My Best Friend’s
Face-lift Imagine this: You’re getting your hair done,
Priscilla Charlie Hinckley has been a writer and producer in Seattle television and video for 35 years, with a primary interest in stories covering health and medicine, women’s and children’s issues, social justice, and education. She enjoys taking a light-hearted approach to serious topics.
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adding a little color to hide the gray, sitting in front of a big mirror. You’re talking to your stylist, who’s 30 years old and has perfect features. It’s easy to Post-surgery, make comparisons, to wonder, hmmm, should I Peggy says she has have a little work done on my face? My best friend “no regrets.” turned those thoughts into action, and I followed her through the process. Peggy Beller was beautiful in high school and never really lost that. At 65, though, she didn’t like what she was seeing in the mirror. Mostly, she was bothered by the way her mouth and chin to something much more extensive. looked. “I just felt like the lower part of my face After the initial examinations, Naficy explains, was more wrinkly and prune-ish than the rest of “We thought she had sagging of her brow, her lower it,” she remembers. She thought it would be great face and neck; she had lost some of the volume to get some filler for those areas, maybe a around her face, around her cheeks, temples, BY little bit of cosmetic surgery. Her goal was PRISCILLA and mouth. She had extra skin around to look better, not necessarily younger, and her upper eyelids; deep lines around her CHARLIE not “different.” She wanted subtle changes. HINCKLEY mouth and eyes. She had wrinkles related The first step was finding the right to collagen loss and loss of elasticity.” They surgeon. Peggy met Dr. Sam Naficy through her also felt she had good bone structure, realistic extended family, then researched his professional expectations, and a good attitude—important for background, checked patient reviews, and looked a successful outcome. at before-and-after photos of his patients. “I felt he Peggy and the team discussed a combination was the best in the area,” she says. of brow lift, lower face and neck lift, upper eyelid We went together to Peggy’s appointments at work, and laser resurfacing around her eyes and Naficy Plastic Surgery & Rejuvenation Center in mouth. The plan also included injecting about eight Bellevue. It was different from the usual doctor’s teaspoons of her belly fat into the area around her office décor of basic chairs and a few magazines. temples, cheeks, and mouth to increase volume. There was a tray of bottled water and fruit in the It would all be done in one session, under general waiting room, a video screen with attractive postanesthesia. Following surgery, it would be two surgery photos, and receptionists with great hair weeks until she was “socially presentable,” and and make-up. Even the exam room had a pretty a month before she would look pretty much sofa and chairs. back to normal. The appointment ended with an Over two appointments, Peggy went from her explanation of potential risks and how the team first vague idea of getting “fillers” around her mouth would minimize them.
3rd Act magazine | fall 2019
www.3rdActMag.com