Having been a smoker her whole life, Elve had, at 64, started to look like one and was no longer happy with the face that greeted her in the mirror. To help reduce the changes age and smoking had caused her face, she decided to turn towards aesthetic surgery.

Elve, when signing up for the programme, your goal was to look younger and healthier and to try and reduce the signs of wear and tear on your face. Do you feel that aesthetic surgery has helped you achieve that goal?

Yes, most definitely. The wrinkles on my face were incredibly deep after so many years of smoking and the skin seemed nearly lifeless. My skin is now smoother and more youthful and I can honestly say, when looking in the mirror that I like myself. I even started crying during the final reveal on the programme when seeing my own reflection for the first time!

You went through an eyelid, face- and neck lift. Were you anxious before the aesthetic procedures?

I’ve had a couple of medical surgeries before, which ensured I generally knew what to expect. Plus, I trusted the Christinas’ Clinic doctors and specialists wholeheartedly, knowing that I was in the care of true professionals. And I was right to have done so.

Your main complaint when coming to the programme was your droopy eyelids. Tell us a bit more about the eyelid lift?

I’d known for quite a while that I needed my upper eyelids corrected as they had indeed dropped down quite significantly and were interfering with my daily life by this point. I’d even been to the optometrists to find out about my options, albeit unsuccessfully.
The procedure itself was quick and I didn’t feel any pain while the recovery was also very speedy. I’m incredibly happy with the results as I can see so much more and my eyes also look great so a huge ‘thank you’ to the team!
The eyelid correction was my primary concern when signing up and I hadn’t dared hope for more at the time, but I also received a face and neck lift. The results of those have been remarkable. I actually felt and saw the change even immediately after the surgery as my neck-line was so much smoother and I now feel significantly more youthful.

They also removed the dark permanent eyebrow tint using laser. Why was that required?

Since my own eyebrows are very light and I had been forced to define them with make-up daily for years, I had, at one point decided to get them done permanently. Unfortunately, the results were too dark and not natural at all. It was the first thing Brit-Carmen, the director of the clinic noticed when I walked in and recommended me do something about removing the dark permanent tint. All-in-all, they did 4 laser procedures that helped remove the unnatural colouring. I now notice women with eyebrows too dark on the street all the time and wonder to myself whether I too looked that extreme before.

To achieve a youthful and natural look, you also received some injections. Did these procedures hurt and how satisfied are you with the results?

The injections didn’t hurt at all, just felt a tiny bit uncomfortable for a moment. I received injections in my cheeks, forehead and lips. To be honest, the smoking had left a more defined mark on my face than I had originally thought and to truly help fill the deeper lines, I had to get several injections for each area.

One of the conditions for being accepted into the programme was to quit smoking. Have you been able to do so permanently?

I no longer smoke. I must admit I’ve had a couple since giving up when I couldn’t resist the temptation but other than that I’ve managed to stay away. I also think it looks rather ugly when an older lady walks around with a cigarette in her hand. The programme definitely gave me a reason and a strong enough kick in the guts to quit and it is something I’m very grateful for.

Would you recommend aesthetic surgery to others your age?

Most certainly. You’ve got nothing to lose apart from wrinkles! Age does not mean that a person must look faded and unhealthy. We should all look fantastic regardless of our age and I can assure you that the doctors and specialists at Christinas Clinic really know what they’re doing whilst also using the latest and best technologies and procedures. I would certainly return to this clinic myself without doubt.

How would you briefly characterize your experience all-in-all?

My stay at the clinic was fantastic – I was made to feel comfortable and supported by all staff I came across. So I’m very glad I ended up at Christina’s Clinic and had the chance to experience and benefit from all of these procedures.

Attention! This is a healthcare service. Christinas Clinic is licensed by the Health Board, permit L04361 (CBF Medical OÜ). The operations and procedures are performed by healthcare professionals.