BRIDGET Whybrew, 60, is a receptionist and lives in Ashford, Kent, with her husband John, 72, a retired school site manager.
“It’s been decades since I was at school and being bullied about my nose, but I can still hear the taunts of the boys who called me ‘Concorde’ and ‘Beaky’. Remembering how hurt and embarrassed I felt back then still makes me emotional.
"Since childhood I’d been very self-conscious about my nose, which had a hump and was crooked and long. I was extremely shy growing up and a bit of a loner. I felt ugly and would try to hide behind nice clothes and make-up, but even that didn’t help my confidence.
"If I heard someone in a shop laugh, I’d assume they were laughing at my nose – that’s how self-conscious I was. Dating was hard because of my shyness, and even though my now-husband John never mentioned my nose when we met at work in the early ’90s, I worried he wouldn’t find me attractive because of it.
"When we married in August 1998, I made sure all the wedding photos were taken from a distance – there were to be strictly no close-ups of my face.
"Approaching my 60th birthday last year was the trigger for me finally deciding to do something about my nose. I wanted to be free of all my hang-ups for this new chapter of my life.
Read More on Plastic Surgery
Kim fans are all saying the same thing about her REAL skin in resurfaced video
Teen Mom fans shocked by ‘unrecognizable’ Farrah Abraham in new video
"When I told John, who knew I’d always hated my nose, he offered to pay for the op from a small inheritance he’d received. He told me that he loved me just as I was, but he wanted me to be happy, which meant so much to me.
"After a lot of research, I had a consultation with plastic surgeon Alex Karidis at Karidis Cosmetic Surgery Clinic in London, in June 2021. Sitting opposite him, telling him how I felt, I was very emotional. When he said he could make my nose straighter and smaller, I felt overjoyed. It would cost £8,500, but John assured me that my happiness was worth it.
Most read in Fabulous
STYLE IT OUT 
I'm a style guru, get rid of these 3 items and you'll look 10 years younger
I rushed son to A&E after finding 'hole' in mouth & then realised huge blunder
I have to take my nine kids to the shops with me – it's almost impossible
If you spot the elephant you’re in top 1% – but there’s a helpful trick to find out
'Worth the wait'
"The surgery was booked for August 10, 2021 – nine days before my 60th birthday. I felt thrilled to be starting a new decade with a new nose, and I decided against having a party, as I knew I’d have to take it easy during my recovery. I excitedly told a few close friends what I was planning and they were happy for me, aware that it was what I wanted.
"During the surgery, while under general anaesthetic, the surgeon broke my nose, straightened it, took down the dorsal hump and shaved around 1cm off the length.
"When I came round, I touched the big plaster cast on my face and, though I felt uncomfortable, I didn’t need pain relief. I couldn’t wait to see my new nose.
"After a night in hospital, I was discharged, and a week later, the cast was removed at the clinic by a nurse. Looking in the mirror, I was overjoyed with the results. Though it was still swollen, it was exactly what I’d wanted, and when John showed me a photo he’d taken of my new profile,
"I cried with happiness. Within just a few weeks, the swelling and bruising had subsided, and it looked flawless. My new nose has transformed the way I feel about myself. I’m much more confident and I now chat to new people all the time.
"Recently I had my nails done for the first time – before, it was something I avoided because I was too self-conscious to sit and face a beautician, worrying she’d be judging my face. And now I can go shopping without being paranoid that the staff are staring at me.
"I’m very open about my surgery, telling anyone who’ll listen what a positive experience it was for me. My only regret is that I didn’t have it done earlier, but it was very expensive and when we were younger, we didn’t have that sort of money to spare.
"It was definitely worth the wait though, and now I feel the best I’ve ever felt.”
‘I’d catch glimpses of my neck in the mirror and think how ugly it looked’
Lorraine Stewart, 61, is a hairdresser and lives in Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, with her husband Scott, 59, a personal trainer.
“Working as a hairdresser, I’d spend all day in front of a mirror, forever catching glimpses of the wrinkly skin on my neck, which had been a problem for me since turning 50.
"I had great skin when I was younger, but as I aged I became increasingly unhappy with it. As well as my neck, the skin on my lower face and around my eyes was loose and crepey.
"It all aged me. I’d tried Botox and fillers in my late-40s, but they only ever gave me a temporary fix, and for a decade I dreamed of having surgery to sort it out once and for all.
"I was always too busy, though, until we went into lockdown in March 2020 and I wasn’t able to work for months. Suddenly I had time on my hands and with money I’d saved, I decided to go for it.
"Friends and my husband Scott were very supportive. I hadn’t expected Scott to be – I thought he’d say I didn’t need it and that surgery was a load of rubbish. But he understood what it meant to me, as did my three grown-up children.
You only live once and we all deserve to feel good about ourselves, no matter our age.
"In May 2020, I had a consultation at MYA Cosmetic Surgery in Manchester and decided to have a neck lift, lower facelift, and upper blepharoplasty – removal of the loose skin around the eyes. In total the cost was over £13,000, but I only wanted to go under the knife once, and I knew it would be worth every penny. I wasn’t nervous at all, as I was sure it would change my life for the better.
"That August, I went in for my operation. I could barely believe it was happening – it felt like a dream come true. When I woke up, my face was bandaged and I was uncomfortable as it was swollen under the dressings, but I knew that was just a part of the healing process.
"The following day, the bandages were replaced with a face garment – a bit like a balaclava with holes for the mouth and eyes that supported my face. I could lift it up to have a peek at my new face and neck for the first time and I was very pleased. My skin looked smoother and firmer than it had before.
"I was on painkillers for a few days and, two weeks later, I was able to take the face garment off and go public with my new look. I was delighted. I looked younger and fresher, and my husband thought the results were great, too.
"The surgery was subtle, so it wasn’t immediately obvious to people that I’d had anything done, and when I told people, they said how natural it looked.
"I’d never pretend that I haven’t had work done, as I’m not ashamed of it. Why would I be? There’s nothing wrong with looking after yourself and wanting to feel your very best. I’ve always been a confident person, but now I look in the mirror and feel truly happy, instead of scrutinising my reflection. Today, I’m simply a refreshed version of myself. You only live once and we all deserve to feel good about ourselves, no matter our age.”
‘Getting rid of my huge 36G boobs has changed my life’
Valerie Regan, 62, is a retired admin assistant. She lives near Inverness, north-east Scotland, with her husband Paul, 64, a retired offshore survey engineer.
“Standing topless with my hands on my hips while the surgeon drew marks on my skin showing where she was going to cut, my heart was pounding with excitement. I was about to have breast reduction surgery, and it couldn’t come soon enough.
"As a teenager, I always had bigger boobs than other girls, and I longed to wear pretty, lacy bras like them, instead of the sturdy ‘old lady bras’ I needed for support.
"Growing older, I became increasingly unhappy with my boobs, which grew to a 36G. They were so big, they made me self-conscious, paranoid that people were staring at them. The weight of my breasts also affected my posture, causing me to hunch over. They made exercise difficult and dictated how I dressed.
"During the summer, I rarely wore a vest top without a shirt over the top, and on a night out, anything low-cut was a no-no, as I’d be too embarrassed about drawing attention to my chest.
"Having surgery had crossed my mind, but we never had the spare money to pay for it – and I also didn’t feel that I could justify taking time off work for something cosmetic.
"It was my niece who inspired me to go through with a breast reduction. She had the operation last summer, and when I saw the difference it made to her confidence, I wanted to have one too. I worried I was too old to start changing my body, but she encouraged me to go for it.
To any older women contemplating surgery, my advice would be: age is no barrier to changing how you look.
"So in August 2021, I went to see specialist breast surgeon Lucy Khan at her clinic in Stirling. She examined me and explained she could reduce the size of my boobs by several cup sizes – exactly how many would depend on what shape sat best with my body.
"At the time, I felt having the op with the NHS wasn’t an option due to Covid and long waiting lists, so I was fortunate that I could afford to pay £6,300 from my savings to have it done privately. My husband and family were really supportive of my decision.
"In November, I returned to the clinic for the operation feeling excited – I wasn’t frightened at all. The surgery lasted three hours and when I woke up, my chest was bandaged, but I had no pain.
"I was discharged the next day and spent two weeks recovering. Even though I couldn’t see my new breasts, I could feel the weight of them had gone, and I was no longer hunching over.
"I’ll never forget the day my dressings came off a fortnight later and I saw my new boobs for the first time. At a 34D, they were perfect. There was some scarring, but I knew that would fade and I didn’t mind about it – what was important to me was their new size, and I was thrilled.
Read More on The Sun
I’m a fashionista…I’ll show how to give your boobs support in loose tops
I’m a travel expert and there are hotel rooms you should NEVER book
"Six months on, my posture has improved, I wear what I like and I feel much more confident. I’ve just come back from a holiday in the Caribbean and it was fantastic holidaying with smaller boobs – being able to wear swimming costumes and vest tops without worrying about people staring.
"To any older women contemplating surgery, my advice would be: age is no barrier to changing how you look. If it’s what you want, and you know it will make you feel better about yourself, do your research and go for it. I’m so glad I did.”
Source: Read Full Article