Although hard to pinpoint the exact moment in time, it was probably 2017 when I first began researching brow lift and eyelid surgery but there wasn’t much information available online. And right now, this information is widely shared on social media. Things like facelift stickers are used at photoshoots by makeup artists, and non-surgical thread lifts are promoted in various clinics to enhance the eye shape and pull back sagging skin.
It’s almost created a mainstream movement to defy gravity and growing older by how it’s normalized that we must “fight” ageing or folding skin on any part of our body.
Why did I decide to get these tweakments?
When I worked as a flight attendant, I came across double eyelid tape stickers and decided to buy them. However, just after a few wears, I realized I did not feel comfortable using them and felt even more conscious about my droopy eyelids.
That’s when I decided to see a surgeon in Dubai and get a consultation. He advised that the best solution for me would be a blepharoplasty. I later decided that it wasn’t a good time for me to get this procedure (because of my job and having to stay at home while recovering from surgery) so I just left things as they are.
As time went by, I felt like I was still very conscious about my tired-looking eyes, the makeup that was constantly smudging on my eyelids and it almost started to consume me in a way that I thought I won’t be happy till I get this surgery done.
Last year in June 2021, I decided to finally go through with it in my home country and after consulting with my surgeon – I got a combination surgery: blepharoplasty and lateral brow lift.
What was the Blepharoplasty and brow lift surgery process like?
Blepharoplasty (or upper eyelid surgery) is one of the most commonly performed plastic surgeries around the world. It is amazing how such a simple surgery which lasts only about an hour, can have such a powerful effect on one’s face and make the patient look ten years younger.
During the surgery, the excess skin and fatty tissues are removed and once the incisions are fully healed, there are basically no signs that this surgery was even performed.
When it comes to brow lift, it’s a lil more complicated and I don’t know how well I can explain it as I am not a surgeon but from the research, I’ve done I know there are various ways to do it. The endoscopic brow lift (where several tiny incisions are all hidden in the scalp behind the hairline) is probably the most common brow lift in the world.
However, endoscopic brow lifts may raise the hairline slightly and can last fewer years compared to a lateral brow lift. Lateral brow lift only raises the outer one-third position of your eyebrow and the incisions are in your hairline rather than the scalp.
Why I choose to share my story on social media
I have been posting on social media for a lot of years and have been sharing a lot of my life on YouTube ever since 2016 so it only felt natural to share that I am changing something about my face even if it is an extremely subtle change.
I think if everyone who has some kind of status and audience or fanbase were open and honest with what procedures they get done, it would help so many young people who feel unhappy about their looks or prevent them from looking for imperfections, to begin with.
Thoughts after the tweakment
My recovery was fairly easy and I was definitely excited about the results. Although, I will say that I did experience some post-surgery blues (which are completely normal by the way). As you are healing in the first week and still have some minor discomfort, it is normal to question if you made the right decision.
Wearing the bandages and not being able to see the results right away definitely tests your patience but once I had my stitches removed after a week, I was ecstatic. It’s a lot of emotions going through your mind at the same time.
In my recent YouTube video, where I shared my one-year surgery update, I really opened up my heart and shared how I have grown a lot as a person (not just because of the surgery). I had some deep conversations with the people I love, and I became much more religious and less influenced by social media.
In fact, there was a time early this year when I basically disappeared from social media for a few months and really reevaluated who I am as a person, what I stand for and what I want from my life. Naturally, by diving deep within I started to ask myself those questions whether I made the right decision by getting this surgery, did I really need it or was I simply a victim of the so-called beauty standards we see online, and what kind of message am I sharing with my audience and so on.
Do I regret these treatments? This is the question I battled for a few months and I can honestly say that I do not. I am not particularly happy with one of my scars from the brow lift but I really don’t think it is that big of a deal. The overall look and feel were worth it for me. I don’t feel the heaviness on my eyes anymore, I can play with makeup and not worry that it will smudge in creases after ten minutes. It’s a very delicate but powerful change in my opinion.
I know some people who get plastic surgery might never have these thoughts or struggles but I have always been an emotional person and a deep-thinker. So I should have known better that even though I took probably five years to think prior to getting the surgery that maybe the next five years after the surgery I may be thinking if I really needed it. It’s a bit of an eternal battle but it is human nature to always turn our inner conflicts into a bigger deal than they really are.
Here’s my advice
I want to emphasize with all my might that just because you see me or someone else having this or any surgery done, it does not mean you need to go and look in the mirror and search for any imperfections and think you need to change anything in your body.
A few very young girls (still in their teens) reached out to me with perfectly beautiful features and asked for my opinion and whether they should also do it. It makes me sad because when I was in my teens, I also thought I had it all figured out and knew what was best for me but even now at 28, I can openly say that I am still YET to learn what is actually best for me.
Years from now, I may look back and think that even today I still didn’t know it all. I don’t want you to do something that you might regret someday, so do not rush into permanent procedures because something might be trendy. The world does not dictate the rules, you dictate the rules for your world. And even when or if you do decide to get plastic surgery someday, make sure that you are 1000% certain because there is no undo button.
Take all the time you need to think, and when you think you are sure, take even more time. You might just change your mind.