OK Ladies, Lip atrophy album created

[rose]

The weirdness of this is almost too much for me. I cannot believe I'm actually posting such unflattering photos of myself on the internet! Many without makeup even (horrors LOL) .

Some of us have had conversations about the lip atrophy, and how distressing it is especially for a woman due to the emphasis in today's world on our appearance.

I have gotten so tired of biting my lips because of the way my mouth has kind of "fallen in" on the inside. The salivary ridge of my lower lip is right at my teeth line now, and is constantly in the way when I chew. So.............. tomorrow, I'm going to a plastic surgeon and having juvederm injections in the lower lip. My upper lip seems to be unchanged so far. Granted, this is part vanity, but I'm having it done just as much for a way to correct (I hope) the lip biting problem.

I've never had any sort of lip fillers before. I hope I don't regret it, but its got to be an improvement over how they are now!

And, then, while I'm still in " tossing money out the window mode," I'm going to a salon to have a hair straightening process done. I'm hoping this makes being presentable looking a lot easier for me. My wrists and hands don't easily hold onto the round styling brush to blow my hair dry, and although I tried this summer to wear my hair "au naturelle" I just didn't like it that way. Squiggles aren't for me, and right now, neither is cutting it all off.

The process is often called Brazilian straightening or Brazilian Keratin Treatment. It isn't permanent like the Japanese Thermal Straightening and hair is still supped to have body, not be stick straight. So, for you ladies with weak arms/hands, I'll report back about this as well.

All in all, I'll be damned if I'll let this thing rob me of looking like "me" if I can help it!

https://www.alsforums.com/forum/album.php?albumid=31

 

[lovelily]

Hi Rose. I wish you the best as you go for your 'lip' treatment! I am having an image of Goldie Hawn in the 'First Wives Club'....~ I am sure everything will turn out fabulous, for you! You can't keep a good woman down!

I don't think there is anything conceited or vain about this....at all. Even if there was ~ who cares? :wink:

 

[brendapals]

rose,
You go girl! Sounds like a lot of fun to me! Of course, I would probably have to make sure the salon had a blender and some margarita mix to prepare my beverage, LOL
I'll have to check out the photos later today,
Have a great time,
hugs,
brenda

 

[sdsyd]

Rose- you are a fearless warrior. Look good, feel good, right? I loved your pics and I was wondering if you use Mac Lipglass? LOL

Yesterday was my first day back at work after 5 more off. I Waaaaaaay overdid the makeup and had people asking me where I got the nice tan.(its actually just too much bronzer) My family often tells me I look pale, tired- etc. when I go out of the house I try to compensate (overcompensate) with makeup

we don't want people to think we look different or "sick".
I, too have long hair and have been grappling with the idea of a new cut so I can manage it better.

I hope after your procedure your lips are more lucious than EVER!

Love,
Cindy

 

[rose]

Thanks everyone I hope I don't end up with "fish lips" ! I'll post some after pictures in a few days.

Cindy, no, that's not the Mac Lip Glass (love that stuff!) Its just lip balm, I wear it to bed at night. Its by City Lips. I began using it last year when I first stared to notice my lip changes, and use it religiously because I never ever have chapped lips now. Not even in the dead of winter! Re: your bronzer, it is funny how we equate being tan with being healthy. Even though everything we read healthwise says the opposite.

One of the humorous aspects of my day today, is that I've got to go directly to the salon from the surgeon, and I have no idea how swollen my lips are going to be from having it done!

take care

 

[crystalkk]

Rose,

Good luck with your lip filler and your hair appointment. Thank you for posting the pictures, post after your appoinments so we can see the new you.

 

[awieleba]

HI Rose Jolie!

this is a great idea! and the hair! just becasue we are sick, doesnt mean we have to look it. Sometimes it is the little things that make us feel 'feminine'.

since my stomach muscle are all but gone, I had to buy new flowing tops and pants. It made me feel better and I got one of those bobs that are shorter in the back....not sure about this one. I think I may go back to regular bob. AND, I do the same thing with the bronzer! My face has gotten alot thinner and more sunken in around my eyes, so I NEED make up at this point.

I would say the silliest thing that I am doing is, matching mine and Grace's outfits so when I carry her we dont clash!

 

[lostinlouisville]

Rose

I love this thread, I hate make-up but wear it everyday. I have had dark circles under my eyes since I was 8. My mom is a little model and I remember being about 13 not wanting to wear make-up unlike the other 13 year old girls, but my mom of all people insisted that I do so or not leave the house. She still jokingly tells me my first marriage broke up when I was in my 20's from my not wearing enough make-up lol. I will have to post a pic of my mother now 67, and 2 years ago she was in a coma for 3 months, we don't know why still and her most recent pictures still look better than me. We are very worried about our looks but it does make me feel better these days to fix my self up. Now that my daughter is a make-up artist hair stylist, she has taken over where my mom left off . My daughter just got her first movie make-up job in Memphis, working with minor stars, like daughter from Cosby show etc. just had to throw that in for pride purposes,sorry.

Rose, Good luck today, I can't imagine you being any more beautiful than you already are, but it's all about how we feel about our selfs . The Bible says in Psalms ' Your are fearfully and Wonderfully made. Let us know how it goes.

 

[lostinlouisville]

I did post pic's of my mom under my album, just pride again..lol

 

[rose]

Guys, you're welcome to chime in too

Renee, your mom does look great. That bodes well for you and how you'll be down the road.

Seriously, I truly am having the lip injections as much for practical living purposes as for appearance. I so hope it helps. Now the hair ~ that's just vanity. Not only is it hard to hold onto the styling brush hard enough, but even standing that long is not all that easy. I can still do it, but it is becoming more of a challenge.

I'm interested to learn if anyone else with bulbar palsy or bulbar symptoms have had this happen. I know from the pictures its not that easy to see what I'm talking about, but if you have it going on, you'd eventually notice anyway. It is apparent in person, my doctors have commented on it without me having to point it out (even the NYC neuro that traumatized me a few weeks ago).

Its just so strange how my progression has been, my voice was affected before my tongue and speech, and the lips before my jaw strength. In fact, my jaws are still strong, I do have spasms sometimes, and a slow twitch that comes and goes, but I can still chew pretty normally. Its just that my tongue doesn't want to move the food around that is being chewed :neutral:

 

[rose]

two more pics added

I added a couple of more examples of how I look (literally) today.... the link to the album is at the beginning of this thread.

 

[BethU]

Hey, Rose ... thanks for posting those. My lower lip and chin has that bunching too ... I used to have a deep dimple in my chin, and it has vanished. Let us know how your treatment goes.

My mouth droops off to one side, and I asked my ENT guy (who's also a plastic surgeon) if he could do anything about it ... pull up one side of my face or something. Alas, he said no, it was not repairable. :-(

But then the strangest thing happened: I have white hair, but when my speech went kaput, suddenly my hair turned brown again ... overnight! Wonder how that happened. :wink: My husband said "You really look younger." And that's good, because we are all judged ... and treated ... by how we look on the outside. Unfortunate, but true.

I figure we have to fight back as long as we can ...

BethU

 

[rose]

oh well...

It was a no go. We talked for a long time. The surgeon was concerned that because my lip is already weak, that there would be more bulk to move around, and it could have implications that we hadn't thought about. He also said I might actually keep biting my lip more instead of less, or that due to the weakness the lip could kind of fall forward like out too much. He said the results if we injected could possibly last a year, and there was no procedure to undo it after the fact .... I'm bummed, but I understand. He said he would leave it up to me, but if I were his sister, he'd say absolutely don't have it done.

.....so, I'm grabbing lunch at home real quick, then off for my hair appointment. THAT had better happen!

Beth, LOL gotta love Loreal (or Miss Clairol) upkeep can be hell, but what's a girl to do?

 

[rose]

As an update, it was suggested that I get a mouth guard for sleep at night, such as is used for those that grind their teeth. Ms Clawson said that even though its not only during sleep that I'm biting my lips, it would alleviate the problem for a percentage of each day that way. She said the pharmacies have a mold one can do at home, and just to do either my upper or lower teeth. I've not had a chance to pursue it further yet...

 

[olly]

hi rose

sorry to hear you could not have your lips done,but i hope your hair appointment went well.
i just let my long hair dry on its own after washing it in the evening,may use straightners on it if i do go out anywhere and wear it down,but its normally in a ponytail.
i use nice n easy hair colour for my roots but it gets a bit too much doing it every 6wks.
i found avon cometics do a hair mascara wand,other companys may do it.
you can touch up your roots in between washes,then you can go longer before colouring.
i have noticed the left side of my mouth droops down a bit more,this is were liquids can dribble.
but my main concern is even though i have gained back a bit of weight my lower face/jaw line is still sunken in,but i can see more of a hollow in my left side.
the jaw fassics were on my right side of the face so i dont understand this.
i think i need some face filler or lower face lift lol.
sorry forgot to add,i did read about the do it at home mouth guards and it was said the dentist ones are much better.