I have Dr. Sharon Giese to thank for my much-improved appearance.
If you had asked me a decade ago whether I’d ever have plastic surgery, I would have said, adamantly ‘Never.’
Well, never is a long word and I’ve changed my mind. Why? Because my face has changed, and although I’m never going to look like I did when I was 40, I would like to look the best I can at 65.
And I absolutely can look better than a 65-year-old has ever had the opportunity to look before. I’ve had my jowls removed, the excess skin snipped from my eyelids and a chin implant during the last few years, which have all definitely improved my appearance. Now I’d like to have fat injected into my sinking cheeks and the loose skin removed from my emerging turkey neck. As a matter of fact, I’d even entertain a facelift.
Mind you, I don’t lose sleep over the state of my neck or cheeks, but in my waking hours, when I take a peek at myself in the mirror, I think: “Geez, this neck makes me look old.” Or should I say: “Older than I’d like to look. Or need to look.” Katharine Hepburn chose turtlenecks. I’d rather have plastic surgery.
For all of you FOFs out there who agree with me, and even for those who don’t, we wanted to present you with reliable information and opinions from the top plastic surgeons in the country so you can make informed decisions for your face and body. These men and women really are at the top of their profession and love what they do. I can attest to that because I’ve personally interviewed most of those we present to you today. They’re all members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, which means they’ve studied long and hard in this medical specialty.
I like learning about our changing bodies and faces, the reasons we have wrinkles and cellulite, dark circles under the eyes and age spots on our hands, sagging breasts and bulging bellies. I’m fascinated by the world of procedures available to reduce or eradicate it all. Even if you never, ever intend to have your tummy tucked, your face lifted or your breasts reduced, read what these doctors have to say. You never know.
P.S. These doc introductions are only the beginning. We’ll be adding doctors throughout the year, thanks to a budding partnership between FOF and The American Society of Plastic Surgeons. We all want to make it as easy as possible for you to find the plastic surgeon whose best for you. Please visit plasticsurgery.org for further info on plastic surgery.
xoxo, Geri
0 Responses to “Dear FOFriends,”
Judy Long says:
I would love for Rae to tell us how her Life Style lift went. And what the cost is. I’ve called them and they have sent information but do not list prices or procedures at all.
tom bedford says:
How do you keep your/our eyes from looking old? So many have sagging skin and dark circles with puffiness around their eye area.
Joyce Steele says:
Geri, you look amazing! Thank you for sharing the before and after. I’m so happy for you. Loved reading all about you and how you feel, too. Miss our chats! xoxo Joyce
Norma Byrd says:
LieslM is SO right about taking care in choosing a surgeon. I have seen really bad jobs where the skin is stretched so tightly you wonder if the person must sleep with their eyes open. Besides, a few wrinkles keep you looking soft—not like a plastic mask. And the cost can’t be the determining factor—look at the celebrities who had disastrous results. Surely they paid top dollar! As was pointed out, the best surgery isn’t patently obvious—you just look better. I’ve had people ask “Can you tell I had something done?” My real reaction if it was done well has been “You just look more rested and happier.” If I could specifically tell they’d had surgery, they wouldn’t want to know.
sara says:
good point!
LieslM says:
I agree with Neats. The “before” photo was hideously unflattering, whereas in the “after” photo Geri’s pose, hair, and makeup are far more flattering–things that have nothing to do with the actual cosmetic surgery itself (which looks to me to be extremely well done). In other words, I would like to have seen a flattering “before” photo.
My feeling about cosmetic surgery is that if someone wants to do it, go for it, but make darn sure you pick a good surgeon and do not have unrealistic expectations about the outcome. Also make darn sure that you don’t get hooked on it. We’ve all seen celebrities who don’t know when to stop with the nips and tucks.
Soledad says:
You look really good! I have seen commercials for what’s called the Lifestyle Lift. The before and afters are amazing because they do not look like they had anything done. They just look better. Not that Joan Rivers look. It’s supposed to take a short time. Does anyone know what is done exactly because they don’t explain it. I am not ready to have anything done but this looks like something I would try in the future.
Rae says:
I am having the lifestyle lift done tues. There is an incision made in front and behind your ears and skin is then pulled up and back but not too tightly. Under local anethesia. About 1 – 2 week recovery…Will let u know how it goes.
Deborah Shirley says:
Geri,
You got amazing results with your plastic surgery! The only results I had seen of other people was celebrities; and many of those turned out to be horrendous! I am happy for you that you had a wonderful experience!
Janice says:
First, I must say you look great! Secondly, I must also say that an updated hair style, makeup and a beautiful smile are always going to make any lady look more youthful so it is very difficult to make a fair comparison of the before and after photos.
While at age 61 I have learned, never to say never, I can’t get past the slippery slope concept. One starts with one area of the face making the others look worse. If you have ever done redecorating you know what I mean. New lamp makes the table appear dated. Replace the table. Well now the sofa looks tired and worn out. Replace the sofa. Well now the rugs don’t go with any of it! Gut the room and start over! 🙂
So where does it end? Do I want to spend the remainder of my years undergoing painful procedures? I can’t imagine wanting to leave my body out of the equation either so I would have to address my saggy elbows & knees, crepey chicken texture of my skin from too many years in the sun, a waist that no matter how much I exercise will never be the waist of my 20’s even with lipo or thermage? Where in all of this do I find time to live my life just being happy with family and friends. In between the “needed” maintenance of botox and fillers? Will my life change for the better? Will people think I am younger? Does it matter? None of this actually makes me younger.
Also, please remember that while physicians may plastic surgeons they are dealing in an arena of elective procedures and that this is a business and just like any business they make money by selling you a product. In this case plastic surgery. Since the 2008 downturn in the economy things have not been going nearly as well for them as people have had less disposable income. #justsayin
Anyone considering plastic surgery or procedures needs to also consider the risks and to ask themselves what they are really after. If any of these docs can really turn back the hands of time then I will be the first to jump on board! Until then I think I will just keep staring this ole gal in the face every morning and be happy to be alive and well to see her!
Wishing you all the best!!
SHELLEY R ZUREK says:
I would do this in a heartbeat. If you need volunteers…sign me up.
Ctgal says:
You look fantastic! I had some stuff done too. I am 60. While I made sure that it wasn’t tight and drastic, it was a huge help. The one thing I want to warn you about, though, is to be sure to lose any weight you want to before the surgery. I, unfortunately, am taking a drug now that has made me lose my appetite. I have lost another 6-8 lbs. more, not intending to, but it has affected the work the doctor did. My eyes are fine, but other areas are not. And I don’t expect to get off this drug. So, I either force myself to eat or live with the consequences, unintended or not. Some wrinkles are back and my under chin area is not nearly as good as I wanted. I look fine, and we are much more critical of ourselves than others are of us, I hope. I am happy, though, that I have a husband who thinks I am beautiful, and isn’t that what counts?
Linda Hill says:
I am about to have an extended tummy tuck. I am 58 years old and gained a lot of weight when my son died. I have lost about 100 lbs and my stomach is gross. I wish I could afford a facelift also. I am so lonely and am really trying to find a mate to spend my life with so I am doing what i can afford.. Good for you Geri. Nothing wrong with trying to look the best we can. And you look great. Never guess you for 65.
Debbie says:
You look great. I am 53 but I have been thinking about having some work done as well. Your article inspired me.
Barb says:
Ps. You look good Geri
Barb says:
I don’t know why anyone would be against plastic surgery. I am a very down to earth person that doesn’t like any kind of pretension, I don’t have any problems with it. I’m not talking about the hard core plastic surgery of celebs or people who are so addicted like the woman who wants to look like a barbie doll. Aging is a part of life, but it’s good to look the best we can when we can. If I could afford it I would. What’s on the inside is the most important, and I loath that people judge you by the outside, but they do. I have been prejudiced against many times because of my looks, while I don’t like bowing to people’s arrogance, if I could and make my life easier I surely would.
Kim says:
You look fabulous, no pun intended!!! I say if it makes you feel more youthful, then you will live your life as if you were more youthful! Viva la plastic surgery!
belindabg says:
Looks like a Lifestyle Lift + Chin Implant to me…they are big out here in AZ. I will consider it if and when I start to sag, but right now all I’m getting is a fatter face with menopause, not a saggier one.
Mary Gobbo says:
Geri, you look absolutely FABULOUS! You go girl!
Ronnie says:
Geri- I’d like to know what procedure removed your jowls if it wasn’t a lower face lift. Thanks.
Cj says:
We always want to look our best – it’s why we brush our teeth & hair and dress so we don’t appear on the “What do you think of this look” page. Kudos to you Geri. You look happy and, in the end, isn’t that what matters?
mxkh says:
Amazing what a wig and a smile can do.
Trisha says:
Good for you! I can’t afford all those procedures but I’m off for a filler (Juvaderm) next week. Will be saving up for my eyelids, next. I’ll be 65 at the end of this year, and I don’t particularly want to look younger– just better.
Norma Byrd says:
When I was in my 40’s I noticed that my nose which had always had a bump high up on the bridge, seemed to be getting more prominent. Then at a party, someone took a picture of me in profile and apologized for it! I said no, it was alright, that was just the way I looked. But the more I looked at that picture, the more I knew it WASN’T alright. I took myself to a cosmetic surgeon and told him it seemed to be getting worse and he explained that as our muscles and skin tone weaken and sag with age, such prominences become, well, more prominent. “Like the cover on a tent when it loses its tautness and sags over the tent poles.” Well, that was an easy, if somewhat painful, fix. The pain was soon gone, but my much nicer nose is still with me, and I’ve always been glad I did that. A few years later I became aware that no matter how hard I tried, I could not hold my tummy in and I hated the bulge that on my skinny frame made me look pregnant. Back to my capable surgeon for liposuction. THANK YOU LORD AND DOCTOR G.! Someone commented recently that I have a nice flat tummy and hers was not. I also had liposuction to reduce sagging eyelids (need it again though). Again, a small thing for a huge improvement.
A word to those considering facial (or any other) cosmetic surgery—do it NOW while you can enjoy it longer! And I told everyone I was going to because I didn’t want people whispering and conjecturing. Besides, I was proud that I had the nerve to do it. Beauty doesn’t come cheap, so prepare for the cost, and tell yourself it is SO worth every penny spent to have the sense that you’ve taken advantage of technology to look as good as possible for as long as possible. This is not vanity! It’s having pride in your appearance.
Neats says:
In the BEFORE pic she has an old lady hairdo, no smile and minimal makeup. On my computer she looks kind of green. In the AFTER she has a much more youthful hairdo, she’s smiling and has on enough make-up that she has a warm pink glow. And a chin implant.
Please don’t belittle readers with such a stacked deck. We are not idiots.
Sheree Dosovitz says:
Sorry, responder, but you sound like someone who is a bit envious of the woman’s new improved appearance. It is not just her make up and hair style, though of course they do improve her appearance. Yes, her smile does make her look more beautiful, but I believe she is smiling because she is more confident with her new appearance. She has obviously had some procedure to remove her jowls and refine some of her features. She looks fabulous and as a woman, we should celebrate the joy and happiness of other women. So, stop whining and making negative remarks and celebrate others accomplishments along with your own. Sour grapes, so to speak, will just result in some premature fine lines and wrinkles of your own.
Leslie Bonner says:
You look fabulous. Just don’t puff up your lips so you have a trout pout.
Priscilla O'Reilly says:
It’s what’s inside that counts (in my opinion)! But you look great!
DJ says:
You look fabulous!
And thanks so much for the look-up site for surgeons. I have lost 90+ lbs as a result of bariatric surgery and need to have lipsuction. Will visit the site today.
Katharine says:
Katharine Hepburn — unusual spelling of her first name, but not unique. Katharine Graham, Katharine Ross.
Joan Digou says:
You look great! My only problem is once you fix a few things the rest looks worse. And what do you do with sagging knees and elbows!! It’s never ending! But I’d never say never!!