— by guest blogger, Brooke Jones
I am a 44 year old woman, and I recently began looking at myself differently than I ever had in the past.
It used to be that I felt comfortable in my appearance. I always spent money on a nice wardrobe. I started buying more expensive skincare products and make-up when I turned 40, and made sure I looked ‘nice’ when I left the house. It was important to me because I run a globally recognized non-profit organization, meet with a ton of people, travel the world and do a good amount of public speaking in front of large crowds.
What got my attention and changed my point of view was seeing a photo of myself at these events, fully “made up”. I didn’t feel like the woman in those photos. She looked… old. And I felt like the person I was looking at in the photo was like a distant relative who bore some resemblance to me, but wasn’t me. I didn’t want to be tagged in social media posts or share photos with anyone. I found myself always taking photos of others, but never wanting to be in front of the lens.
I spent a lot of time over the last several years working on my emotional well-being; taking classes, attending seminars, reading books and getting certified in positive psychology and life coaching. I was feeling great about who I was internally, but seeing those photos made me painfully aware that I had not been focusing at all on my appearance. I realized it is just as valid and important to work on how I present myself physically, as it is to invest in my emotional well-being. Once I’d come to that realization, I looked for advice. I spoke to my primary care physician about my areas of concern, and she referred me to RESTOR Medical Spa.
So I made an appointment for a consultation. My question to them was, “What do I need to do to look better than ‘nice’?” We spent about an hour talking about my appearance and I shared the ‘imperfections’ that were really bothering me. I felt I was looking tired. Wrinkles were becoming more pronounced, and I had some sun spots that were starting to get bigger and darker. Overall, I just felt unattractive.
My medical professional listened to my concerns and educated me about the procedures that could help me. RESTOR was very clear about the timeline and cost for everything that would address my concerns. Even though it was a little uncomfortable to speak openly about my appearance and be vulnerable in that way, my medical professional was very respectful and good-humored throughout the meeting. I left feeling optimistic about what was possible and overall, very comfortable.
RESTOR felt my story was very relatable and suggested that if I shared my story, I could help a lot of people who might feel the same way. SO…even though I am a total newbie to ALL of this stuff, they asked if I would blog about my experience along the way. So, here we go!
I will begin my transformation (ooooh, I’m so excited that this could feel like a REAL transformation) on November 9 with Microneedling RF (radio frequency) and the LaseMD Refine procedures. These layered treatments will help tighten my skin and address my pigmentation issues. This will be followed up by Deoxycholic Acid (Kybella) to PERMANENTLY remove the little double-chin that’s in the works, and an IPL treatment in December. We will fire up a second session of Microneedling RF and LaseMD Refine at the end of the month (it’s a marathon and not a sprint!). In January, I’ll be back for another Deoxycholic Acid (Kybella) to address any remaining under-chin fat, and Botox for my upper-face wrinkles. My final appointment is in February for under-eye, cheek and lip filler. WHOA.
I’ll be honest, I’m nervous about all of it. It sounds like a LOT of work, and in some ways it is. It also feels like I’m going to end up feeling and looking the way I want instead of how I hoped I’d look when I invested in expensive creams and make-up. I believe this care plan is perfect for me because it addresses all of the concerns I have about my current appearance without adding unnecessary options. I am also confident doing this work because I trust RESTOR.
Of course, I’m a little scared, too. I worry about the pain. I have never had any of these procedures before. I don’t know what to expect other than what I’m told. Am I tough with a high pain threshold like I think, or is that total B.S.? I worry about the downtime I’ll have after each procedure. Will I have to take time off work? Will I have to avoid seeing friends and family because I’m healing? I worry that I’m going to look like a different person, and not myself.
But, I’m going into this with a lot of trust, excitement, hope and optimism. I want my exterior to reflect how I feel on the inside. And I know I have the right partner. I am very happy to be on this journey with RESTOR Medical Spa to get to my end goal of uncovering the best version of me.
I am committed to sharing every step of the way with you…I’ll give you the straight details and I hope that sharing this experience will help someone out there feel more confident about exploring these kinds of treatments and investing in their appearance without embarrassment or shame.
So…there it is. Please check back here and get the scoop on my journey! Till then, I’ll just be over here counting the days till November 9th!
