Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Day 26- Aging Gracefully

So today I had a facial laser treatment done called Clear+Brilliant. This is my second treatment and I am pretty stoked. Basically it helps with fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, acne scars... and it just generally brightens up your complexion. My favorite thing it has done so far is lighten my freckles!! Yes!
I was offered these treatments by a company in exchange for YouTube videos as a trade. They are expensive and a little painful and I am not sure I would have taken the leap into the world of medical treatments had it not have been for the opportunity sort of landing in my lap. This office also does a bevy of other treatments-- Juvederm, Botox, Velashape... you name it, they have it. And I do definitely feel that once you start getting treatments that make you feel good, you start thinking about other treatments that might make you feel even better!
So where is the line?
Honestly, I don't judge anyone that does anything to themselves. Fillers, tattoos, implants, plastic surgery. Whatever. It's your body honey! Who am I to judge?? I do also believe that some people do these things for the right reasons and some people do these things because of societal pressures and mental disorders. But again... I haven't walked a mile in your shoes.
I myself feel that there is a fine line between light upkeep and going overboard. This is totally a personal feeling about what is right for me. I know I won't ever get plastic surgery. Having heart surgery twice in my early 20's scared me enough and I don't think I could ever do that electively. Fillers and injectables and laser treatments (oh my!) are another world. Obviously I am not against laser treatments. But even those aren't invasive. At most it feels like a sunburn for a day and then you are back to normal. And it doesn't change the shape of your face. It just brightens your skin a little. Fillers and injectables scare me. I see SO many young girls getting lip fillers and botox when they don't need it and honestly I just think it looks kind of weird. The nurse at my office told me she has 16 year old girls going in there for preventive Botox and lip fillers and they jones like addicts when they haven't been in a while. She said one girl was like "I need my syringe!" And once you pass a point, everyone kind of starts to look the same. You see it a lot in LA. All of these mid 40's women that look like the exact same person. My gym is crawling with them.
Are there things I don't like about my face? Of course! Do I wish my lips were fuller? Oh my god yes! But I really love that my face is my own unique face. And I would be horrified if I impaired my face and it turned out badly when I have a perfectly fine face to start with. I do like to use makeup and clothing and accessories to jazz myself up. I like to be able to be a chameleon and change how I look. But I also like to wash it off at the end of the day, look in the mirror, and see me. The same face I have looked at for the last 33 years. If I can stave off some wrinkles with a little face cream or a laser treatment or two, fine. And who knows... maybe in another 10 years I will be a Botox fanatic. But for right now, I will embrace the way I am aging.
And that one little smile line on the left side of my mouth is staying no matter what. I earned that sucker.

7 comments:

  1. HOLLA! I am in the same boat. To each his own, but I personally feel like aging with grace is a concept that most people don't understand. Getting old isn't a bad thing. It's just a reflection of how long ago you came onto this earth!

    xoxo,
    Tara O.

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  2. Ageing gracefully hmmm..yes I like my facials laser and microdermabrasion but I have to say at almost 38 I also love my Botox it helps ease the laugh lines (which I love) but let's face it a little Botox twice a year helps me look like I actually sleep bu-bye insomnia and I feel good about the face staring back at me. Do I think anyone under 35 should consider it? Hell NO!!! But after 35 honey, do what makes you feel good :)

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  3. I started monthly crystal microderms when I was 32. I'm now 44 and I feel I look better than I did at 32. The main reason this is my favorite is because the aggressive "sandblasting" procedure not only exfoliates, but it stimululates collagen production. The diamond tip microderms, although more comfortable, do not have the same level of "controlled damage" and blasting to stimulate collagen at the same level. Lasers do the same, although I know 2 different people who had laser treatment done and within 6-9 months they needed fat transfers due to "melting" of adipose tissue. (Poor clinicians? Improper parameters? I don't care, it was enough to deter me from ever considering laser) I do the monthly microderms so I don't need anything more. Although I will say that I was like you (anti fillers) but this year I've noticed 2 tiny deep depressions just above the crease in my chin on the side that I smile higher on ...I'm considering getting them filled bc they bug the heck out of me. I'm told I wouldn't even need 1 syringe and it would last almost a year. Hmmm. Keep us posted on your results!

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    1. That is scary! I definitely don't have any treatments done by anyone but reputable professionals!

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  4. I am 21 years old and wanting a rhinoplasty. This may seem extreme, but it is something I have been thinking about for years. I was born with a perfectly straight nose, and getting braces caused my face to change shape. I developed a large nasal hump that I don't think belongs there. I want my natural nose back. I want to look how I was meant to look before braces (keeping the beautiful teeth of course). I am not a fan of a bunch of plastic surgery for myself, but I do think doing this much for myself is okay.

    PS I also can't breathe out of my nose very well, so I am hoping to correct this along with the aesthetics . Hoping to get it covered by insurance due to the fact that my nose doesn't work right, because it's the only way I can afford it!

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Thank you so much for stopping by! Please be nice and kind with your words even if you have something to criticize. I am trying to answer to as many questions as possible but please have some understanding that I cannot answer to all of you. XOXO