At the age of 80, Toni Goldenberg had undergone a 3-and-a-half hour facelift, knowing that she could die during the surgery.
But it was when the bandages were removed and a mirror was held up to her new face when she gasped in happiness. An amazing miracle was staring back at her.
Toni spent years saving her pension for the $13K facelift. With her daughter at her side, she’s happy that the loathed wrinkles, lines and crepe skins had been smoothed away, making her look younger than her age. After all, it is the biggest bet her life had paid off!
She explained: “They told me there were risks, but I was determined. I said to the doctor, ‘If I die, I die.’
“I didn’t like the way getting older made me look like a wizened hag. It didn’t match the way I felt inside.”
She added: “Getting old is horrible. It creeps up on you so quickly. I have always felt young at heart, but for the past 40 years my face just didn’t match the body I’ve worked so hard to keep a size 10. And I’ve succeeded. But the face is something different.
“The baggy crepe skin has gone. I used to avoid looking in the mirror, because it made me feel so awful. But since the operation, I’m happy and excited about the future.
“I think the surgery has taken ten years off me and each day I can feel my confidence growing. I’m a much better version of myself.”
Toni went on: “Everyone says I look fantastic and I can’t get over how much better it’s already made me feel. Friends have reacted really well and my family are stunned.
“One friend whom I’ve known for more than 50 years said that she’d do the same if she could afford it – and she’s 76.”
The surgery involves making incisions behind the ears and into the hair. The skin and muscles are pulled up and back to tighten the neck and the jawline while the eyes are lifted upwards.
Possible complications include infection, blood clots, and bleeding. The risk of a general anesthetic increases with age.
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