” I just want to say one word to you. Just one word…Plastics.”
-Mr. McGuire, The Graduate
As regular readers know, I recently injured my face in a serious bicycle accident. Fortunately, although I still look bruised and swollen, I’ve recovered to the point of getting out and about and going back to work. Through it all, what has surprised me the most is the reactions I’ve gotten when people see that I just don’t look right. I’ve been somewhat amazed that not one person has exclaimed “What happened to YOU?” I’ve seen a few double takes, but for the most part, people look, flinch a little, but don’t say anything until I offer the information. Then I see the look of relief wash over their faces as they murmur polite commiseration or say things like “Well I did think you looked a little…different.” Until today.
Today, I walked into the skin care center at my dermatologist’s office, and the receptionist nonchalantly asked, “So, did you have your eyes done?” My first response was, “If I had, I hope I would look better than this,” and “why would you think that?” Without missing a beat, she informed me that she sees so many skin care center clients coming in bruised and swollen after cosmetic surgery, that she naturally thought I had done the same.
This all gave me quite a pause. First, I was horrified to think that all the people I’d met who politely said nothing about my hideous appearance just thought I’d had bad cosmetic surgery. Equally horrified to think that anyone who knew me before would think I needed cosmetic surgery, because, quite frankly I didn’t think I looked bad enough to have anything lifted, tucked, lasered or Botoxed. Cosmetic surgery is so far off my radar, that it would never occur to me to choose to do anything elective to my God-given face. Botox just seems plain silly to me, and why anyone would want their face paralyzed on purpose is beyond anything my sensible self can comprehend. Other than the necessary surgery I’ve had to repair my face, that I really had no choice about having, I plan to go out from this life with all original parts, wrinkles, lines, and everything else that comes from living life.
Still, society has accepted Botox and cosmetic surgery as a “normal” part of looking one’s best, and many people are no longer secretive about “having work done.” What about you? Have you had anything nipped, tucked or cosmetically altered? Would you tell others if you had?
© Huffygirl 2013
Huffygirl's Blog 
I’m completely with you on this, although I am often shocked when I catch unexpected sight of my reflection. Yikes! Where did all those life lines come from?
From your wonderful life of course. Thanks for stopping by.
No I’m with you, happy to accept the was I look as I age 🙂 It makes you thing though about peoples assumpions and judgements.
Yes, I’m thinking I should have just hung a sign around my neck to save all those people from making judgements: “Fell and broke my face” or something like that.
I feel like you, cosmetic surgery is off my radar. However I reckon it’s wonderful that after this terrible accident you can rely upon getting the necessary repairs to your face done. I congratulate you on your positive attitude!
Thanks Aunty. Most of what I needed was having the bones put back together, which makes me wonder why anyone would want to have a nose job or chin surgery, which requires changing the bones, and definitely can’t be any fun.
I absolutely will not have any plastic surgery, even if my face falls to my knees. Like you, I don’t think it’s worth the trouble.
Especially now that I’ve had surgery on my face – it really is no picnic. And unlike having knee surgery or hemorrhoid surgery, everybody knows you’ve had it done.
Finally someone who speaks sense! I would take your words & repeat them if someone asked me if I would ever do a face-lift…
” I plan to go out from this life with all original parts, wrinkles, lines, and everything else that comes from living life.”
Thanks for this honest & truly inspirational post 🙂
Why thank you, so nice of you to say.
Oh, I’m with you. I don’t even have patience for a mani/pedi, let alone time and money spent on cosmetic surgery. I find it all disturbing that we continually emphasize looking young instead of embracing the beauty of aging. And to think people just assumed you voluntarily chose to “have work done”, sad commentary. Ignore them and continue your healing.
thanks Lisa.
You know, I actually went in for plastic surgery once – a face lift. They saw what was underneath, and put my face right back down! (Rimshot.) 😀
Yeah, I know, an old, weak one. Fitting for me. I’m currently recovering from a near-concussion when I banged my head on the underside of a steel staircase (don’t ask). You can’t really see the lump, and thankfully, I’ve had no ill effects. And the good thing is, I’ve had no ill effects. But then again, I’ve had no ill effects, so I’m pretty …. what were we talking about? 😉
Thanks John I can always count on you to give me a smile. Glad you are back. Hope your head recovers. Or, maybe you’re funnier this way?
Oh, I’m plenty funny without requiring a dent in my head! (Seriously – my wife actually noticed a minor depression in my head. With any luck, it won’t swell too badly.) And I don’t have to worry about a repeat, the church fired me. Yep – no more working for free, mowing in the hot sun, sweating until my undershorts go “squish”, or straining my shoulders swinging a heavy weed-wacker. (In monotone) I am so unhappy and hurt that they fired me. What a complete and total WIN!! …. er, disappointment. 😉
Sounds like it all turned out for the best then. You’ll have to find something else to occupy your time though.
Maybe I’ll get a chainsaw, and start web logging! 😉
🙂
I’m just horrified that people could go in for cosmetic surgery and possibly come out looking like they had broken their face in a bike accident! I wonder if people have any idea of the pain and potential for bad outcome before they elect for a procedure… No offense to the medical community, but I do find that sometimes their description of pain, side effects, etc. is overly euphemistic. “You’ll feel a little pinch,” before a shot that feels more like a bee sting… “You may experience some bruising afterwards,” (Oh, you meant that area would have a big purple blotch for 3 weeks??) I’m sure doctors try to be optimistic so patients don’t freak out, but for things that are elective, there should probably be more truth in advertising.
I guess the medical people are trying to avoid having patients running away screaming by describing the shot as a pinch instead of a bee sting. After all, how many people would say, “okay, go ahead and give me a bee sting.”
As far as people looking the same after cosmetic surgery vis a vis an accident – you can’t have either one without getting a lot of bruising and swelling, and it was the bruising and swelling that she was reacting too, not the results.