Facelift Surgery Information

Carmen Electra had Breast Implants?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:17:20 PDT

Carmen Electra - Does she regret her breast implants? According to contactmusic.com she stated that she went too big with her implants and would like them smaller, closer in size to Jessica Alba's breasts.
I did get a chance to see Carmen while I was in Los Angeles, and she does have quite a large chest. They are likely D or DD cup in size, and are a bit big for my taste. Overall though, she is a bombshell. I also had the pleasure of meeting a relative of hers, who told me that she was a very down-to-earth, genuine person. I've heard the same about her husband, Dave Navarro.

During my breast augmentation consultations I try to allow patients to decide the exact size of implant they are going to get. We use implant sizers which can be placed in a bra to "guess-timate" the best size for the patient. It is pretty rare to have a patient want to get as large as Carmen, but it does happen. It's important for these women to realize that "the larger the implant, the faster they droop."

Photo from hollywoodtuna.com

Jessica Simpson had lip injections?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 05:13:31 PDT

Jessica Simpson admits to having lip injections. In a recent interview with Glamour magazine, Jessica stated:
“I had that Restylane stuff... It looked fake to me. I didn’t like that. But…it went away in, like, four months. My lips are back to what they were. Thank God!”
Shocking. Check out my previous post in February 2nd to see what I thought of it then. I actually do know what I'm writing about! Most of the time...

Paris Hilton - Breast Implants?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 05:08:21 PDT

I often get photos of Paris Hilton from celebrity magazines to determine whether she has had a breast augmentation. Her larger breasts have always appeared to be due to fancy push-up bras, and not surgery. In an earlier post I commented on how she has been quoted saying that breast augmentation would "cheapen" her image.
Her larger-appearing breasts in this photo are also likely due to a push-up bra. I don't think she's had her breasts done. Time will tell...Then again, does anyone actually care what she does???

Photo credit: The Rumorficial

Madonna Reinvents Her Face

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:02:27 PDT

Madonna is well know for reinventing herself and it appears that she is desperately trying to restore the youth to her face. Unfortunately, even living an extremely healthy lifestyle can only turn back time so much. The rest of the fine tuning is then left to a plastic surgeon…

It appears that Madonna has some work done of her face, right before her Reinvention Tour in 2004. She has certainly had a blepharoplasty (upper and lower eyelid surgery) as well as some botox and possibly some facial fillers to smooth out the lines. All in all, I think Madonna looks great. She will be 50 years old this year.

Debbie Harry Looks 23!

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:58:31 PDT

Debbie Harry is 63 years old and her face looks 23! I saw recent pictures of Debbie and was shocked as how tightly her face is pulled.

Debbie has admitted to having a face life, many years ago, for “business reasons”, but recently it looks like she has had a brow lift and blepharoplasty (upper and lower eye lift) as well.

Debbie Harry has talked openly about having plastic surgery, so I am not surprised that she has opted to have additional cosmetic procedures:

“Yeah, I had a facelift years ago. Why not? It gives you all the things you need to be part of the action. I don’t feel like hiding myself away….Everybody knows that I’ve had plastic surgery. I did it for business reasons. You photograph better, and looks are a key part of being an entertainer, so I felt it was something I had to do. All sorts of horrific things happen in life - why make it worse by worrying about getting older?“

Lil Kim Gets Nose Reconstruction Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:50:14 PDT

As we’ve mentioned before, Lil Kim has had a ridiculous amount of plastic surgery, including multiple nose jobs that have resulted in the bridge of her nose disappearing into her skull.
Well, Lil Kim has recently resurfaced with another new nose! It looks like she has had reconstructive surgery (using an implant to rebuild her nose), to fix the damage done by all the former rhinoplasty surgeries she has had.

I think it’s strange when people spend thousands of dollars trying to “improve” themselves with plastic surgery, then spend the rest of their lives trying to fix the damage done by the initial plastic surgery procedure. Here is a picture of Lil Kim in the 90’s, before she had all the bad plastic surgery.

Has Avril Lavigne gotten Breast Implants?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:40:39 PDT

Avril Lavigne, the pop punk princess has almost certainly had a nose job since entering the music scene. But Make Me Heal suspects there might be some more plastic surgery going on for the 23-year old, below the neck.

Avril Lavigne is no stranger to changing her image, having undergone a rhinoplasty to make her nose longer and less bulbous. According to NYC plastic surgeon, Dr. George Lefkovits, “Her old nose was too short and bulbous. The new nose has better balance and proportion. The tip is more refined.”

Now it seems like the young married woman may have undergone a breast augmentation. Avril appears to have gone from a small A-cup to a C-cup. The singer is on the thin side, so any growth in her breasts would be disproportionate and give her an overly done appearance. Her breasts also seem to be riding higher than before and are very round, other possible indicators of a breast augmentation.

On the other hand, Avril hasn’t worn revealing clothing until fairly recently, so it is possibly her breasts have just been in hiding or the singer is now wearing more supportive, push-up bras that accentuate her breasts than she has in the past.

Read the complete plastic surgery profile of Avril Lavigne on Plasticopedia, the largest online celebrity plastic surgery encyclopedia.

Uma Thurman has had a nose job?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:56:51 PDT

Uma Thurman has become a global star thanks to her wonderful performance in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. And the actress seems to be continually enjoying her success with more and more projects coming her way.

The 38-year-old actress still looks stunning though subtle traces of aging can be noticed on her once uber flawless skin. The most interesting rumor that haunted her so far is her alleged nose job.

Looking at Uma's previous photos, one can notice that Uma's nose has a very rounded tip during the 90s. Starting from there, it has become slimmer and the bridge looks wider. This very subtle change is so natural-looking that even the experts have a hard time determining if it's really a result of a surgical procedure or just a wise maneuver in makeup artistry.

It is quite possible that if indeed Uma underwent rhinoplasty sometime ago, her nose has already adjusted to fit her face; thus, the natural look.

As can be seen in her previous flicks such as My Super Ex-Girlfriend and The Accidental Husband, Uma has shown few signs of aging. However, she amazingly doesn't have wrinkles on her forehead which hardly crease, even with facial movements. Moreover, the fact that she has no crows' feet or nasolabial folds suggests that Uma might have been using Juvederm or Restylane fillers, or she just has very good genes.

One major factor of her youthful glow might also be Uma's skin care regimen. She has been open about her use of Sjal Orbe Eye Crème, which helps protect the skin around her eyes from aging and environmental damage.

Uma Thurman has employed plastic surgery in a very subtle way which results in a very natural look. Because of this, she is left looking fresh and young even without heavy makeup.

Ashlee use Botox for wide-eyed look?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:50:22 PDT

In Touch Weekly claims that singer Ashlee Simpson gets Botox monthly to obtain a wide-eyed look. It can be remembered that not long ago, Ashlee subjected herself to a cosmetic surgery procedure called rhinoplasty or nose job in order to remove the ugly bump that she had on her nose. The singer said that that little bump really caused her to be insecure considering that she has a foxy sister (Jessica Simpson) around.

Now, Ashlee might not be contented with just revising the nose. She seems interested in getting the wide-eyed look, and In Touch says she uses Botox to achieve just that.

The 23-year-old singer has this to say about the rumors: "I think it's growing up and growing into my beauty. You try things out, and what not, and I'm comfortable in my skin."

But In Touch Weekly is firm with the claim. They even have a plastic surgeon to validate it.

"When someone is smiling, certainly when they are smiling genuinely, you would expect a slight crinkle around the eyes, which I don't see," facial plastic surgeon Dr. Jennifer Levine, who does not treat Simpson, told Access Hollywood. "So I would have to expect that she has had some Botox to that area."

Ashlee is primarily using the Botox injections in order to give her a wide-eyed look, says the magazine. Dr. Levine reveals that's a less common use of Botox.

"I would argue that someone who is 23 would probably have a very natural and pleasing brow position and it wouldn't really be necessary," she said.

As expected, Ashlee's spokesperson, refutes the claims.

"Ashlee has never had Botox in her life," the rep said in a statement released exclusively to Access Hollywood. "She credits her eyebrows to her makeup artist who is a whiz with the tweezer."

Well, as long as Ashlee looks pretty damn good with that wide-eyed look, it doesn't matter anymore how that particular came about.

Beyonce - Plastic Surgery?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 23:28:16 PDT

A quite odd-looking photo of Beyonce has been circulating around the internet lately. Some websites have attributed the strange lines on her face to plastic surgery. As a plastic surgeon who has performed thousands of facial rejuvenation surgeries, I can tell you that this is caused by no plastic surgery that I know of. I'm no expert at wigs, but I would bet that these "Klingon" wrinkles are more than likely caused by a wig or extensions. Click here for a previous post on Beyonce.

Source: the Superficial

Britney - More Plastic Surgery?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 23:45:45 PDT

More Britney Spears news (as if you hadn't had enough). It's being reported that Ms. Spears may be planning to spend a whopping $130,000 on plastic surgery in an attempt to drop four dress sizes in just three months to regain her previous figure. The procedures include: Lipodissolve (mesotherapy), breast lift, lower body lift, liposuction, and brachioplasty.

While this information is from Star Magazine, a "reputable" tabloid, I doubt it is completely accurate. Lower body lifts and brachioplasties would leave her with long scars which could easily be visible depending on the clothes she wears. In addition, while she may have gained some weight recently, this is no reason for her to have these surgeries. They are not for weight loss. Brachioplasty and lower body lifts are usually reserved for people with massive weight loss, such as Star Jones or Newman from Seinfeld.

Angelina Jolie - Plastic Surgery?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 23:40:07 PDT

Much has been made about Angelina Jolie's possible lip augmentation. Here are some photos that were sent to me by a reader which appears to depict a rhinoplasty (very tastefully done) and maybe even a browlift (although I doubt this). I have no definite proof the 'before' photo is legit (comments are welcome) but if it is, her nose looks quite a bit different.

Source by: www.celebritycosmeticsurgery.blogspot.com

What Surgery that Demi Moore had?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:22:57 PDT

Demi Moore has reportedly had her knees done. According to the Daily Mail, the star has reportedly been unhappy with how her knees looked and recently had them surgically altered. Here is their story (abridged):

Despite her enviable figure, Demi Moore, 43, always had one or two things she wanted to hide away - her knees.

After her flaw was pointed out to her, the mother of three - who is very conscious that actor husband Ashton Kutcher is 15 years younger than her - asked her plastic surgeon to see what he can do.

"Demi went to Brian Novack, who has already done work on her," a source close to the actress said. "He is a fantastic surgeon and his clients don't look like they've had surgery. Demi couldn't stand it that there was any part of her that is not perfect.

"She is also sensitive about her age, although Ashton has told her a million times he doesn't care about what she looks like because he loves her.

"A lot of her friends were trying to talk her out of having more surgery. Worrying about her knees, of all things, is just silly. She's lucky that's the only part of her left to sag!"

Knees are one of the hardest areas of the body to have done because there is nowhere to conceal the scarring.

"If you cut away skin there is going to be scarring," said plastic surgeon Alex Karidis of the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth in North London. "If you have a neck lift you can hide the scarring behind the ear, but the knees are one of the most exposed areas of the body.

"I would always advise my clients against having knee surgery because it is impossible to hide. And even though the scarring might not be as bad as the sagging, it will be a telltale sign that you have had surgery."

The surgery added another £5,000 to the £220,000 tally of improving her body. Among the work she has allegedly had is liposuction to her hips, thighs and stomach, estimated to have cost £16,000, a £9,500 breast implant operation and £20,000 of work on her face.

After a string of film flops in the late Nineties and a difficult break up with her husband of 11 years, Bruce Willis, Miss Moore has enjoyed a comeback since having the main work done nearly four years ago.

What cosmetic surgeons believe Demi has had done:

• Liposuction to her hips, inner and outer thighs and stomach - £16,000
• Beast implants for 1996 film Striptease - £11,000
• Subsequent operation to reduce her breast implants and have a breast lift - £9,500
• Brow lift - £3,600
• Chemical facial skin peel - £10,000
• Collagen injections (per course) - £200
• Teeth veneered and laser whitening - £6,200
• A long-term diet and fitness routine, including nutritionist, personal trainer, yoga instructor and kick-boxing champion - £165,000
• Knees surgery - £5,000

Total: £226,500

I haven't checked the exchange rates in years, but last time I was in the UK, a U.S. dollar was worth about half a British pound. That puts the total amount she's estimated to have spent around $400,000! I would doubt some of the amount above, as a chemical peel should not cost 10,000 pounds and liposuction 16,000 pounds. If that was the case, I would retire at age 40!

Source by: www.celebritycosmeticsurgery.blogspot.com

Facelift Procedure

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:17:12 PDT

Face lift procedures have evolved over the past few generations into a safe, predictable method to rejuvenate the face, without the pulled "done" look of the past procedures.

Operation: Dr. Sherman uses the most proven techniques for face lift cosmetic surgery. Depending on the age and the relative health of the patient, face lift cosmetic surgery can be performed in the hospital or in our fully-accredited and equipped operating suite in New York City. Various options are used with the face lift: mini facelifts, neck tightening or brow lift.

This cosmetic surgery procedure is usually performed in the our fully accredited office surgery suite. Patients may desire to stay one night in the hospital instead of the office setting for their face lift. The operation is then performed at The New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center.

Age of the Patient: A face lift is usually performed on patients from the age of 40 through the seventies. Depending on the age of the patient, the goal of the face lift operation may be entirely different, as well as the type of operation, and where the plastic surgery is performed. Of course, the patient must be of good health, and if older, must have medical clearance.

Anesthesia: Face lift plastic surgery is usually performed under intravenous sedation anesthesia, avoiding the general anesthesia. However, there are certain patients with whom the general anesthesia may be preferable. This may be combined with the blepharoplasty (eyelid plastic surgery), or other body contouring procedures.

Convalescence: The convalescence for a full face lift is approximately 2-3 weeks. This is the time that you may feel totally comfortable returning to your social calendar, without the need to explain discoloration and swelling to your friends and working associates. In general, the younger the patient, the quicker the return to full function. This may be as short as 10 days to two weeks after the face lift procedure. The first two to three days is marked by a feeling of tightness, and swelling. This improves over the following week. Modest pain is usually controlled with the use of oral pain medication.

Variations of the Face Lift Operation:

Face Lift: This is performed on the younger patient, without the neck and or brow being done. The entire operation takes less than two hours and is performed in the office. IV sedation is the anesthesia of choice.
Neck Lift: An isolated neck lift may be performed in some patients where most of the changes are below the chin and in the neck area. A small incision is made behind the chin prominence, and may be made in conjunction with traditional behind the ear incisions to maximize correction.

Source by: http://www.nyplasticsurg.com

Fergie had Rhinoplasty?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:55:40 PDT

Fergie (Stacy Ann Ferguson), lead singer of the Black Eyed Peas, is rumored to have had a rhinoplasty (nose job), breast augmentation, an endoscopic brow lift (forehead lift), and Botox injections. Fergie's rhinoplasty has resulted in a thinner and more chiseled nose relative to her more bulbous old nose. Fergie's excessively arched brows also suggest that she had an endoscopic browlift combined with some Botox. Breast Augmentation?

Fergie's large breasts relative to her small frame, coupled with the roundness of her breasts, and unnatural projection of her breasts suggest that she also had a breast augmentation.
Being that Fergie's sun-ravaged skin has taken the toll of sun damage, her wrinkle free complexion suggests that she has made use of Botox injections.
Fergie has denied having plastic surgery, but is open to going under the knife. "I haven’t had any surgery but I would maybe consider a nip and a tuck. I’ve been sun tanning forever and damaging my skin. I would be open to botox".

Source: www.makemeheal.com

Nicole Kidman had rhinoplasty?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:47:55 PDT

Nicole Kidman had a rhinoplasty, lip augmentation, and is a frequent user of Botox injections to keep her porcelaine, wrinkle-free skin intact. Nicole Kidman's new nose has been reshaped as it is more defined, the tip is retracted and shorter, and the nostrils are smaller than her old nose.
Nicole Kidman’s fondness for plastic surgery has not stopped at a nose job, as she is known to have had Botox injections on numerous occassions and lip augmentation via injectible fillers such as Restylane or Juvederm. Kidman’s repeated use of Botox has led to her having an expressionless, frigid look in some public appearances and has caused some critics to accuse her of having a "Botox brow", which leads to an excessively arched eyebrow which can make the person look angry.
At the 2007 Oscars, it has been speculated that in addition to having lip augmentation for the event, Nicole Kidman may have gotten a breast augmentation in the recent past, as her bust seems to have grown. Nicole’s somewhat bustier appearance lead some to speculate that she might very likely had a breast augmentation in the recent past. Being that Nicole’s previous red carpet appearances showed a rather “boyish” flat chest, her recent appearances in more busty dresses indicate that breast implants might be in the mix. “She appears to have possibly had a breast augmentation. Her breasts remain in proportion to her figure though, and if done, appears to have been a very nice job,” said fellow Make Me Heal Oscars Coverage member plastic surgeon Anthony Youn.

Source by: http://www.makemeheal.com/

BOTOX® Cosmetic

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:30:41 PDT

BOTOX® Cosmetic is registered for treatment of frown lines and approved by FDA. It helps to reduce or eliminates wrinkles without surgery. It reduces horizontal creases in forehead, reduces frown lines and minimizes the looks of crows' feet or smile lines around the eyes. BOTOX provides dramatic effects.

Where did the wrinkles and lines come from?

Is it just aging? Too much sun? Too much stress? In general, how skin ages and wrinkles is a complex process. It isn't just about cellular changes, collagen depletion, hormone loss, damage caused by free radicals, and so on; it's a combination of many factors. The lines that appear between your brows (glabellar lines) actually result from muscle movement and the passage of time. You may have heard the expression "wearing your emotions on your sleeve," but in reality you wear them on your face. If you're angry or annoyed, for example, you knit your brows together. Underneath your skin, your facial muscles contract, cause a pleating of the overlying skin, and then, as anyone can see, you're frowning. After years of crinkling and wrinkling, those glabellar lines start to linger longer and can become more pronounced. For women, whose faces tend to be more animated than men's, and whose skin is typically more delicate, these lines may appear exaggerated and more permanent.

Where did the wrinkles and lines come from?

What exactly is BOTOX® Cosmetic?

BOTOX® Cosmetic is a purified protein produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. It is a non-surgical, physician-administered treatment that can temporarily reduce moderate to severe frown lines between the brows. During treatment, very low doses of BOTOX® Cosmetic are administered via a few tiny injections directly into the muscles that cause those stubborn lines. The treatment is usually done in about 10 minutes, and no recovery time is needed. Results may vary.

How does BOTOX® Cosmetic work?

BOTOX is introduced into the muscles and relaxes the tiny facial muscles that cause expression lines, leaving the overlying skin smooth and unwrinkled. BOTOX works on the specific areas treated. Other muscles like those used to raise the eyebrows are not affected so a natural expression is maintained and soften the looks. After the injection, it takes 2-3 days to see the dramatic changes and around 7 days to see the full effect. The treatment will last around six to nine months, the result will fade away slowly and expression lines slowly return. After 2-3 years of repeated treatment it will gradually require less frequent treatment in the future to maintain the results. Those moderate to severe frown lines between your brows form over time as the result of muscle activity. BOTOX is injected directly into the muscles between your brows. It works by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses to the injected muscles; this reduces the activity of the muscles that cause those persistent lines to form.

GOLDTHREAD FACELIFT

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:23:17 PDT

What is GoldThread Facelift? Gold reinforcement is a procedure of treatment using prophylactics that improve skin structure and slow down the aging process, allowing marvelous results with minimal invasion. The first results can be noticed in one month; the face colour and appearance improves, wrinkles start smoothing, skin pores narrow and skin becomes more elastic. Evident rejuvenating results can be seen within six months. Rejuvenation increases over two years and can last up to 12 years. The Gold Lift procedure can be repeated.
The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes. It is safe, and side-effects are minimal and rare. The patient also suffers no pain, and the procedure leaves no scarring.

Patients' Testimonial - Breast Implants

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:36:26 PDT

Name : Melissa Lim
Heights : 1.63m
Bust : 36C
Waist : 27
Weight : 52kg
Goals in Life : Live a life that allows me to see and make choices
Hobbies : Working out, reading, traveling
Pet Peeves : People who do nothing but expect something out of everything
My favorite mentor : Dr. Mel Gill (Author of Uncommon Sense)
Date of operation : March, 2006

Testimonial

The reason why I decided to go ahead with the surgery was that I wanted to add a new dimension to my life. I see life as a great adventure and there are challenges in every stage of our life.
Prior to consultation, I called the clinic to find out the cost of the surgery as it was my biggest concern. The staff politely brushed aside my questions and encouraged me to come out with a list of questions I would like to ask during the consultation. I was really impressed by the tactful way the staff answered my questions on the phone and decided to make an appointment to consult personally.
I did exactly what I was told to do and launched an active search on the Internet to find out what breast augmentation was. There is a wealth of information on the Internet and I just read whatever I found interesting or educational. While there are reports of disfigured breasts due to complications and issues on the safety of silicone implants, there are also positive statements made by women who have actually received breast implants. By being fully aware of both its risks and benefits and prepared what to expect, I knew what I want in life and hence have decided to undergo the procedure.
I found out as much information as possible on what I should do before and after the OP. Even though I was not able to adhere to every instruction, I just did my best to conform as much as possible to strengthen my body for the procedure and to shorten the post-operative recovery time.
The first day after the OP was a mildly painful day. However, the fact that I chose the incision to be under the breasts had given me much mobility and I was relatively free to move my arms to do some simple chores. When the bandage was removed on the second day, the degrees of tightness lessened slightly. The next follow-up visit was one week after the OP and when I went to have the plasters around the wounds removed, the staff were very pleased with the minimal bruising I had and my remarkable recovery. Bruising was observed in the cleavage and armpit around the right breast. The tightness eased away slowly as time went by. By the end of the 2nd week, I was able to sleep with ease.
I could not be happier with the proportional figure that I always wanted! There are times when I take a look at the full length mirror in the bath room, I wonder how all these things are made possible and how it affects my well being. The combination of the hardware aspect of aesthetic technology and the software aspect of the skills of the surgeons have a tremendous effect in the way how we want to alter our body. Wow! I just experienced a real sense of living in the 21 st century!
Last but not least, I wanted to say that the doctors and the staff Keng Kee and Lydia are caring and considerate from the very 1st consultation to the last appointment I had with them. I've chosen the best doctors and the cost I paid was certainly worthwhile for the experiences that have come forth and the choices of attire I adorn myself.
Before 1 week after

Patients' Testimonial - Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:33:55 PDT

Name

M. Theresa

Testimonial

How my life changed

Source

Appeared in Indonesian Tatler Dec 2007

This is the era of staying healthy, looking good and feeling youthful. Modern medicine together with explosive advances in the fields of Anti Aging and Cosmetic Surgery have allowed us to do just those things, and have even given us options of how we want to achieve them. As someone who has recently chosen to undergo some of these options, I would like to ‘cur had’ with you how my life has changed and share the experiences I had with my doctors, nurses, family, friends and last but not least of all, with myself. I would like to openly tell my story, and hopefully dispel some of the myths and allay some of the associated fears, to show that there still exists a strong sense of willingness to share amongst those of us who actively compete in the race with Mother Nature to preserve youth, as well as the dedicated doctors & nurses, with whom we have a fighting chance of victory, albeit a temporary one.

In order to begin, let me give you a little background on myself. I am a woman in my sixties (very early), married with children and blessed with grandchildren. I have a full time job, and over the years, have always been fascinated by beauty and the preservation of youth. As such, I watch what I eat, maintain a regular fitness schedule, and keep up to date with the latest treatment modalities as well as with several doctors who are dedicated to the fields known as Aesthetic Medicine and Cosmetic Surgery. Amongst procedures I have undergone in the past include Thermage (to lift facial skin), ‘clipping’ or ‘stitching’ to lift my upper eyelids and have tried several types of anti-aging skin treatments, all by doctors in Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.

A few months ago, however, I looked in the mirror and realized that despite my most valiant efforts, my skin was beginning to appear ‘kusam’ and my eyelids seemed to be significantly more sagging. The overall look, according to me (and several close friends who I consulted) was tired, sleepy and a little lackluster.

The next couple weeks were spent seeking out names of doctors in Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand who were seemingly experts in this field. Several people whom I approached were extremely helpful, and have inspired me to write this article as a sort of karmic way of repaying that kindness and continuing the custom of sharing. These were friends who were willing to share with me their experiences, their doctors and even show me their results! Some even let me see their before and after pictures so that I would be better able to appreciate their healing process and what they had gone through. Sadly, there were an almost equal number of people I approached who simply denied any encounter with the Aesthetic Medical industry (although their faces looked a million dollars), and some even who feigned ‘memory loss’, claiming that what they had was so long ago that they had forgotten the doctor or the type of procedure i.e. ‘udah lupa!’.These individuals equally inspired me to write this article, but clearly in a different way.

Next, I made appointments with several recommended doctors renowned for their skills in enhancing the Asian face. Over several weeks, I visited each of them for consultations, armed with a prepared list of questions and requests. Almost a month later, after seeing hundreds of before/after eyelids and skin, as well as talking to several people who had undergone exactly what I was interested in, I believed that I had found the doctor who was best able to provide what it was I needed. I attended second consultation, during which a date was set, the deposit was paid, pictures were taken (by both doctor and patient!) and a detailed operative plan was laid out to rejuvenate my eyes and face. The former would be done surgically (a procedure known as an Anchor Blepharoplasty) to refine my eyelids and the latter done using a combination of radio frequency as well as laser treatment, followed by an intensive five day skin regeneration program, ending with a skin resurfacing that would leave me glowing and radiant for months. An appropriate skin care regimen would also be tailored for me as part of the treatment package.

Day 1
I arrive at Camden Medical Centre in Singapore and am directed to change into a comfortable gown plus thick socks to keep me warm. All makeup (foundation, nail polish, fake eyelashes, etc) had been removed the day before, and the staff just double checked this to make sure. Next, I was met by my doctors and we ran through all the risks, complications and what could possibly go wrong. Having heard about all the potential disasters – allergy, asymmetry, swelling, bruising, and infection (to name a few) – I almost ran away!

It was either the comforting hand on my shoulder (good nurses are so important!) or the fact that the doctors gave me a sense of calm, controlled confidence that kept me in my seat at that moment.

Once I had signed the consent form, the doctors reassured me – saying everything was going to be fine. This too, I felt helped calm my nerves and steeled me on to stick to the original plan. I was given a sedative to make me relaxed and helped onto the procedure table, which was warm and extremely comfortable. Soft music played in the background, similar to the hypnotic beat of a gamelan band. The doctors then took some measurements of my eyelids made some pen markings with my eyes open and closed, and took a few more photos of my eyes whilst I comfortably dozed off to sleep. Now here comes the best part of my entire Cosmetic Surgery experience – that was honestly all I remembered of my procedure!

I awoke approximately 2 hours later (according to my watch) and was accompanied

(I) a warm cup of Milo
(II) the doctor with a mirror
(II) an ice pack to place over my eyes

Having before seen all the photos of patients recovering, I was not as horrified to see my swollen eyelids and reddish skin. Amazingly, my face felt taut, and I could already see that my lines had reduced and my pores were smaller.

Equally amazing was that it was almost impossible to see the stitches in my eyelids (which I later observed with a 5x magnification mirror).

The next hour and a half was spent drinking Milo, eating biscuits and chatting with the nursing staff. I felt absolutely no pain at all! The doctors also made regular checks on me every 30 minutes or so.

After two hours and a final review by the doctors, I was ready to be discharged. Donning my oversized sunglasses to conceal all evidence of my recent experience, I made my way to (believe it or not!) Takashimaya to meet my daughter for evening tea.

Seeing me with my sunglasses on throughout tea raised her suspicions considerably (oh yes, I forgot to mention that I had opted to tell nobody prior to under going the surgery). She reserved her questions till later on in the privacy of our Goodwood Hotel suite, when I could no longer conceal the evidence and had to remove my sunglasses.

Surprisingly, my daughter was extremely gentle and comforting with her words – saying how good I would look once the swelling had subsided, how fine the stitching was, how fresh my skin appeared – the kind of things only a loving daughter would say in order to reassure her mother, despite the mild annoyance of having been omitted from any part of decision making earlier on. Well, that night we had a hearty room service dinner together, and I fell fast asleep after taking my medications (antibiotics, anti-bruising, anti-swelling, and anti-pain).

Day 2
Waking up as always at 7am, I was pleasantly surprised to feel ABSOLUTELY NO DISCOMFORT at all! Swelling and redness around the eyes would have been quite frightening had my doctors not thoroughly prepared me for what to expect with the many before / after photos.

Lesson: Look at as many photos of patients experiencing the recovery process so that almost nothing will shock you!

At 11am, I appeared at Camden Medical Centre (with sunglasses of course) ready for my follow up check.

As usual, the lovely nurses made me feel comfortable, and placed me in a private cubicle, away from prying eyes of many other (obviously Indonesian, by the audible chatter) patients in the waiting room. The doctors came in about 20 minutes later and exclaimed ‘Simply splendid!’ Their happiness with my eyes / skin gave me even more confidence and reassurance that this journey was going to go quite well.

Thirty minutes of cold-compression of my eyes and face, and I was once more on my way to the Indonesian shopping Mecca, ‘Takashimaya’.

That day, and the following 72 hours were really quite uneventful. My eyelids became more swollen around day 3, and settled down around day 5. My skin felt tighter and firmer as the days went by. The initial warm glow (like a hot flush) was replaced by a pink healthy radiance that was noticed by almost everybody I met, including several Indonesian politicians and their wives. I was really looking forward to day 5, when the doctors had said would be the final stage of my complete transformation.

Day 5
Excitedly, I turned up 30 minutes before my scheduled appointment – big mistake!

In the waiting room there were almost 10 people, all of whom I knew or had previously met at some social event or other. Fortunately, I was once again quickly whisked away by the incredibly efficient nurses to the privacy of my own cubicle. Anaesthetic cream was applied to my eyelids for 30 minutes, after which the doctor came round with a lighted device (looking like a microscope) around his head and painlessly removed my stitches.

After the stitches had been separated from my body, I felt so much better and somehow more relieved. My eyes felt lighter and I felt that my recovery process had just taken another leap forward. The line of incision was almost completely invisible to the naked eye, and there was almost no evidence that surgery had taken place…except of course, a fresher, brighter and more lifted pair of eyelids!

Next, I underwent a treatment that I would call ‘strange’ but not uncomfortable. A blue lotion was applied to my face and a device was used to resurface my skin. There was no pain at all; in fact I was not even quite sure when the procedure was starting or ending since I had a pair of dark goggles on throughout.

After 30 minutes, the doctor pronounced that it was all over, and I then proceeded to undergo 30 minutes of a green seaweed mask and cold oxygen therapy (at -4 oC!). Aside from a mild brain freeze (similar to that experienced when eating an ice cream), the entire experience was really quite pleasant.

The best thing for me, after all this, was to be greeted in the mirror, by a fresher, brighter firmer and more vibrant face!

I left the clinic feeling and looking rejuvenated, happy that I had chosen the right procedure, the right place and most of all, the right doctor!

Day 6
The next day, I made my trip back to Jakarta, eager and nervous at the same time of how people around me were going to react.

It was still less than a week after the eyelid surgery and skin treatment, and my newfound unshakeable confidence suddenly became a little shaky. To my delight, NOBODY could tell what I had gone through! (I also had quite a good deal of help from make-up, concealer, etc).

And the comments I received made me blissfully happy, as well as reaffirmed my decision of what I had undergone. The only things people at social events said were ‘You look so fresh’, ‘you’ve done something to your eyes or face, but we can’t tell what!’ and of course the same questions that I had asked at the start of my journey “What did you do’ and ‘Who is your doctor?’. Needless to say, I gladly shared my experience with all who had the inclination to ask, even to those who had been less than generous when I was seeking exactly the same information months before. Incredibly, the greatest compliments on my skin came from my facial therapist, who said that she had never seen my skin looking so radiant and full of life! According to her, this was the first time she had seen such a drastic improvement in my skin health, and my therapist has seen me through everything that I have tried in the past.

In conclusion, my life had changed positively after this recent 5 days transformation program. I felt and looked better, younger and more alive. The encouraging feedback I received when I had just returned has continued until this day, and does not look like it’s stopping anytime soon. I feel that people who openly shared their experiences with me in my journey are part of my success, and I am grateful to them. To those whom I had approached and had placed more priority on privacy, I now understand and respect the way that they had felt. I too was briefly nervous in the doctor’s waiting room when my eyes were still swollen after surgery and my face tight as a drum, and recall the naked discomfort of coming under public scrutiny when I was still unprepared for it. Perhaps some people are just never ready to come under public scrutiny in matters of beauty and attempts at rejuvenation, and the feeling of naked discomfort persists long after the swelling and bruising have disappeared.

Our society is one that places a high price on health, beauty and staying youthful. The race against Father Time and Mother Nature has an inevitable outcome, but we have at least a temporary chance of victory with good information, advanced medicine and amazing doctors.

So if any of us has good information about advanced medicine being practiced by (who we feel are) amazing doctors, we can really help others who are just beginning their journey of transformation (like I was months ago) by sharing our experiences and being supportive (like my daughter was when she saw my swollen eyelids and pink skin) as they recover, reassuring them (like my friends when I first returned after my surgery) and rejoicing with them in their triumphs. Most of all, we should also treasure the information shared with us by generous, caring friends. We should never abuse the trust and courage by divulging to others what was said to us in confidence out of a desire to guide and encourage us in our decision making. Then we can be sure that our transformation would have surpassed what Cosmetic Surgery can achieve, and we would have given ourselves a spiritual facelift (sprituaplasty)!

Before

Day One

Day Five

Two Months Later

Day One

Day Five

Vanessa Williams use Botox?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:11:41 PST

Ugly Betty actress Vanessa Williams has admitted to using Botox. According to an article by Colin Stewart:

“I certainly do Botox, which I definitely think that almost every woman that I know has,” she told ABC interviewer Barbara Walters in today’s Oscar-night show. “And it’s a miracle drug, no cutting, nothing …“

Take a look at her forehead in the photo. It is smooth as a baby's bottom. That is one nice Botox result. Even two decades after she became Miss America, she is still absolutely stunning. Too bad, Rick Fox!

Photo credit: prphotos.com

Halle Berry - Breast Augmentation?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:11:41 PST

This photo of Halle Berry has been circulating around the internet and in magazines. Does it show a scar in her armpit from a breast augmentation?

It is definitely possible, however I usually place the scar in a wrinkle crease of the armpit which is perpendicular to the possible scar that we see here. It doesn't make much sense for her surgeon to place the scar in this direction because it would only make it more visible. It's possible that she doesn't have breast implants at all, and the scar is from something completely unrelated. No matter what it is from, one thing is certain. She looks fabulous.

Beyonce Knowles - Breast Implants?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 10:44:52 PDT

Has Beyonce had a breast augmentation? This photo shows what might be evidence of a breast augmentation through the armpit. Breast implants can be placed most commonly through the armpit, underneath the breast, and around the areola. The implants are often placed through the armpit in people with darker skin, as this area is known to be resistant to keloid formation. Unfortunately, some people can develop a band of scar tissue which extends between the armpit scar and the breast implant pocket. It can even create a pulling sensation, and resemble a band such as may be seen here.

Photo credit: perezhilton.com

Jennifer Aniston - Plastic Surgery?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 10:45:26 PDT

TheBosh.com has a recent post on Jennifer Aniston's possible plastic surgery. According to a plastic surgeon, in addition to a rhinoplasty, he believes:

"It looks like she may have had some filler in her upper lip. It's subtle, but it benefits her face," he says. "Her brows look elevated, which means she may have had some Botox in her forehead."

I can see how this photo could resemble a person with Botox and subtle lip filler like Restylane. She, obviously, has denied anything but a functional septoplasty. Whatever she's had, she looks great.

Photo credit: TheBosh.com

Sarah Jessica Parker has had Rhinoplasty?

noreply@blogger.com (Annie Chic Blog) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 10:45:52 PDT

Has Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker had a rhinoplasty? This one is not obvious. When comparing these photos, it does appear that the tip of her nose is a bit thinner, which could be the result of a subtle rhinoplasty.

If she did have a rhinoplasty, then her surgeon was very conservative, so as to not change her look too much. The worst thing that could happen to her would be what happened to Jennifer Grey, where the nose was altered so much that she was not recognizable as her old self. This has obviously not happened to Sarah Jessica Parker. I do think she is aging very gracefully, and actually looks better now than she did 15 or 20 years ago. Being married to Ferris Bueller may have its benefits!

In Style.com has a photo progression of SJP from 1984 (photo above) to the present. I don't see a huge difference in the photos with regards to the schnozz, but maybe a more subtle one from 2006-2007?

Photo credit: instyle.com, prphotos.com