Cosmetic procedures of various kinds are commonplace these days, but many singers may not consider them as quickly as Broadway performers and other artists. In coming months, CS will present a series of articles on various aspects of plastic surgery and coesmtic procedures, designed to help you, as a singer, learn and know how to find more information. This month, to inaugurate the column, Chris Winward interviewed a singer about laser resurfacing. The singer asked not to be identified, but she is a regional-level performerer with a full-time career.
CS: Why did you decide to have this procedure done?
It all started when a fellow singer came up to me and innocently said, “I wonder if you could give me some advice about going through menopause.”
Her question really shocked me and caused me to look in the mirror with new eyes. I’m just barely into middle age, but it seems that the business is hiring younger and younger-looking singers. Although I knew my looks were working against me, I really hadn’t admitted it to myself until her question. I’m just not ready to hang up my towel just because I’m aging.
CS: How did you decide on this procedure versus others?
I read a lot of books, researched on the Web, and decided to do laser resurfacing. This procedure is supposed to actually tighten up the collagen under the skin, and many people reported that they needed no further cosmetic work afterwards. Best of all, it is a lot cheaper, doesn’t affect the larynx, and recovery time is only a week or so.
CS: How did you decide on a service provider?
I called plastic surgeons in the tri-state area and was quoted about $5,000 for the procedure. They wanted an elaborate process, where you’d start on antibiotics and face bleaching cream for weeks before the procedure. I was barely going to have time to heal before my next job.
I looked on the Internet and found doctors in Pennsylvania and Ohio, checking to see if it was cheaper there. I found that many dermatologists do the procedure, so I called my own. It turned out he does the procedure for $2,500, and without any of the waiting period.
But I was still worried that a dermatologist wouldn’t do as good a job, so I called the plastic surgeon’s office back and asked, “You told me that your doctor often has to fix facelift work done by other doctors. Have you ever had to fix a bad laser resurfacing job?” The nurse said she hadn’t, and that was enough for me. I canceled my appointment with the surgeon and went with my own dermatologist. Interestingly, this must be a high-profit business, because the offices I called have someone assigned to follow up, and they kept calling and faxing trying to get me to go with their office!
CS: Tell us about the procedure, particularly about anything relating to your voice.
I had an initial appointment where my “before” picture was taken and the procedure explained. I was given a prescription for bleaching cream, which I was to start immediately, and antibiotics to start a few days before the procedure. I was very clear that I wanted no intubation of any kind, because I’d heard nightmare stories from other singers about their vocal cords being affected. I was prepared to suffer pain instead! I was assured that it was no big deal. I talked with the doctor at length about being a singer, and also that I tended to over-respond to medication, so I’d rather have pain than pills.
When I arrived for the procedure, I had to wait hours. My hair was put in a shower cap, and my face and neck swabbed with acetone as a deadener and then wrapped in plastic. After another long wait, I was brought into a room and seated in a chair surrounded by equipment that reminded me of being in a dentist’s office. The doctor first did injections all over my face to deaden the nerves. The injections hurt a lot, particularly around the eyes. Then shields were inserted into my eyes, like contact lenses, only these were thicker and quite uncomfortable. I kept reminding myself what my singer friend said to me when I was afraid to do this: “The pain of surgery is nothing compared to the pain of being rejected because of your looks.”
The injections didn’t work on some parts of my face and had to be done again and again. Finally they gave me a Valium and waited. It didn’t work. I just told them to go ahead and do it, and I’d tough out the areas that wouldn’t deaden. The laser felt like a moderate electric shock and the sensation was rather like being pinched. The laser machine is guided by the doctor, and done in small sections over your whole face. Under the chin was done also, but lightly. There was a slight odor and I was told it was my burning skin. Lovely. The nurse was suctioning off the dead skin as the doctor worked.
CS: How did you feel afterwards?
I was exhausted and my face felt hot, but otherwise, I was fine. The nurse cleaned my face and then slathered it with Aquaphor, a petroleum jelly-like substance. I was given a pad soaked in saline solution to put between my glasses and my nose, and sent home with instructions. I was to go home and put frozen peas or compresses on my face, wash with saline solution every hour, and reapply the Aquaflor. The drive home was a killer because I had no ice packs. Think of the worst sunburn in your life and you’ll understand.
I slept fine the first night, only waking up once to wash, reapply, and get more ice packs. As long as the ice packs were on my face, I felt great. The next morning I woke up with a face so swollen, my eyes were red slits in a bright red ball!
CS: Did the procedure affect your voice?
The minute I got home, I was determined to know if this had affected my voice or not. Not! I could sing anything—I just couldn’t open my mouth very wide, and it’s rather hard to sing with bags of frozen peas on your face!
CS: What was your experience with recovery?
Although I felt fine and could’ve done anything, I looked scary with the red ball face shining with primordial slime!
On day three, I noticed that the top layer of skin had turned dark brown and had broken up. This began to come off with the hourly saline washings. Once that skin was off, I looked fairly normal, except I couldn’t stand to be without the grease! The skin felt papery dry within minutes of taking the grease off.
One week later, I was able to leave the house and a few days after that I started wearing makeup again. Most of my skin looked great in less than a week. A few patches remained bright red for several weeks, but I just used a cover-up stick.
I healed faster than other people who had the procedure done the same day. I think this is because I had a job coming up and was willing to try anything to get well quickly. I followed the instructions in an alternative healing book regarding burns, including aloe vera juice, 10,000 mg of vitamin C, 100,000 IU vitamin A, potassium, increased protein, fresh-squeezed vegetable juices, and a really healthy diet. The healing amazed the doctor’s staff; but of course, the doctor wanted to believe it was just his skill, and he made them stop telling people what I’d done.
CS: Did it work?
My skin has a lot fewer wrinkles, and I look a lot younger in general. I was, however, disappointed that the bags under my eyes, the furrows between my nose and corner of my mouth, and a deeper wrinkle between my eyes are still there. In my research, some people had reported that these were erased with this procedure. Not me. But the proof of success was when a coach came up to me at an audition last week and said, “You look great—a lot younger.” I said, “Oh…I got my hair cut. Do you like it?”
CS: What will your follow-up be?
I had always thought cosmetic procedures were vanity personified and absolutely ridiculous. But as an opera singer, my inner beliefs were not reflected in my business, and while I’m not old, my age was affecting my hireability. At my last visit, I told my doctor, “I’m hooked. What’s next?” It feels great to look in the mirror and smile again, to not be afraid of face-to-face meetings, and to feel like I can compete again with Miss Babyface Soprano.
CS: Anything you’d do differently?
I’d bring ice packs in a cooler for the drive home after the procedure. I’d have thought to stock up on groceries, Aquaphor, and sterile pads before the procedure. I’d have videos already rented or books borrowed from the library. I didn’t think about how my face would scare people if I went out! I also think if singers have young children, they might want to do this procedure away from home. I would’ve been perfect for the movie Aliens! I’m glad I did it, though, and would do it again and recommend it to singers.
