Until a couple of years ago, whenever I told people my age they’d always respond by telling me how they never would have guessed and thought I was anything up to a decade younger.
Then, slowly, as I crept towards my mid-40s, the compliments started to dry up.
It was no wonder. Once I hit 43, there was a big shift in my appearance, and I was really showing my age.
My eyelids – especially on the side I sleep on – were taking longer and longer each morning to lift and a crepiness had slowly crept in, too, making fine lines permanently visible.
Alongside the natural ageing process, I’ve also been through several rounds of IVF – a gruelling experience that messes with your hormones and definitely took its toll on my skin.
I had Botox in the past and loved how it had ironed out the lines on my forehead. Six years ago, however, I also experimented with Masseter Botox, having it injected into my jaw muscles to soften my square face. The result was disastrous.
Within a couple of days, the left side of my face had dropped dramatically. I couldn’t smile properly for ten months, and the experience put me off ever having injectables around my eyes.
With Botox off the table, I began researching other ways to improve the appearance of my sagging eyes.
And it was after undergoing one such procedure that, last Christmas Eve, aged 45, I woke up barely able to see. My eyes were swollen, red and so puffy I looked like I’d been in the ring with a heavyweight boxer.
After undergoing CO2 laser resurfacing skin treatment around her eyes, Sarah Lindsay woke up on Christmas Eve barely able to see. Her eyes were swollen, red and so puffy she looked like she’d been in the ring with a heavyweight boxer
The previous evening, I’d had CO2 laser resurfacing skin treatment around my eyes. It’s one of the most intensive but natural-looking aesthetic procedures available.
Despite my practitioner’s warnings about swelling, nothing prepared me for the horror show that greeted me when seeing my face in the mirror the next day.
As a celebrity personal trainer, whose clients have included singers Ellie Goulding and Mel B, as well as a former elite athlete, my body – and face – matters to me and my brand.
It was last December, during a visit to aesthetics doctor Richard Devine’s London skin clinic, that he suggested CO2 laser therapy, where the top layers of damaged skin are removed. The procedure triggers the body’s natural healing response and stimulates collagen and elastin production, which leads to firmer, smoother skin.
Dr Devine told me the results can last for years, unlike Botox, which typically requires repeat treatments every three to six months. At £1,200 compared to about £300 for a Botox session, the long-term cost made sense.
He told me I’d need several days of downtime, which felt manageable over Christmas. I’ve had laser treatments on my face and neck before to soften fine lines and improve skin texture, and the redness settled within a few days.
Feeling confident, I decided to have the treatment done there and then.
After removing my make-up, numbing cream was applied around my eyes and within half an hour I was on the treatment bed wearing protective goggles.
During a visit to aesthetics doctor Richard Devine’s London skin clinic, he suggested Sarah try CO2 laser therapy, where the top layers of damaged skin are removed
The treatment works, Dr Devine explains, ‘by delivering precise laser energy into the skin, removing damaged layers while powerfully stimulating new collagen. Unlike Botox, which temporarily relaxes muscles, CO2 laser improves the quality of the skin itself’.
For the first few seconds, I felt my body tense, braced for pain, which – thankfully – never came. I felt a bit of heat around the eye and mild stinging, but it was bearable.
Dr Devine talked me through every stage as he worked around my eye area, then 40 minutes later I was handed a mirror to see the result. It was a bit of a shock – I looked as though I was wearing a bright red mask over my eyes.
Dr Devine had warned me that the inflammation would last for four to five days before starting to settle.
Even so, I was still worried when I saw how sore I looked the next day. CO2 laser treatment was certainly no overnight Christmas miracle!
Before Christmas lunch at my mum’s, I sent Dr Devine a photo with the message: ‘This is me this morning.’
The swelling had worsened and I needed reassurance. When he said it was normal, I was hugely relieved.
To try to minimise further swelling, I steered clear of alcohol. Exercise was off limits, too, as increased blood flow and heat can exacerbate inflammation and slow healing.
To protect my skin against infection, I applied Aquaphor barrier repair cream daily for seven days. Then I switched to the Ink Illusions DermaFactor Post-Treatment Recovery Cream once the skin began to resurface and the outermost layer flaked off to reveal the healthy youthful skin below.
As the swelling subsided, Sarah could clearly see the difference in her skin quality. Fine lines around her eyes were almost completely erased, so she knew that it had all been worth it
It took me four days before I felt brave enough to venture out in public and, even then, on a walk with a friend, I dreaded bumping into anyone I knew.
But then I decided to go public about my treatment and upload the photos, including the gruesome ones, to my Instagram page – I hoped my honesty would help to remove any stigma that comes with having cosmetic procedures that make you feel and look better.
I don’t want to pretend I do nothing when I clearly do and I want people to see the reality of having treatments – the swelling and the downtime – so they can make informed choices.
It took eight days before I looked truly myself again, and a little longer for some lingering discolouration and slight puffiness to completely go.
But as the swelling subsided, I could clearly see the difference in my skin quality. Fine lines around my eyes were almost completely erased, so I knew that it had all been worth it.
Since posting about it on social media, I’ve received mixed feedback. Most comments have been positive, with many of my followers saying they were considering having it themselves.
Some expressed concern, worried that my decision to change myself reflects some sort of insecurity. Others accused me of out and out vanity.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. But for me, none of this is about chasing youth or trying to be perfect – it’s simply about taking ownership of how I age and taking advantage of technology to look as good as I can.
This is my face and it tells my story – only now just with a few less wrinkles.
- Follow Sarah Lindsay @RoarFitnessGirl. For information on Roar Fitness in London or Dubai, visit roar-fitness.com. Head to devineclinic.com to discover more about CO2 laser treatment
As told to GEMMA CALVERT
