Starting To Say Yes To Me

While this experience is sponsored by Allergan, all opinions are always my own. Special thanks to Dr. Arlette and the staff at Total Skincare Centre.

Something recently changed for me. Besides the fact that I turned 40, ahem, and then I turned 41, ahem, something has shifted in me. I feel like in my 20’s I said yes to friends. Can you help me move? Would you drive me to the mall? Please come on this double date? Always the answer was yes. Then in my 30’s I said yes to my kids. Mom, can we go to the park? Let’s play house? Can we make cookies? The answer was almost always yes. So now that I’m in my 40’s, I’m shifting gears. I’m starting to say Yes To Me!

Great. So now that I’ve decided that it’s time to say #YesToMe and do things for me, what does that mean? It means I am going to focus on things that make me feel good from the inside out. That includes chocolate cake and sushi as well as 60 minute workouts followed by 8-10 hours of blissful sleep. Despite eating right, drinking lots of water and getting as much sleep as I can, I still find that I look in the mirror and look tired, perhaps angry. I really don’t feel tired or angry on the inside but my face is projecting it on the outside. So I recently took a huge step and made an appointment for a complimentary consultation with Dr. Arlette at Total Skincare Centre.Dr. Arlette is a Dermatologic Surgeon who has grown his 30+ year practice and experience to earn the title of a Master Injector™ among other prestigious accolades. I didn’t know what to expect from a consultation but I was intrigued to say the least. The first thing I did at the clinic was have pictures taken. My bangs serve as a mask I can hide my angry brow and forehead but for the pictures I had to pull them away. Yikes.  I took some of my own “before” pictures showing my deep creases. The next step was a visit with Dr. Arlette. No long questionnaire. No boxes to tick. No impersonal clip board. Dr. Arlette sat next to me in the very comfortable exam room and we had a chat (while his assistant took notes). We talked about my current health, medications and family history, all the while I could see him studying how my face was moving and analyzing my skin surface.Once he gathered enough background information on me, we shifted gears to a discussion on how I want to ‘feel’ about the way my face looks. It’s an interesting approach. Instead of asking what I like or don’t like about my face, I talked about how I want to feel, this approach is called MD Codes. MD Codes™ are a unique approach that zero in on feelings first and call on you to ask how you want the treatment to make you feel emotionally. MD Codes help cosmetic physicians recognize how areas of the face are directly linked to certain emotional attributes. With this method, Dr. Arlette was able to identify the right treatment points that will give me the natural-looking results I’m looking for.  Much to my shock, I learned that facial fillers can do more than fill in creases. Fillers like those from Juvederm® can also lift parts of the face when used in conjunction with other injectables. Dr. Arlette recommended a soft lift using Juvederm® fillers as a treatment plan for me. Eeek! Who’s excited?

I wondered if Juvederm filler is right for me? I mean, I’m ONLY 41 and I don’t have a lot of wrinkles or sagging in my face, yet. After my consultation with Dr. Arlette, I am confident that not only is this the right time but that this is the right plan and approach for me. My hope is that after my treatment plan (phase 1 and phase 2), I will a) not look tired or angry, b) look fresh but still like myself c) look on the outside how I feel on the inside.

Stay tuned for my next video where Tiff Tries Facial Fillers!

In the mean time, if you’re as curious as I was about Juvederm® and facial fillers, download the free Juvederm® Virtual Mirror app. You can see in real time what injectables can do for you using life like 3D simulation. Think you’re ready to have a consultation? Visit Juvederm.ca to find a qualified cosmetic physician in your area. 

While this experience is presented in partnership with Allergan, all opinions are always my own. Special thanks to Dr. Arlette and the staff at Total Skincare Centre.