Last month you met Margaret, a vivacious 59-year-old Baby Boomer preparing for a facelift. Please take a moment to read more of her story and join the conversation in Margaret’s facelift forum.

Making a well-reasoned decision on whether to have a facelift—or any cosmetic surgery—involves answering key medical and personal questions.

We gave you a glimpse into the medical aspects of Margaret’s facelift consultation with Dr. Parungao in last month’s Body Beautiful. Margaret understands the facelift procedure, why Dr. Parungao has recommended a full facelift rather than a minifacelift, and what she can expect after her surgery.

This month, we’ll focus on the personal questions to ask when deciding whether to have plastic surgery and see how Margaret has answered them.

1.

Am I having surgery to please someone else in my life, or because I want to? You’ll be happier after surgery if you do it for your own satisfaction. Margaret recalls the conversation she had with the man in her life. “He said, ‘Why mess with perfection? I want you to know I have noticed your cheeks are falling and I don’t care ... I love you the way you are.’ I told him, ‘I’m doing this for myself—not to keep you,’” she says.

2.

Do I have realistic expectations of the surgery? “The best candidates for plastic surgery are people seeking improvement, not perfection,” explains Dr. Parungao. “I don’t want a 25-year-old face,” Margaret says. She also realizes that a facelift will not stop the clock. “I’ve realized that Dr. P is not chiseling out a bronze sculpture of me and preserving it forever. I will still age normally. I figure if my face looks 5-10 years younger for the next 5-10 years, I’ll be satisfied.”

3.	Is this the right time for me to have surgery? Plan ahead to allow the time you need to recover from your procedure. The amount of recuperation time varies by the type of surgery you’re having. “After a full facelift, you should plan to be off work for 5-7 days,” Dr. Parungao advises.

Margaret is ready to pamper herself for a few days after surgery: “I think I will be having a lot of milkshakes ... I like that!”

Dr. Parungao fully explains what Margaret can—and cannot—expect from a full facelift, helping her make an informed decision about cosmetic surgery.

Yes, I recommend that Margaret continue with facial fillers and Botox after her surgery. Her wrinkles are deep enough that the fillers will enhance the results of her facelift. And Botox will prevent recurrence of wrinkles in her forehead, the crease between her eyebrows and crow's feet.