’t want one of those waxy looking faces.

I'm sure I'd look better with a neck and jowl lift too, but I'm too much of a scaredy cat to put it to the test. Otherwise, I'm happy enough with how I look, as long as I don't frighten the horses.

However, two colleagues and I read Toyah Willcox's Diary of a Facelift when it came out 15 years ago, and made a pact then and there that if our office Lotto syndicate came up we were all heading to Paris and booking in with the surgeon she used. Toyah was very open and honest about the whole thing - her face aged very early and she looked years older than she was, which was a huge problem in her line of work. The procedure she had made an amazing difference.

Toyah appeared locally at a showing of Quadraphenia a couple of years ago and I had the chance of seeing her at very close quarters. She still looks incredible.

I haven’t had anything done , my best friend has had a neck and jowl lift and breast implants and always has Botox and fillers and I must say she looks fantastic, she is 67 and single , l think she scares a lot of men her age off from dating her cos she looks so good . She does get offers from men in there fifties that she’s not interested in though . If you can afford it and it makes you happy then go for it , you only get one life !

I would have my uneven breasts lifted and rebalanced if I had plenty of money - which I don't! I would consider buying a wig if I ever went anywhere "posh", as my hair is extremely fine.
However, I'm a small person with equally small extremities (size 2 feet and I take children's sizes in gloves and hats), so I doubt I would be able to buy one to fit!

I recently bought a 2 in one face massager by Amirce from Amazon. It was under £20.00 and when used with a serum it definitely tightens up the facial muscles. I just use it if I am sitting watching television. You only need a couple of minutes on each area. I am really pleased with it. It just takes a couple of batteries.

I have seen two excellent results from surgery - Mary Archer, who has retained the same elegant unlined face for decades after cosmetic surgery years ago, and Sharon Osbourne, who used to look like Ozzy's Mum, but now has a beautiful face. (Sadly she does not seem to have a personality to match). However, Felicity Kendal looks hampster like, and so many people seem to have disasters that result in plumped up, false looking pouty cheeks; the neck needs doing too if you are having your face smoothed out, and what about hands? Hauling up everything must be so expensive - better to let it slide gently southwards, and just keep smiling!

I agree with BigBertha1.
Some celebs look ridiculous,soooo over the top.
I think Michael Jackson totaly spoilt his natural looks,he was a handsome young man before going under the knife so many times.

I wish I'd gone for an eyelid lift, the lid of my left eye has 'relaxed' so that one eye looks smaller than the other just because the lid has drooped over it.|
|I also wish I'd had my teeth fixed, but was fearful that if anything went wrong and they all had to be removed I wouldn't be able to cope with dentures. They really are a mess, my teeth!
But I didn't and at 82 I think its a bit late now.

Yes SueB20. After losing my top teeth in my twenties, I had dental implants three years ago. All top teeth done. I have to say it was painful, but the result is definitely worth it. No more denture!
I also have Botox and fillers. It’s easy for people to presume one must be vain to have these procedures, but for me, it’s given me so much confidence back. As long as you don’t go overboard and end up looking startled for months on end, it’s ok. As others have said, you must find someone who knows what they’re doing.

Do dental implants count ? Has anybody had them done?

Annarmp, I am the opposite of you, it horrifies me that anyone would have fillers and such, I would rather not know if mine got anything done, I think it’s stupid messing about because of vanity, the thought of having bacteria injected, you couldn’t pay me enough. We all get old, gracefully looks better anytime. However if you have huge sticky out ears or a parrot nose or your boobs are resting on your waist making you back ache, that’s different, a necessary medical procedure.

On medical grounds I say go for it.
Pure vanity no. Watch a program called Botched!

No, necessary treatment is bad enough.

Chewbacca
I wish I hadn't looked at this thread. Once you've seen that photo you can't unsee it. Whatever was she thinking of.

I wouldn't risk a general anaesthetic for cosmetic surgery. I would have non-invasive cosmetic procedures if I could afford it though, but I have many, more important financial priorities.

tattygran14- ??

Chocolate mango- you must tell us later how it progresses etc.?

Not face lift or anything similar- dont need to, our family have 'young genes' but might consider a tummy tuck maybe, if it was safer for me..(have clotting problem so on lifelong warfarin) or if money was no object...??

My face mask is my friend. It covers my miserable looking mouth, my wrinkled upper lip, and best of all, my jowls. I may never take it off.

Yes - in fact I am two days post-op from upper lid blepharoplasty! At 48 I felt I looked considerably older with very heavy lids which made me look permanently tired/angry/grumpy.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I have scars on both legs following essential surgery at age 11 I was asked by the surgeon if I wanted plastic surgery on them! I’d had 3 operations by then as one leg had to be corrected twice so the answer was definitely no! Might have been different if it had been my face or somewhere more noticeable.
I quite happy with the way I am other than my weight and often get thought as younger than I am although I don’t think that will last as I get older.
Each to their own I say

I wouldn't mind having my teeth done, all straightened and whitened and gleaming, with a few crowns here and there!