Cheshire Socialites Event with friend Deb
As we go to more and more Charity Events and networking dos, I am often asked a lot of the same questions about surgery from the new and interesting people we meet. So I thought I would write a quick blog to explain what it’s really like to be the Wife of a Plastic Surgeon!
What’s it like being married to a Plastic Surgeon?
Erm, it has it’s ups and it’s downs…
On the downside, I’ve moved a lot, away from friends and family, which was especially hard when I was pregnant and the kids were young. We moved to New Zealand for a year which was an adventure so while Gerard was honing his plastic surgery skills I had to make friends quickly on the other side of the planet!
We’ve also moved around a bit in the UK so that Gerard can be near to his workplace which in the early days was on a 6 months rotation at different hospitals. When he was training around the North West it was sometimes an hour and a half each way which meant it was easier for him to stay in hospital accommodation whilst on call on some weekends rather than do the long commute – some days in surgery are long enough without an extra hour’s drive there and back! The NHS hospital accommodation was mostly built in the 1960s and hasn’t changed much over time, so it saved him the drive but unfortunately it’s not like the Hilton Hotel, but it allowed him to focus on his surgery while I got on with my own career and juggled the home, housework and the kids!
Luckily I like travelling, and hate doing the same thing all the time – there’s not much chance of that! – so we’ve had some adventures that many people haven’t! I’ve moved house twice in New Zealand, the second time over Christmas and in between a trip to Australia, so we once turned up at our new house, in the middle of the night hoping that our belongings were there and that the key fitted in the lock! It did. We lived in a glass fronted house facing the beach for 6 months which was a little bit of heaven, while Mr Lambe finished his Fellowship training at one of the best hospitals in the world in Eastbourne near Wellington, New Zealand. That’s where he was reconstructing faces and bodies ravaged by either trauma or skin cancers. After a long and busy day, we made a ritual of having a glass of wine on the beach while the sun set.
Like everything, you have to make the most of what life offers you, so adapting to change and opportunities I think is key to happiness and getting the most out of life. I’m also very outgoing so I love networking and meeting new people, which has been a bonus in the business, I’ve been very lucky to meet some entrepreneurial and energetic people and a host of celebrities!
Also on the up side, it’s great when the kids have fallen over and cut their heads open or my Mum has broken her wrist and is thinking of going back to hospital! In that case she just has a quick consultation with Gerard to put her mind at ease which saves her the usual 4 hour wait at A&E at her local hospital – he gains some Brownie points here! ha
Has he done any work on you?
Well although I would never ask anyone that same question, it seems that I’m open game for people to either look at me closely and guess, or ask directly! ha
So here goes, yes he has given me some Botox as I’ve had a deep frown line in between my eyes since my 20s which I count as one of the drawbacks of having an expressive face!
To be honest, since I’ve been having Botox I’ve noticed that without any other surgery, the frown line has diminished a lot over time even when the Botox has run out. Apparently this is because the muscles in your face are the same as any muscles in your body in that the more you use them, the bigger they become! As Botox restricts the movement and flexing of the muscles in your face, it makes sense that those muscles become smaller and weaker and so don’t have the same effect of a deep frown line which is caused by the strong facial muscles constricting!
BCG Scar Before Juvederm Filler
I also have a bit of filler every now and again (when there is some spare!) I had a very deep BCG scar which was like a big divet in my upper arm from when I was a tiny baby. When I grew up it spoilt my shoulder line and the look of clothes sometimes when I wore an off the shoulder dress. Gerard filled the scar with Juvederm filler which only took about 20 minutes and it lifted and improved significantly. It worked instantly and I don’t have a big divet any more! Brilliant!
BCG Scar After Juvederm Filler
Would you have any Cosmetic Surgery?
My answer to this is of course! I wouldn’t promote any product or service that I wouldn’t be prepared to use myself as I think that is the only way to be authentic and give an honest opinion to friends, family and patients.
We see lots of patients who have sat at home worrying and fretting for years (sometimes 20 years) and who feel so much better once they have been brave enough to come and see us for a consultation. We never rush any patient into making a decision and they are always free to come and see us at least twice before they go ahead with any surgery.
As a feminist, I would always go with taking advantage of the freedom of choice that women can now enjoy and which the suffragettes fought so valiantly for.
If you think you would benefit from cosmetic surgery, and you’ve done all your research to weigh up the pros and cons of your surgery, then if it’s going to make you feel more confident and get the best out of life, I wholeheartedly say go ahead, life is far too short!
Have you had your breasts done?
We see a lot of women with small breasts who have always dreamed of bigger breasts since they were teenagers but Gerard would never operate on a girl’s breasts unless they were at least 18 when their body has stopped growing, they are mature enough to make big decisions and they are a “fully fledged” adult. Breast Augmentation surgery is relatively straightforward and these patients are usually delighted after their breast enlargement surgery and can’t wait to show off their new curvier shape with new underwear, swimming costumes and bikinis! Just take a look at Instagram!
We also see a lot of women from 17 years old (who then wait until they are 18) to 65+ who have always hated their large breasts and complain they can never find the right clothes to wear because they are out of proportion with the rest of their body and the size they are on their top half is different from their bottom half, so dresses are a NoNo and they have to wear separates as their top half is a 14 while their bottom half might be a 12, 10 or even an 8. We hear from so many patients that they are stuck wearing black clothes (which had the effect of reducing their top half) and often big jumpers (even in the Summer) which they hide behind as they hate their large breasts.
They also experience a lot of discomfort from their large breasts as they are heavy and wear them down as they carry two extra heavy loads wherever they go. They are also restricted in their underwear as it has to be rather like industrial strength scaffolding and even then the straps dig in to their shoulders and back as they struggle to hold up the weight of the breasts (prior to breast reduction surgery).
So I consider myself very lucky as my breasts are a C cup which are not too big to droop too much over time and not so small that I feel self conscious that I’m not womanly enough and haven’t got enough to fill a bikini!
So the answer is No, but I know a few people who have! ha It’s a good job though for me as new regulations mean that Plastic Surgeons cannot perform plastic surgery on their spouse. Shame that but you can’t have everything!