This ‘natural look’ procedure has transformed my sagging, hanging jowls and sunken cheeks and made me look years younger. Now, people are stunned when I tell them my REAL age

One morning in May last year, I woke up, looked in the mirror and barely recognized myself. The face staring back at me had no discernible neck or jawline.

My face was droopy and my chin was droopy. My once plump cheeks had sunken and my cheekbones had disappeared. I always looked tired and sad. People ask, ‘Are you okay?’ he started to ask. And I would say, ‘Yes, thank you,’ but I felt like they were asking because my face didn’t reflect the happy, vibrant woman that I am.

Two years ago, at the age of 61, I took early retirement from my role as a utility project manager, but no one was surprised when I told people I was retiring. People even started offering me a seat on the subway.

Inside I still felt mentally alive, full of ideas and energy; I am writing my first novel, which has been a long-standing passion. I know that everything I achieve in life is due to my brain and not my looks, but when your reflection doesn’t match your inner self, it’s more than just vanity. It’s about identity.

The woman in the mirror was starting to look like an old woman and I wasn’t ready for that. I also knew that the situation would only get worse from now on.

I hadn’t had anything done at that point; Treatments like Botox seemed expensive and troublesome. I didn’t want ongoing tweaks, but what I did want was to look better. A facelift seemed like the procedure I needed; a one-time chance for permanent recovery. The truth is, aging well is important. I had cancer twice and never took life for granted. If I’m lucky enough to have a long retirement, I want to age well and enjoy it.

We live in an ageist society and I don’t want to feel like people are erasing me with one look at my face.

But I also knew that a good surgery would be expensive. I didn’t want to risk my face or life by having cheap surgery abroad. I didn’t want to get myself into debt either.

Everything changed when I was offered an early retirement package while I was making my last mortgage payment.

Suddenly, spending £25,000 on make-up seemed possible.

I talked about this with my husband, Vince. I met him a little later, 18 years ago, when I was in my mid-40s. Younger than me; He just turned 50 and I think that’s part of it. I wanted to look more like his age. He never had a problem with my appearance; It has never been this shallow.

But before I could continue, I needed to be 100 percent sure he supported me. He admitted that he was nervous about the idea of ​​having surgery, but he also knew how much my face bothered me and said that it was entirely up to me and that he would support me.

I started my research by searching ‘face lift surgeons’ on Google. One name kept coming up: Dr Yannis Alexandrides. It had great reviews, so I made an appointment. This alone cost £350.

Of course, I asked her about other treatments (Botox, lasers, and fillers), but she told me that although they make you look fresher, they are temporary and not for me. He said the only way to truly affect the structure of my face and neck long term would be a deep facelift and neck lift.

This type of work reconstructs and repositions the deep internal tissues, fat, and muscles of the face. In fact, it is widely considered the most advanced and sophisticated type of facelift you can have.

As Dr Alexandrides explains, it involves removing what is called the SMAS layer (Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System), a network of connective tissue, muscle and fat located beneath the skin.

The facelift looks so natural that one of Ellen’s nieces said: ‘You look amazing. I think it’s the haircut. Do you have a new style?’ He laughed and said: ‘I’ll confess. ‘I also had some work to do.’ The niece said, ‘Oh, did you get your boobs done?’ he said.

‘I get compliments. “The young woman behind the counter at the Post Office at Christmas looked at me and said, ‘You’re so beautiful,’ this hasn’t happened before,” writes Ellen

Ellen with her husband Vince. She says she loves it the way it looks, but she’s happy to feel much better about her appearance after her facelift.

With age this weakens and becomes thinner, but a deep plane facelift releases the ligaments that anchor it and allows the surgeon to reposition the face exactly as it should be; prevents the ‘windy’ look by moving the face upwards rather than backwards. The skin is then covered over the newly reconstructed tissues.

The same type of facelift was recently made famous by Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner, although I got it done first!

After thinking about it for a week, I said yes. Then things moved quickly. It took only six weeks from the initial consultation to the surgery.

Because this was an elective treatment and not a life-saving procedure, I underwent a series of preoperative tests, including blood tests, an EKG for my heart, and an echocardiogram, and then made an appointment with a distinguished cardiologist to discuss the results. All of this came at an extra cost; approximately £1,000 in addition to the surgery fee.

As a cancer survivor, I think the tests were triggering. So much so that I almost gave up. But that little giggling voice was saying: ‘If there’s something wrong with you, you’d better find out.’ Fortunately everything was fine.

My nerves also came from worrying about the impact Vince had on him. When you’re with someone you love so much, you wonder, ‘What if something catastrophic happens?’ You can’t help but think. What if I don’t come to my senses?’ We are so happy together and the thought that anything I did would negatively affect him was awful.

I also talked to two close friends who were very supportive. I didn’t tell anyone because I felt it should be our decision alone – mine and Vince’s. And in the end I knew he definitely had my back.

I had my surgery in July last year. As I live in Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire and had to be at the clinic in London at 7am, I spent the night before in a nearby hotel. I was scared but excited at the same time.

When I entered the operating room I found giant pictures of me printed from every angle and taped to the walls, which was a bit shocking but Dr Yannis said that for best results it was important that he could always see what I looked like when I wasn’t lying down and under anesthesia.

It was said that the surgery would take 3.5 hours.

Afterwards my face was swollen, red and very numb. When I came to, Vince was waiting for me. He didn’t look shocked or make a single comment about my face, he just asked me how I was feeling.

When I was ready, Vince and I left the clinic and took a taxi to the hotel where we would spend the night so we could be close to the medical unit in case I had any complications.

When we finally got home, I looked in the mirror. I was disproportionate and splotchy, and my face and neck were lumpy from fluid retention.

I can understand why people panicked in those early days, but I had been warned about this and there was always a nurse on the end of the phone if I needed help. Surprisingly there was no pain and there never was.

I had to return to the clinic to get six lymphatic drainage facial massages to help reduce the swelling and swelling. I also had laser light treatments to speed healing and reduce scarring, as well as a HydraFacial, a type of facial that uses water jets to cleanse pores and infuse active ingredients. These added another £1,000.

I couldn’t wash my hair for a week because the scars were healing, but then it got better. I actually healed very well.

Within three days I was out walking our dogs, and six days later I was hosting an old friend from Canada. I told him I couldn’t do my best, but I felt great. We went sightseeing and to dinner, and no one seemed surprised by my appearance. I slowly sent a quick message with a selfie of my face surrounded by bandages, telling those closest to me what I was doing and saying, ‘I just went and got my face done.’

Everyone was fascinated – I was bombarded with questions – but they were so supportive and not at all judgmental. They tell me, ‘I can’t believe how natural it looks,’ and many have said they want to do the same thing.

Ellen was thrilled with her facelift, which lasted three and a half hours. I’m very excited with the result. I didn’t want to look like a teenager or unnatural. ‘My face is very expressive’

Ellen after make-up. ‘Now I feel confident again when I enter a room,’ he says

Kris Jenner is now often confused with her daughter Kim after undergoing a deep facelift

After two weeks I was blown away by how much better I looked. It was as if I could reverse time. I felt reborn.

We threw a big party for Vince’s 50th birthday in November. The facelift looks so natural that one of my nieces said to me: ‘You look great. I think it’s the haircut. Do you have a new style?’ I laughed and said: ‘I’ll confess. ‘I also had some work to do.’ ‘Oh, did you get your boobs done?’ he said. It was very funny.

I would tell anyone considering having this procedure that once you book surgery you should clear your decks for two months until you are through the worst of the recovery process.

Extras are also increasing. If you don’t live nearby, train fares, hotels and taxis are available. I’d say I spent maybe £3,000 on top of the surgery fee.

But I don’t regret anything. I’m very excited with the result. I didn’t want to look like a teenager or unnatural. My face is very expressive and I hate looking frozen or tense.

People think injectable drugs are more natural, but I believe surgery can be done. Your own tissue is moved back into place with a deep straight face and neck lift procedure. If someone feels as unhappy as I do when I look in the mirror, I would 100 percent go for it.

Now I feel confident again when I walk into a room. Vince loves me the way I look, but he’s happy that I feel much better about my appearance.

We went on holiday recently and when I saw the photos I thought we looked the same age, which was a big improvement.

In my younger days, I could turn heads. As a woman you realize everything stops. This wasn’t a problem for me, it’s very normal. But now it’s started again and I’m getting compliments. At the Post Office at Christmas the young woman behind the counter looked at me and said ‘you are so beautiful’ which was something that had never happened before.

I love it when people are visibly surprised when I tell them I’m retired now. And lately no one has offered me a seat on the train or bus.

Having a deep facelift has been empowering. Cancer can make you feel like you’re not responsible for your body. It can also age you. I feel like I have taken control of myself, my body and my life.

I no longer see a sad old woman when I look in the mirror; I see myself and it makes me happy.

A deep plane makeover with Dr Yannis Alexandrides costs £25,000. 111harleystreet.com

As told to Leah Hardy