Throughout my 30s, it was just head down, full-on searching for the right help and the right school as well as dealing with their difficulties.
Then, in my mid-forties, just as I was starting to get more time to start working part-time (besides founding Special Needs Jungle), I was knocked down by a huge and lasting flare up of Ehlers Danlos syndrome. It was prompted by hormonal changes and regrettably throwing myself into a new work challenge on top of everything else. My body ended up in a state of collapse. Since then, I've lived in pretty much constant pain, with limited mobility and that definitely takes its toll.
I remember catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror one day; it took a second before I realised it was me, worn out with dark shadows under my eyes. I looked again, a little closer, noticing the lines on the forehead, around the eyes and from nose to mouth that seemed to have appeared or become more pronounced in a short space of time. I tried to shrug it off, after all, I was getting older and lucky to be so, having lost dear friends to cancer in recent years.
But still...I didn't feel ready for wrinkles.
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| Sherina explaining my skin analysis |
As we grow older, our skin loses moisture and elasticity and begins to show the signs of ageing. You've probably heard of hyaluronic acid; it is often called the "fountain of youth" and can be found in moisturisers, serums and is also used medically to improve joint disorders, so it's a safe substance.
Juvéderm® by Allergan, make injectable fillers using hyaluronic acid and say it's the only way to replenish the hyaluronic acid deep within skin. Juvéderm® says it was developed to be smoother than most hyaluronic acid dermal-filler treatments. This makes it easy to inject and gives the face a very natural look and feel once it’s in the skin.
I've had facials before of course, even had a facial with acupuncture, but I didn't know much about cosmetic fillers. However, thanks to Britmums, Allergan and Miss Sherina Balaratnam at S-Thetics in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, I decided to take the opportunity to find out, up close and personal...
It's fair to say I'm pretty thrilled with the results. Several people have said how well I'm looking and one medic I saw at an appointment had to do a double take at my age on the form when I saw her. Now that's a result, I'd say!
If my video has started you thinking that perhaps it might be something you would consider, then these links will be of use:
- Juvéderm® UK: http://www.juvederm.co.uk/
- S-Thetics clinic and Miss Sherina Balaratnam: http://sthetics.co.uk/
