I turned 40 this weekend. I wasn’t sure what it was going to feel like. It’s like anticipating what a broken leg will feel like, or surgery. Will it hurt? Will it go smoothly and everything will be fine? Or will I be laid up in bed, hurting and lost in “what ifs” and regrets.
Welllll….I woke up to a rainy, cold morning on December 27th and did not feel the panic inside me that I had felt the morning before on the 26th…wondering in a half sleep: is today the day? Am I 40 today or tomorrow?!?
Is today the day I’ve waited for my whole life? That day that you turn “that” number. The number that everyone uses their whole life as some marker…maybe you’re old after you’re 40. Maybe you should have arrived in life by then. Maybe everything should be perfect by then. It’s one of those ages that you take stock of what you are and what you’ve done…and haven’t done. And how do you look? Do you look OLD?? When you were 16, what did 40 look like?
But on the day of December 27th, I woke up feeling ok. Maybe a little bit resigned to the onrushing of time: there was nothing I could do. 40 was here, and it was happening, and it was just another day. It was raining. It has rained on every big day in my life. When I got married it rained 15-20 inches just on that day. The day my daughter was born, it rained. And now, at 40, rain, wind, and cold.
But I got out of bed and felt OK. I played with my dogs and went to yoga, my new found love. I watched Garden State and had some wine. I had dinner with friends. I drunk texted my ex-boyfriend. Yep. Super hot. But! Did I carded at 40? A goal I’ve had for years, and have even written about in a previous blog? You betcha! At a liquor store! Seriously made me blush.
So, this blog is about how EVERYONE can get carded at 40, or really, how to just look spectacular at any age. Because before I started at Body Tonic, the chances of that happening weren’t lookin’ so great. I looked tired and had poor skin quality, and the comments on looking young had gotten few and far between.
So, what have I had done to myself at Body Tonic that has aided in this fountain of youth? Here’s the breakdown:
Whisper Laser Treatment: This is one of those treatments all the staff and our owner talked about from the time I started here in June. They were all so excited about this treatment. I thought, how can anything really be that wonderful?! It was about five days of going from red, to dry, to really dry and then, emerging out of the end of the first week after the Whisper, I started to feel an amazing texture difference in my skin (my skin felt so amazingly soft and free of any and all blemishes or bumpy skin) and I saw a huge difference in clarity (my skin just looked more glowing and was a beautiful, healthy color…almost as if I were glowing from the inside).
Micropen (face and stretch marks): Micro-needling with Micropen is one of our staff favorites. It is one of those treatments that works best with multiple treatments. It is a collagen-stimulating procedure and we have really been having some amazing results. After just one treatment, I noticed my skin looked more hydrated, plumper, and resilient. With multiple treatments, there are a multitude of benefits, including diminishing acne scars, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkles.
I also had this treatment on my stretch marks on my stomach, and on a surgical scar. I have yet to have my second treatment, but even after just one treatment, there was a very noticeable difference in scar texture, as well as a visible difference in the stretch marks.
IPL: I had this treatment done after I noticed my intense sun damage one weekend in Padre Island. This was truly amazing and the transformation was pretty fast, just like with the Whisper treatment. The downtime was several days, although honestly it didn’t bother me, even though my face looked a little bit like a took a spill off my bike. Let me explain: the IPL targets sun damage, so any visible damage you see will become intensified for several days after the treatment. But my skin was vastly improved after a week and the visible damage I had seen before (freckles and dark spots) were gone. And they don’t come back! It’s pretty amazing. This treatment can be done on other areas than just the face.
Lip Enhancement: This might be my favorite treatment. I have always had a small mouth and thinner lips and have always coveted the fuller, pouty lips of so many other girls. I was lucky enough to be a part of a training my second day at Body Tonic and got a lip enhancement with Restylane right away! It made me so happy. My lips were full and free of any lines, and also looked natural on me…not like Lisa Rinna! I’ve had them done once again, several weeks ago, and for some reason I really feel like this procedure lends an air of youth to my appearance, more than any other treatment (except maybe neuromodulators).
Filler Blogs:
Neuromodulators (Botox, Dysport, Xeomin): I’ve written many a blog about these lovelies. Not only do they diminish the facial wrinkles that cause us to look tired and older, but they can work as preventatives, they can be used to accomplish very specific treatments through advanced injection techniques, and there is a growing body of research on how they can positively impact mood. My personal tonic: I enjoy the natural results with Dysport, the slight lift and shaping of the eyebrows, the diminishment of the frown lines, and lessening of the horizontal forehead creases. I personally like to leave my crow’s feet…but maybe I’m strange that way!! Oh! And I’ve had Botox to lessen TMJ issues. Very effective!
Botox Blogs and Info: BotoxAustin
Tear Troughs: This is an amazing treatment that can diminish dark circles or puffiness under the eye. I’ve always had dark circles under my eyes, even since I was a child. Having filler injected (Restylane) under my eyes created a world of difference in how I looked, felt about myself and even how I applied make-up. Imagine for the first time in most of your life, waking up and actually looking like you’ve slept!
Laser Hair Removal for Legs: While this isn’t anything that people see when they look at you, it is a treatment that’s made a world of difference to me. I’ve had dark, coarse hair on my legs always. It’s ridiculous. I shave every day. Every. Day. If I don’t, I’ll get terrible razor burn when I do eventually shave, and even better, if I don’t shave every day, I could grate cheese on my legs. Is this my German ancestry or what??? It’s ridiculous. So, the 30 minutes that I sat in with Kit for laser hair removal on my legs were a miraculous 30 minutes. Even after just one treatment, I was able to stop shaving everyday. After two treatments, I’m down to shaving only about once a week. Six treatments are typical. I’ve noticed my hair follicles have shrunk almost completely and I don’t have cheese grater legs!! Seriously amazing. God bless the beauty industry.
Micropeel: The most recent treatment I’ve had done is a no downtime customized facial: the Skin Ceuticals Micropeel. It’s a three-step patented procedure that involves dermaplaning (which exfoliates and takes off the peach fuzz on your face), a customized chemical peel for another layer of exfoliation, and a cryogenic treatment that is antibacterial. Everyone who has one leaves with a gorgeous glow! I really enjoyed the smoothness of my skin, the clarity of my skin and how quickly my blemishes reduced.
The medical spa field is truly an amazing blend of science and art, and has made a huge difference in my life, just in the last seven months. Last summer I looked in the mirror and saw a beautiful girl who was tired and looked a bit deflated. Now, at one day past 40, I see a woman who looks rested, youthful, and with great skin and less wrinkles. It’s amazing to be able to look in the mirror and see the beauty you WANT to be there, regardless of your physical age.