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Facelifts were up (pun very much intended) 18% in 2022.
Kimberly Butler
Joan Kronstarted working atAllurein 1991, at the age of 63.
That first year, an assignment on plastic surgery consultations led Kron to get her ownfacelift.
My first marriage, which lasted 21 years, was to a general surgeon.
Rosana Rosales
I used to watch my husband operate, in awe.
I was a New Yorker, living in Philadelphia, and it was the 1950s.
At that time, there was only one plastic surgeon in Philadelphia.
Joan Kron at her 96th birthday party
Fast forward to 1991, and I am a journalist covering the psychology ofappearanceforAllure.
And Ive already assigned it.
The chosen writer was 35.
Kron in the 1990s
Im the oldest person here.
I was married to a surgeon.
I’m not intimidated bydoctors.
yo let me do this.
Linda said she wasnt calling off the other writer, yet, but Okay, why dont you try.
The world of plastic surgery in 1991, much more so than today, was secretive.
There was noBotox, yet, orcosmetic dermatology all subjects we would eventually pioneer covering atAllure.
I asked a source who knew Who had What work done When and Where for recommendations.
Theres nothing like a personal recommendation.
In a week I had all my appointments set up.
When my name was finally called, there was no foreplay.
And how he could improve them.
The one I remember most was, “Oh dear, you havent seen yourjawlinein 15 years.”
And, Youll have to stopsmoking.
I reminded him that in the questionnaire I filled out I explained that I had stopped smoking30 years ago.
He passed me on to his office manager.
“That will be $19,500, plus anesthesia, plus hospital fees, plus private nurses.
(Inflation check: $19,500 would be the equivalent of over $40,000 today.)
I did not set a date.
Three appointments later, however, I had crossed the line from stealth journalist to consumer.
My non-medical second husband, an advertising executive, said, What are you doing?
You said you didnt want this.
And I said, I think I need this.
And I said, I have some savings.
Ill take care of it.
Wanting afaceliftis between you and yourmirror.
Opting for one is a decision that inevitably invites the opinions of others.
After I scheduled this surgery, I heard everything from You’re beautiful.
(my stepchildren) and You don’t need this” (coworkers) to Go for it.
I regret that I never did it.
and You’ll love it, but dont sign your name to the article about it.
(my agent).
Everybody has an opinion.
My mother came to see me and said, Is this Joan?
The first night youre bandaged, though not as much as people might think.
Its not likeLiz TaylorinAsh Wednesday,where she had mummy-like wrapping around her head for a month.
The surgery was an in-patient procedure because my internist said that was safer for someone over 60.
Today youd most likelyrecover in a hotelwith a nurse.
Its important to have a nurse the first night no matter where you recover.
You dont want a girlfriend taking care of you.
They only want to see the after.
Everybody has an opinion.
I had graduated from Tylenol and codeine to plain Tylenol.
The change in my appearance was remarkable.
I was still myself, but a 10-years-younger-looking version of myself.
Two weeks after my facelift, I had a family celebration for a new step-grandchild.
A relative of my husbands ex-wife walked in and said, I dont remember you being this good-looking.
What is the bestageto have your first, and perhaps your only, facelift?
Theres no agreement because everyone ages differently.
I dont believe in doing it proactively.
(As they say, if its not broke, why fix it?)
After the surgery, if someone remarked on my refreshed look, I never lied or denied it.
I usually said, matter-of-factly, I had afacelift.
If someone remarked on my refreshed look, I usually said, matter-of-factly, I had a facelift.
But in the few years since I had my first facelift, a new scarlessendoscopicbrow lift had been invented.
If you do two things, you get a better result.
Do three things, you get a great result.
Two days after the second surgery, I went home from the hotel where I had been recovering.
I was in my own bed, propped up on a stack of pillows, eating Jello-O.
I once saw someone bringing in Chinese food to a recovery facility.
I couldnt believe it.
The pain subsided gradually over a few weeks.
After my husband died in 2005 from a long illness, I was ready for another uplift.
It was a shorter operation and the recovery was easier this time.
And I dont apologize for it.
Ive had people say to me, When Im 60, I wont care.
I was almost 80, and I did care.
Thefeministline is, We’ve earned these wrinkles.
We don’t want to erase them.
Well, Im a feminist, but I dont believe in telling people what to do with their bodies.
Ive had people say to me, When Im 60, I wont care.
I was almost 80, and I did care.
Cosmetic surgery isnt for everyone.
And Im not advocating it, one way or another, for anyone but myself.
A facelift wont transform you into any of theiconsyou admire.
It wont change your personality.
It wont restore your youth.
When people cant quite decide how old you are they treat you differently.
Im not a philosopher, but I think it gives them hope.
I like to say Im not aging gracefully.
To read more about Joan Kron and plastic surgery:
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