Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy are psychotherapists that are highly educated, accomplished, psychologically sophisticated, impressively credentialed, professional women. Both work in the Washington area, helping others understand and improve themselves from the inside out. And yet, or should that be "and so"? --they both decided to get facelifts.
Three years ago they had their operations, just two days apart. They shared the experience together, they both kept diaries and now they offer their thoughts to anyone who seeks what they call "the unvarnished truth" about plastic surgery. "The Facelift Diaries: What It's Really Like to Have a Facelift" is their self-published dual memoir.
A transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
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washingtonpost.com:
Good afternoon and welcome to our chat with Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy, psychotherapists, to discuss the misconceptions and consequences of plastic surgery when it comes to facelifts.
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Hi we are here and we are delighted you are here to join in this conversation with us. We are looking forward to taking questions and comments.
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Washington D.C.:
I had a chin lift in August. Should I still be using the brace, for lack of better wording, the chin guard? If so, for how long? Thank you.
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: We are not plastic surgeons, so we would suggest that you check with your surgeon.
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Washington D.C.:
Was there ever a time after surgery that you wondered whether you had made the right decision? Any regrets now?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Jill here, I wondered if I had made the right decision, when my face was still lopsided, my cheeks were swollen and I didn't look like me. Jaedene here, I wondered when I glimpsed at my face in the mirror after four days. But I am very happy that I did it.
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Statesboro, Ga.:
Where can we get your book? Do you have any regrets?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: The book is available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and Politics and Prose in Washington D.C. We have no regrets!
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Adams Morgan:
Everyone I've known who's had anything done to their face around the eyes does not quite look like the same person to me -- even months or years after they've had their procedure. There's something about pulling back the skin that reconstitutes the person's natural countenance that can be quite jarring, at least in the cases I've seen. Please comment.
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: That's why we chose surgeons who didn't do that pulling back thing. They work with the deeper tissues to support the natural contours of the face.
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Alexandria, Va.:
After having a facelift, is the pain horrific? I am 36 years old and was thinking about having some work done to my face. I have had some acne and it left keloids on my jaw line. Would there be a possibility for me to become an applicant for plastic surgery and not keloids? How long does the benefits of surgery last?
From looking at your skin on your face, does it appear obvious that you've had a face lift?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: No, it doesn't appear obvious. I have had keloids on other parts of my body, but I have none on my face because of the ability of the surgeon who knew about the keloids.
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Bethesda, Md.:
Would you do it again -- now that you know what it's like? -- and why or why not?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Both of us would absolutely do it again because we both think that we look better. It's not that we look younger, it's that we look less tired or worn down by life. We got what we wanted.
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Bethesda, Md.:
Which over-the-counter preparations works best and what, if any, are the risk factors in using these?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Arnica is extremely helpful to prevent the bruising. You really have to avoid vitamin C and aspirin. Afterwards, you would want a 45 sun block. We found face blotting papers helpful to control the grease that is in the skin after the laser procedures on the skin. Other than that, we only use moisturizer.
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Alexandria, Va.:
I don't want people to know I've had a lift... how long must one stay out of work before the tell tale signs of surgery are gone??
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Jaedene here, I was back at work in 2 1/2 weeks and I told people I was having it done. Jill here, I was back after seven weeks and people noticed the change in me. As I told people that this was happening to me, it was as much as a shock and I didn't feel exposed. We think the best policy is to tell people you are having a lift or some work done.
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Laurel, Md.:
How did you select your surgeon?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Jaedene here, I interviewed a bunch of people and looked at people that they worked on and chose the surgeon I felt most comfortable with. Jill here, I went to one person who was board certified which was important to me. I felt that he was able to explain his technique and I liked his volumetric approach. By "volumetric" we mean he works with the deeper tissues to change the contours of the face. Not just pulling the skin back. We want to emphasize a board certified surgeon. We also like that the surgeons donate their time to disadvantage communities.
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Midland, Va.:
If you had blepharoplasty done, did you have any damage to your eyes?
Did you have to sleep on an elevated mattress after surgery?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: We both had to sleep with a ring pillow certainly. Neither one of us sustained damage to our eyes but that was because our surgeons did not take away too much skin. The problem with blepharoplasty is the surgeon can take away too much skin and you cannot close your eye or it can dry them out. So you choose your surgeon carefully. One that adds fat to plump the skin around the eye instead of taking it away.
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Washington D.C.:
What is the approximate cost of a facelift in the metro area? How can you tell if the surgeon is "good"? I understand there is the insurance problem for doctors in Maryland. Why don't they just have higher standards for admitting a physician to practice in a state. It is the doctors' own fault they have to pay high insurance if they are not good doctors.
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: We don't know the full range of prices but it is usually between $10 thousand and $25 thousand and again it is important to have a board certified surgeon. There are clinics that offer payment plan like one at your child's orthodontics.
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Potomac, Md.:
How long after your surgery did you start to see results and were you happy with them?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Jaedene here, I started to see results ten days after surgery. I was happy at two weeks. Jill here, honestly I didn't look too good at seven weeks, but I felt really happy after a year because our skins our different and heal at different rates.
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Rockville, Md.:
Did you experience much pain during the recovery and how long did the recovery take?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: It's not really pain, it's more pulling. We were on pills for about five days.
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Los Angeles, Ca.:
I am somewhat torn about a facelift. I am 49 and have noticed that over the last year or two, I've simply lost my jaw line. Although my face has aged in other ways, its the sagging jaw that gets me. Although a facelift would 'cure' this, it seems extreme. Is there any less-radical procedures that might help? (I watched my mom recover from two excellent facelifts and vowed never to undergo that kind of pain voluntarily.) Also, I'm not yet menopausal so expect further changes in future. Thanks for your comments.
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: There's nothing to lift the jaw line. The facelift is the only thing. It makes the biggest difference of all the things you could do to your face. We don't know of any other ways to change your jaw line. But, there are many lifts that are not as extensive and you may want to look into that. Techniques are improving all of the time, so what was hard for your mother may be easy for you.
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Washington D.C.:
How can you live with such extreme and public vanity when there is such poverty worldwide and in our own backyard? Do you realize what you spent to satisfy for own personal vanity and insecurities could have rebuilt a dozen homes in Indonesia (for example)?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: We both donate our time in various ways to alleviate psychological suffering and our surgeons also donate their time. We think it's important to keep your personal interests in balance with your social responsibility.
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Albequerque, N.M.:
I read a funny article in slate about interviewing plastic surgeons. Four different docs were interviewed who told the prospective patient four different kinds of lifts were needed. How do you determine who's right and what is best for you?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Jaedene here, I went to four different people and the bottom line is that I decided what was most important to me after considering what each of them had suggested. But that also related to having seen the work that they have done to other patients.
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Sterling, Va.:
Is there a minimum age you should wait to be before having this done? A maximum age where your skin would be too fragile?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: We don't have a full answer for this because it completely depends on the individual.
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Dale City, Va.:
Are all skin types eligible for face lifts? What about pale very sensitive skin?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Jill here, You're looking' at one right here. The surgeon knew to go very light with me. With proper care I did fine.
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White Plains, N.Y.:
What happens after a face lift as you age naturally?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: You continue to age, naturally. The thing is, you look better than most people.
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Washington D.C.:
I had a facelift on Dec. 17. Though much of the swelling has gone down, my cheeks seem huge to me. How long does it take before your face assumed it's final look?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Well, it was different for each of us. Jaedene here, for me it was six months. Jill here, for me, it was a year. My cheeks were so big I thought the surgeon had put in implants. But it was just me and now, I look fine.
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Washington D.C.:
Presumably, a great deal of the work that therapists do is to increase their patients' self-acceptance -- helping people come to terms with their flaws and imperfections and to thrive despite them. It seems that publicizing your own facelifts might send a contradictory message. How do you reconcile these messages?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: As we said in the book, we want our outsides to match our insides. We feel that people should take care of themselves that works for them. And that's what we did. Now we aren't trying to sell the idea of a facelift. We're selling the idea of people having choice and thinking about their feelings and their relationships. And helping them enjoy their lives.
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McLean, Va.:
Can you recommend the best and brightest plastic surgeons in the metro area?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: We each feel that about our own. Jaedene here, my surgeon is George Raisin in Bethesda. Jill here, John William Little in Washington D.C. There are many other talented surgeons that they could recommend.
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Monterey, Ca.:
Please share what regrets you have had since getting your faces lifted.
Thank you.
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Jaedene here, honestly, I don't have any.
Jill here, I don’t regret the money, the time I took off...there's nothing to regret. I feel that if there is anyone else who wants to do this, I would like to help them know what to expect.
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Washington D.C.:
As therapists whose goal is to make themselves blank slates to their clients, is this too self-revealing to your patients? How would you handle questions from your patients about the surgery?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: This was a great concern to us when we were making our decision. But the fact is, that you cannot hide everything about yourself. When you are pregnant you have to deal with that or even if you feel unhappy, depressed or are sick and similarly getting older, it is evident. If you choose to change your appearance by weight loss. These are choices you have to make and the best thing to do is to be open to discuss it.
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Chicago, Ill.:
I figure Hollywood has lots of experienced cosmetic surgeons, yet I'm scared off by the tightly-drawn, unrecognizable look so many of the stars end up with...how can you be certain you are communicating with your surgeon...that your idea of "too much" is his or her idea of "too much"? Thank you.
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Many of those people have had multiple facelifts and that's also important to see other work that your surgeon has done on other patients. No one wants the wind tunnel look. And the way the facelift is done nowadays is to plump up the deeper tissues.
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Arlington, Va.:
Did you mourn the loss of your "old face"? I understand there is depression associated with a facelift and I'm wondering why and how long it lasts.
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Jill here, I did miss my old face even though I was glad to be rid of some old features. My children miss it the most because it is what they are used to. Jaedene here, I don’t miss my old wrinkles and my face doesn't look...it's not that my face looks different it's that there are fewer lines on it.
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Santa Fe, N.M.:
How can you help your patients be real to themselves, and accept reality, including aging, when you are doing something that implies lack of acceptance?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: We accept our aging but we feel that it is okay to fight back a little. We work on ourselves in many ways. We advocate for choice. Exercise, healthy eating, studying, working and taking care of our appearance. We think these things are real.
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Washington D.C.:
Did you research the "Image 75" face lift that is advertised on TV first?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: We do not know what that is but, I’m sure we would be quite skeptical about it. There's no such thing as a quick fix.
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Washington D.C.:
Your facelifts, though obviously different, seem to be more extreme than many (at least, that's what the initial recovery time seems to indicate). Especially Dr. Scharff's. I think people interested only in a gentle lift might be put off. Could you tell us exactly what was done in each face lift? Thank you.
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Our book encompasses all of the details in diary form. The reason that it sounds so involved is that we are telling the truth about all the details and one never hears or reads about all of the details. Someone doesn't tell the secret about how it was for them to go through it.
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washingtonpost.com:
Read today's Post story The Facelift Diaries.
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Olney, Md.:
Hello Dr. Scharff and Ms. Levy.
You are both courageous women for sharing your story with all of the Washington Post readership.
However, I cam away with a sour taste in my mouth after reading your accounts.
I am a little put off by your accounts, Dr. Scharff. Your comment that you strive to secure in-depth change puzzles me. Can we only be truly happy if we feel as good outside as we do inside? I enjoy keeping my body toned and in good shape. My face is that of a 50-yea-old and I feel good about that. I cringe at the thought of going all that pain and suffering to look different.
You, Dr Scharff, admit that your face is in fact several faces. That would be too much for me to cope with.
I know that neither one of you regret what you did. But if you had to do it over again, would you do it the same way?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Yes I would do it the same way and again, I would emphasize the idea of choice. This is not for everyone. We were each wanting and choosing to have it done. Jill here, good for you for keeping yourself fit. You don't need the facelift. Looking good on the outside does not mean you are well on the inside. Mind and body need equal attention.
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Clifton, Va.:
Do either of you feel that you have aged at a faster or slower rate, since your facelifts 3 years ago?
Do you go in for "tuneups"?
Thanks for sharing with us.
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: I’m aging at whatever rate one ages and I have not had any tune-ups. The day I feel I need something, I will look into it.
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Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: To the woman in Capitol Heights, Md. yes a black woman with eczema. Jaedene here, I have both some eczema and psoriasis and my facelift is fine. Obviously your surgeon will work with your dermatologist in such a case. Even people who are allergic to antibiotics can have a facelift because there are techniques for dealing with that.
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Arlington, Va.:
As a 33-year-old male teacher, engaged to a 37-year-old female doctor, neither of us can understand why anyone would have a facelift. Is it vanity, insecurity, or just a feel that an operation is the only way to stay young? Eat health, work out, not stress, and just be happy with what you were given. It have never made sense to me to alter yourself with an operation just because you want to look younger. Unless I'm missing a bigger picture? Is this the type of behavior I should be promoting to my students? If you are unhappy with the way you look...........pay for a better face?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: Well, our children would agree with you. They don't need it. Our children have never been our age.
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Bethesda, Md.:
Did your families have much trouble adjusting? Did they treat you any differently after your appearance changed so drastically?
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: It's difficult for husbands an children because it is difficult for us to watch them feeling so uncomfortable. We also appreciated the support they gave us and know that we would do the same for them.
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washingtonpost.com:
Unfortunately, that is all the time we have for today. We would like to thank Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy, psychotherapists, for joining us.
Jill Scharff and Jaedene Levy: We want to thank everyone for joining us in our conversation and suggest joining us in our journey in our book or visit our Web site at thefaceliftdiaries.com. And make sure your surgeon is board certified and seek the support of your friends and if you don't have a good friend, find a good therapist with a knowledge of plastic surgery.
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