A single mum has opened up about transformative surgery overseas – a decision that she believes has turned back the clock by "10 years younger". Lucy Miller, who used to cringe at the sight of bags under her eyes, became painfully familiar with questions from others asking if she was "tired" or "had been crying", leaving her feeling constantly self-aware.
The 42 year old invested £3,000 in a host of remedies including top-shelf creams, rollers, and salmon DNA injections, but they all proved ineffective. Exasperated by her perpetual worn-out look, Lucy took decisive action, tapping into her savings to explore more radical solutions. She soon underwent a swift 30-minute procedure that seemingly shaved years off her face.
"My eyes made me feel very self-conscious," shared the personal trainer and fitness model from London with NeedToKnow. "I bought all the concealers and eye creams, and the roller you put in the freezer. I planned my sleep and beauty around days out and events.
"If I had an event, I would go to bed early, thinking it would make a difference. But it only made it worse – I was adding to the heaviness of my eyes. I remember looking at my reflection in the mirror and thinking: 'What's wrong with my eyes?' They were puffy and I looked like I hadn't slept for a week.
"People would constantly ask if I was tired or if I'd been crying. It was the one thing I couldn't control.
"As a single mum, dipping into my savings to have surgery brought a huge sense of guilt – but it didn't feel like a cosmetic need to me. This is something that impacted my confidence almost every day.
"Everyone tells me I look so much younger now. I've de-aged myself by 10 years."
Lucy arranged an appointment with a specialist in Brussels to have the "fat pockets" around her eyes removed. This procedure is known as lower lid blepharoplasty, a type of eyelid surgery used to tighten the skin and soft tissues for a more youthful appearance.
The London resident took the Eurostar to the Belgian capital and paid £2,000 for the private procedure, plus an additional £550 for a Eurostar ticket and overnight hotel stay. Leaving her children - daughter Lacie, 11, and son Elliott, eight - was particularly challenging. She said: "I went on a Tuesday morning, visited some markets and took in the sights, and then had the surgery first thing Wednesday morning.
"It took just half an hour – I was back on the Eurostar home that afternoon. As a single mum, I didn't have much time to recover and rest.
"It was hard. I wish I could have stayed a bit longer but my kids needed their mum.
"When he saw my eyes after surgery, Elliott ran and locked himself in his bedroom. He couldn't face being around me. My daughter was a diamond and didn't leave my side. I had to take them to school in the middle of winter with sunglasses on and my head down."
The recovery process was also tough. Despite enduring weeks of swelling and stitches, Lucy insists it was all "worth it".
The mother-of-two underwent the procedure in December last year and has since made a full recovery. As a result, Lucy claims to have experienced a significant boost in confidence, saying: "I'm a lot more confident."
With two children to care for, Lucy appreciates the time-saving aspect of her newfound confidence, explaining: "I have two children, so if I can walk out of the house and not feel like I need makeup or look tired, it saves me a lot more time."
She added that the treatment has left her face feeling revitalised, stating: "My face feels a lot fresher."
