Part 2 of Karen's Story

Part 2 of Karen’s story – #bemoreme – The ventriloquist’s mouth and more

One side looks rested the other looks tired and old! I can’t believe the difference

First session, I arrive with less trepidation, but either march of the hamster-faces very much in my mind!

Kelly’s made a plan of action and is going to start with, what I like to call, my ventriloquist’s doll mouth!

You know what I mean, deep grooves coming down from the corners of my mouth to my chin, giving my moth a permanent frown. Kelly reckons she’s going to turn that frown upside down and puts lashings if numbing cream around the areas she’s going to fill.

We’re chatting while all this is going on, I really can’t remember what about, but she’s distracting me and it’s working.

Needles really don’t bother me, so while Kelly’s waiting for the numbing cream to take effect she popped a few tiny dots of Botox in my hairline and above my brow. If I need more she’ll do it at the next appointment; less is more.

Now for the treatment

All around my mouth is now totally numb so, when Kelly asks if it hurts I genuinely say no, I can’t even tell what’s she’s doing!

In fact she’s filling in my ventriloquists grooves and all I feel is very numb! Then she moves and I realise she’s putting filler in my upper lip, I feel a slight panic, is a trout pout beckoning? I’m not going to lie it’s a little bit painful, but I’m not going to move, so I lie still wondering what’s happening as Kelly smooths and pats at the areas she’s filled.

Then she passes me the mirror so I can see the half she’s done v the half yet to be done. And the difference is amazing! One side looks rested the other looks tired and old! I can’t believe the difference.

Kelly does the same to the other side and then I hop off the bed. She tells me to look in the mirror, something we know I hate and I actually jump when I see myself because I remind me of someone and then I realise that someone is the younger me!

It’s emotional looking at yourself, still you, but younger. Emotional but wonderful and I can’t wait to see what Kelly’s going to do in our next session. #bemoreme

Do I look like I’ve had ‘work’ done?

So, do I look like I’ve had ‘work’ done. This has been my fear from the start. I don’t want to look like I’m not me or people to stare at my frozen face, hamsters cheeks or lips fit to burst!

I’d rather they didn’t notice so my night out with long-standing girlfriends, who know me well was a good test.

I arrive, I sit down and no-one says anything! Not a word and I feel relieved. One glass of wine in and one of my friends says ‘you’re looking good, your cheekbones look amazing’ of course Kelly hasn’t touched my cheeks but u think my whole face has been lifted by what she’s done so far.

Now I don’t know if you’re like me and simply can’t keep a secret, but I tell her ‘no, it’s not my cheekbones it’s my ventriloquists mouth, it’s gone’!

To be fair she’s probably not thought about it, after all it’s not her face, but the very fact she thinks I look great makes me feel great.

When it comes to confidence in your 50s it’s not easy, that invisibility cloak lays heavy on your shoulders and anything you can do to lift that cloak and feel more alive is bound to bossy your confidence.

I feel more me. Still very much me. Just a more youthful, more confident me. And that’s all I want. Thank you to my beautiful friend who complemented me, she made me feel seen and that’s what we all want; bit to look like a celebrity it to have lips like slugs or cheeks like pillows nor a forehead like concrete.

We just want to be seen and that’s how I feel…seen.

#bemoreme