I have good genetics working in my favor. No wrinkles at age 50. Even my mother at 73 has very few wrinkles.
But to be honest, the thing that makes the most difference in my skin isn’t any cream or oil. It’s getting enough exercise.
Donna (and others)- Did you feel like you had to hide out after the Juvaderm for a day or two? If I do that, I am going to have to be able to go to work, etc.
MOWC, I have heard that you have bruising for a couple of days afterwards, and much depends upon whether you have followed instructions like not taking aspirin, Tylenol, or drinking (ahh!) for two weeks prior. Hopefully Donna can confirm that. But it seems like you could get it done on a Friday (if you work weekends) and cover the bruising with makeup. Or you could just say you tripped while running 
No, I was never obsessed with wasting time putting junk on my face, looking artificial. Also, as a physician I do not see health benefits from Botox et al just to get rid of wrinkles. Some of us are not into physical looks that current fashion wants. I totally get the son who didn’t notice his mom’s new look.
MOWC, I had no problem going out to see my son the day after I had the Juvederm treatment – I was able to cover the slight bruising/redness pretty well with concealer, and even if anyone noticed anything they probably just thought I was a little bit broken out.
Wis75, wanting to be happy with how one looks does not = “obsessed,” or necessarily = “looking artificial.” (Looking natural can take some work, after all!) The impulse for self-decoration has existed for thousands of years, and as far as I can tell men indulge it increasingly themselves. I do hope that as a physician you’re more tolerant of your patients than you are of the women posting on this thread, and don’t project your own personal tastes onto them by using such pejorative language. And you should know as well as anyone that as long as what one does to feel better about oneself isn’t harmful, it can substantially benefit one’s psychological health, even if it doesn’t carry direct health benefits. Which it doesn’t pretend to.
Please don’t use what I said about my son to try to support the point you’re making. He may not have noticed exactly what I did, but he did think I looked good, and, more importantly, since I was happy, he was happy for me, and wouldn’t dream of being critical. Just as I would never dream of being critical of his new haircut, or the new shirt he was wearing, or anything else of the kind. It’s all good, if it makes one of us happy.
As far as bruising, it is worse three or four days after injection since it takes time for the bleeding under the skin to surface onto your face. It helps with periodic icing immediately after and applying arnica gel to reduce inflammation.
You can cover bruises with a concealer.
Just to add to what Donna said… People who don’t see me every day would not notice small changes in my appearance, which was the whole point of the injection - a subtle change. Plus, how many young (and not so young) men you know pay attention to hair, clothes, makeup etc. changes? Mr. B, for instance, would not notice my new dress until I wear it several times.
I should have mentioned that on the doctor’s advice, I spent most of the day after getting home applying cold packs from my freezer to the areas of the treatment, in order to reduce the bruising. He also had me apply them for several minutes before the treatment.
Thanks, all. I will definitely consider it.
Wis75- I’m sorry you are so uncomfortable with your weight and your appearance that you are slamming anyone who might want to enhance her own looks somewhat. Agree with Donna- I don’t sense “obsession” here on this thread (or from the women in my life). It’s a matter of making use of what is available in order to enjoy our own features!
Wis-do you comb/style your hair to whatever hair style you believe flatters you, or do you just leave it uncombed because it’s “artificial”?
I concur w MOWC. No one here is talking about anything even remotely resembling obsession. I too am sorry that you have settled for feeling dumpy and unattractive and rationalize it by claiming that caring for oneself is vain and superficial.
If I do something like buying a new face cream or a new pair of heels, it is for my own personal pleasure, not to impress anyone (see my comment about Mr. not noticing my new haircut or dress). Obsession by definition means devoting your time to one and only thing. The posters discussing beauty products in here have plenty of other unique interests (marathons, gardening, pets, travel, science discoveries, etc.) to balance out what can be interpreted as vanity obsession. B-)
" I too am sorry that you have settled for feeling dumpy and unattractive and rationalize it by claiming that caring for oneself is vain and superficial"
I don’t think it’s necessary to get into the beauty wars by being insulting. Women should be able to groom themselves how they choose without others being judgmental. If someone wants to spend a lot more time, money and effort making themselves be more attractive, than that’s their choice. If someone else doesn’t, I’m not going to look down on them for that. People should do what they feel comfortable with, and what makes them happy. Some people look just fine doing very little, and others look pretty bad even after loads of effort? So what?
I think people should do what makes them feel good—whether it’s very little, or quite a bit. I certainly don’t scrutinize or care about how other women look, it’s their own business.
I’m all for choices. My own grand mother wore make up the minute she was awake. My mom, not so much but only when she went outside of the house. I’m the same. Each of my daughter is different, one likes make up and the other one rarely wears makeup but whenever she wears make up she gets asked for a date. Huge different style.
My husband notices my haircut, he likes woman with short hair.
“Each of my daughter is different, one likes make up and the other one rarely wears makeup but whenever she wears make up she gets asked for a date. Huge different style”
That’s funny. So if she wears makeup, you know she’s looking for a date?
Women can be so different. My best friend of many years, actually about 30 years until we finally gave up, was sooooo vain. She would spend hours grooming her hair and putting on makeup. We were late for everything, and any time she met me somewhere, I knew it would be about an hour that I’d have to wait for her. But she looked great, and her hair and makeup were perfect. God forbid that anyone saw the back of her head, and her hair wasn’t impeccable. I think she had to give up a lot of that when she had kids, just didn’t have the time to spend on herself anymore. She had designer everything, but it wasn’t because she paid for it, she generally got some sucker to pay for it (often me).
But I am much more like a dude. Women start talking about designer clothes, makeup, shoes…yawn, gotta get out of there, boring! Unless you’re talking about the new REI outfit you just bought, who cares? Of course, a major mark of prestige in Seattle is wearing an expensive athletic jacket. With the little silver X on the back, that gives you the badge of honor—so that those in the know realize that you got that $300 jacket for about twenty bucks at an REI garage sale. Now THAT’S class.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?
I think it means she is out to play. All dolled up. Otherwise she’ll be in the lab, doing nerdy things.
My sons need girlfriends, you know. At least I think, maybe I don’t know for sure. And they must be nerds.
I’m warning you she is a high maintenance girl. Actually, they both are.
What, with you as their mom, how can that be? Mine are low maintenance boys, so maybe that would work. Or maybe not. The older one makes a lot of money, so he can spend it on a high maintenance girl.
Better to be setting up our children with each other than insulting each other
Bus, I’m afraid it might not work out. IIRC, you and I are both super fertile. Our kids will inherit the fertile gene. Can you imagine 12 little nerds in 12 years? I don’t think it’s a good idea. So I have to decline your offer.